10/17/2015    Timothy P. Shea, DPM

CA Podiatrist Named Volunteer of the Decade

Congratulations to Dr. Ron Uhlman on his award as
volunteer of the Decade. It was the efforts and
professionalism of Dr. Uhlman, working at Kaiser
Vallejo, as one their first podiatrist in the
system,that allowed new graduates like me 42
years ago to be able to rotate through and
participate in the departments of general surgery
and medicine on the Vallejo Campus Hospital.

Many productive days and nights were spent in the
emergency room treating many different sorts of
general and extremity trauma. They were the
local center for automobile and Motorcycle
accidents, and as far as the staff was concerned
we were just another member of the team. I also
scrubbed in on many general surgeries and was
allowed to participate to the level of my
surgical knowledge and ability.

It was up to me to make sure that I was as
prepared as possible for anything that could
happen ( and did happen) in these cases. To say
that I was able to participate in some "Hairy
cases" would be pretty spot on.This was the same
case for my fellow resident's. Eventually this
program's results help lead to the inclusion of
Podiatric Medicine into the Kaiser system. We all
benefited from Ron's position and attitude
towards training for the future of the
profession.

We must remember that " back then" residency was
considered " not necessary" and in some cases a
waste of time and money. You could: in those days
get your degree, take license test and start
practicing relatively quickly after finishing
school. The idea of further training and that
podiatrists would one day become part of the
general medicine team and work in hospitals was a
foreign thought. It took pioneer's like Dr.
Uhlman to see the future and do something about
it.

To say Dr. Uhlman was a pioneer and future
thinker would be an understatement.
Again, congratulations Ron on this well-deserved
acclamation of your fine work not only in your
own community but to the profession of podiatric
medicine and surgery as well.

Timothy P. Shea, DPM, Concord, CA

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