01/27/2023    Carl Solomon, DPM

DPMs Who Avoid Calling Themselves Podiatrists (Ivar E. Roth, DPM, MPH)

Get OVER it - we’re podiatrists…we’re ALL
podiatrists!

You cannot compare our situation with that of the
dentist and specialist dentist. An oral surgeon,
maxillofacial surgeon, or whatever specializes in
oral surgery. An orthodontist specializes in
orthodontics. A periodontist specializes in
periodontics. They’re all dentists. BUT – they
stick to their specialty. They depend upon
referrals from general dentists and won’t bite the
hand that feeds them bydoing routine procedures
like filling cavities. Podiatry has always been a
surgical procedure-based profession but there has
been an evolution of more advanced surgical
training.

I know very few, if any, podiatrists who truly
*specialize* in RRA procedures to the extent they
don’t also do phenol nail procedures, inject heel
spurs, and order orthotics. If I were expected to
send complicated cases to one of the “specialist”
RRA guys, my expectation would be that he/she send
me the phenol nails, heel pain, orthotic cases,
etc. Our advanced surgical colleagues not only
don’t send back minor cases…they oftentimes don’t
even provide feedback to the referring doc’ about
patients they operate on.

We’re sliding down a slippery slope if we consider
requiring 3 years of residency/fellowship training
or board certification as part of becoming licensed
to practice. Part of the reason is because the
hierarchy is constantly changing. The bar to meet
used to be having a year of residency. Then 2
years…now 3 years. I’m reminded of the saying, “Be
careful of what you wish for, because you just
might get it.” In that context, consider what
might happen if a new generation of podiatrists is
spawned with a DPM/MD, or simply MD degree.
Currently, we’re squabbling about who is qualified
to do advanced surgical procedures. Three years of
residency/fellowship training with board
certification would be pretty worthless if DPM/MD’s
were to take the position that only they should be
allowed to do H&P’s, order labs, or prescribe
systemic medications.

What we have in common is that we are ALL
podiatrists!

Carl Solomon, DPM, Dallas TX

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