01/27/2022    Leonard A. Levy, DPM, MPH

Changes in Undergraduate Medical Education Over the Past Several Decades

I think our profession has reached a point that it
now performs its medical and surgical functions
absolutely analogous to an ophthalmologist,
otolaryngologist, and all the other medical
specialists. The time is long overdue for us to
have the same license as other physicians (not just
parity). We have truly earned this and the public
we serve deserves it. This means that we must make
a major effort to develop a strong strategic plan
to integrate our education and training into
medical schools rather than continue to exist in a
manner that sort of makes us an appendage to the
medical education establishment.

While today there is little difference in podiatric
medical education and training from the curriculum
of schools of medicine in that mainly except for
deficits in obstetrics and gynecology, psychiatry,
and pediatrics (required clerkships for medical
students) which amount to approximately 16-24 weeks
of training, the education and training podiatric
medical schools provide, currently should lead to
its students being able to successfully challenge
the United States Medical Licensing Examinations
(USMLE).

The existing podiatric medical schools
realistically cannot make this major transition
because they lack the financial and human resources
to do so. Our direction requires integration into
existing schools of medicine and transitioning the
organizations of our profession. That is, there
could be an American Academy of Podiatric Medicine,
the same manner that is the case for dermatologists
who have an American Academy of Dermatology, or for
surgeons, with an American College of Surgeons.

I truly believe that, as difficult as it may be,
this is the direction we ultimately need to head.
Otherwise, we will continue to spend much time and
resources chasing our tail and constantly fighting
a battle which, while making some ground, will not
lead to the equality we truly deserve and have
earned. Such a battle would be within our
profession as well as with medicine.

Our profession and the health care service it now
provides deserves no less. And, yes, once and for
all so does the public.

Leonard A. Levy, DPM, MPH

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