05/10/2021    Lawrence Oloff, DPM

AMA To Consider Resolution With Goal of Allowing DPMS to Take USMLE Exams (Bret Ribotsjy, DPM)

I just read the white paper from APMA. I am
familiar with similar efforts by CPMA. As with
Dr. Ribotsky, I too am trying to understand what
this agreement accomplishes. I keep hearing
mention made that this is important to Podiatry
if we are to gain acceptance by MDs. I thought
that Podiatry acceptance by MDs was obtained by
providing good medical care. Isn’t that how we
gain the greatest acceptance? A limited license
will still label Podiatry as different. I think
it is a mistake to throw out all the advances
made in postgraduate education which defines
podiatry as it exists today.

I remember when I was Dean at the California
College many years ago, a group from the state
came in to compare Podiatry education with
Allopathic Medical education. The capsular
version of their results was that the educational
process was essentially the same, with the only
major exceptions being women’s medicine and
behavioral medicine. That was it. If the
profession feels that it is important for the AMA
to call us limited physicians, then add these
courses. Make our medicine courses more robust.
After that, who now decides which courses are
thrown out to make room for more courses on
psychiatry? Should we cancel biomechanics?

Dr. Ribotsky brings out some good points. I would
add this: what has been proposed is a slippery
slope. Examinations often steer the education
process. Faculty from colleges presently sit on
our examination committees. These same faculty
take back to their respective college
perspectives on examinations and how curriculum
should be fashioned for students to successfully
complete those exams. This is the case of the
tail wagging the dog - doctors being trained to
pass an examination, not trained on what makes
the best doctor. This is just the way of the
world. Will podiatry faculty be sitting on USMLE
examination committees? If not, then our students
will be disadvantaged when they take the
examinations. Also, it takes time for curriculum
to adjust to a new exam. I would not be surprised
if our students did poorly the first few years or
longer after the change to the USMLE. This
performance would in no way reflect the quality
of our students, but rather the inability of our
college faculty to adjust to the new examination
in a timely fashion. Would this poor performance
record by our students than be negatively used
against us by adversaries? I just feel
uncomfortable that this has not been thought out
deep enough.

We all have had podiatry insecurities at some
time. I remember when I was a second year
student, and was feeling those insecurities about
podiatry. I applied to medical school and was
accepted. For many reasons I turned that down. I
am happy that I made that decision. You want to
be accepted and treated like any other physician,
the bottom line is just do good work.

Lawrence Oloff, DPM, Daly City, CA

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