08/15/2022    Steven Kravitz DPM

RE: ABFAS vs. ABPM (Jeffrey Kass, DPM)

Dr. Kass makes some good, interesting points
regarding certification. However, that does not
negate any of my comments made previously which
were simply made to provide historical background
as to why lifetime certification is no longer
accepted in allopathic or podiatric medicine.
Limited timed certificates that require
recertification are the standard. Indicated in my
original article, recertification was established
as a method to demonstrate the physician has kept
up-to-date (since being originally certified) with
the current standards of practice. This is a
response to the medical knowledge base which is
said to now double every seven years.

Lifetime certificates do not provide a method to
reassess the “current” knowledge of the
practitioner. Recertification was designed to do
that. This has nothing to do with ethics and does
not evaluate the actual quality of care but assess
the knowledge base involved in passing the
certification process. Physicians, hospitals,
medical centers, credentialing committees and the
public (which has access to Certification
information) can have a guideline as to the current
knowledge of the practitioner involved. I am not
arguing how well that is accomplished with the
current methodology, but simply providing
perspective as to the perceived purpose of the
process.

Historically certification was initially
established to indicate a high level of achievement
in the knowledge of the specific subject area above
that required for daily practice. Originally, it
was developed to give credit to the top 10% - 15%
of those practicing and were taking the exam at
that time. Since that time, it has been changed and
now is a required credential for many insurance
carriers and most if not all hospitals in the
United States and other related wound healing
centers etc.

Dr. Kass’s comment that certification in podiatry
should be removed and that three-year residencies
be the substitute for that is incredulous and
notwithstanding, if implemented, would have
negative impact on podiatry. Podiatrists practice
in allopathic hospitals and medical centers. We
practice in their “house”, and these are standards
that they have placed to be part an active the
medical staff. Like it or not, certification is
part of mainstream medicine and to deviate from it
is not practical, realistic and will be on the
table for the foreseeable future. Dr. Kass and
others may question the value of certification but,
that does not change the reality as to how this
process is fully integrated as a required
credential.

Steven Kravitz DPM, Winston Salem, NC

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