04/24/2023    Michael M. Rosenblatt, DPM

APMA Board Certification Summit (Bilal Shamsi, DPM)

Bilal Shamsi, DPM recently published a letter to PM
News decrying the alleged "excessive number of
podiatrists" graduating DPM schools. Medscape
recently published a warning of the high number of
physician retirements coming on board recently,
which is expected to get much worse.

Of course, those described are MDs. Even in my
community, I do not see a high number of
podiatrists treating our expanding elderly
population here in NV. I do see dentists on almost
every block. There is nothing approaching THOSE
numbers of DPMs here. A family friend here (who was
complaining of a worsening Haglund's deformity)
stated that he did not find it "easy" to find a
DPM.

I assume that Dr. Shamsi comes from an area with a
lot of podiatrists. I like to try to keep an open
mind when I read such claims. I wonder if Dr.
Shamsi can provide us with hard data to match his
opinion? Here in NV, we have a number of 3-year
residency trained DPMs associated with MD
orthopedic group practices. I have to admit that I
was surprised by this. But it is what I see
locally. It is what it is.

When we lived in CA, a DPM became the director of
the ambulatory surgical center at the Kaiser
Hospital where I received my care. That was over 10
years ago. We still see DPMs working at that Kaiser
office and their numbers has not decreased. I did
not recognize their names. The "old cadre" has
apparently retired. I assume the demand for their
services continues.

When I practiced, over 25 years ago, I was allowed
as a DPM to accredit my own Medicare Certified
Surgical Center by the State of Washington. My
professional licensure was not an "issue" in this
regard.

Of course, I could be incorrect. I look forward to
seeing data backing his claim. Our population is
aging, and we are not "replenishing" it with
younger people. We have an epidemic of obesity and
higher numbers of diabetics than ever before.
Orthodontists, by comparison, are no longer seeing
a widening number of children and are now required
to concentrate on adults. Onychomycosis, a commonly
seen attribute of aging is not showing any signs of
diminishing.

Michael M. Rosenblatt, DPM, Henderson, NV

Other messages in this thread:

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04/24/2023    Michael M. Rosenblatt, DPM

APMA Board Certification Summit (Bilal Shamsi, DPM)

Bilal Shamsi, DPM recently published a letter to PM
News decrying the alleged "excessive number of
podiatrists" graduating DPM schools. Medscape
recently published a warning of the high number of
physician retirements coming on board recently,
which is expected to get much worse.

Of course, those described are MDs. Even in my
community, I do not see a high number of
podiatrists treating our expanding elderly
population here in NV. I do see dentists on almost
every block. There is nothing approaching THOSE
numbers of DPMs here. A family friend here (who was
complaining of a worsening Haglund's deformity)
stated that he did not find it "easy" to find a
DPM.

I assume that Dr. Shamsi comes from an area with a
lot of podiatrists. I like to try to keep an open
mind when I read such claims. I wonder if Dr.
Shamsi can provide us with hard data to match his
opinion? Here in NV, we have a number of 3-year
residency trained DPMs associated with MD
orthopedic group practices. I have to admit that I
was surprised by this. But it is what I see
locally. It is what it is.

When we lived in CA, a DPM became the director of
the ambulatory surgical center at the Kaiser
Hospital where I received my care. That was over 10
years ago. We still see DPMs working at that Kaiser
office and their numbers has not decreased. I did
not recognize their names. The "old cadre" has
apparently retired. I assume the demand for their
services continues.

When I practiced, over 25 years ago, I was allowed
as a DPM to accredit my own Medicare Certified
Surgical Center by the State of Washington. My
professional licensure was not an "issue" in this
regard.

Of course, I could be incorrect. I look forward to
seeing data backing his claim. Our population is
aging, and we are not "replenishing" it with
younger people. We have an epidemic of obesity and
higher numbers of diabetics than ever before.
Orthodontists, by comparison, are no longer seeing
a widening number of children and are now required
to concentrate on adults. Onychomycosis, a commonly
seen attribute of aging is not showing any signs of
diminishing.

Michael M. Rosenblatt, DPM, Henderson, NV

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04/24/2023    Bret Ribotsky, DPM

APMA Board Certification Summit (Bilal Shamsi, DPM)

I feel that Dr. Shamsi has misinterpreted my
concept of a third board. The current issue facing
graduates, and those in practice is that insurance
companies and hospitals are requiring board
certification in order to practice. Many are
unable, through practice experience (lack of
diversified procedures) or allowing eligibility to
expire. This was the purpose of the summit last
month. When I first started practicing TUSPM class
of 1988, all that was needed was passing the
national boards and obtaining a state license in
order to begin working as a podiatrist. Today, that
is not the case.

I worked very hard (did a POR and a PSR-24
residency) to become board certified in: surgery,
orthopedics, wound care and medicine; I collected
all the initials available. These accomplishments
should be preserved and protected for all who have
them. But the world has changed, and now it seems
the survival of our profession teeters on ending
the infighting and cohesively synergistically
working together, to raise the quality and the
respect of the care we provide to the public.
APMA’s email to the membership regarding sharing
our dirty laundry in open forums on 4/20/23
demonstrates that if we cannot work together, our
future is in jeopardy.

If the starting salary out of residency was
comparable to that of a hand, surgeon or a
dermatologist, we would have zero problems with
recruiting the finest candidates for our schools.
But since that is not the case today, we must be
cognizant of lowering the bar and diluting the
talent pool entering our profession. Each of the
schools is a business, and the primary tenant of
business is to remain in business, so they
essentially may lower the benchmark of whom they
accept. And once those are accepted, the pressure
not to fail out sub-par students along the way and
lose significant revenue during years two, three
and four is a pressure we all should be aware of.

The American Board of Podiatry in conception is
being offered as the first steps to the future that
might save our profession. As I stated publicly at
the summit, I believe the best for our profession
is an amalgamation of the two boards to a more
simple name and process, so that the rest of
organize medicine looks at podiatry no different
than other medical specialties.

As I’ve received dozens of emails, privately
sharing my ideas. I think it’s time for everyone in
practice to become involved (through this forum)
and to contact leadership, or replace them, as
change is needed for our success.

Bret Ribotsky, DPM, Ft. Lauderdale, FL