01/12/2024    Steven Kravitz, DPM

The Legacy of James Ganley, DPM (Allen Jacobs, DPM)

Dr. Jacobs’ post to pay tribute to Dr. James
Ganley is an absolute pleasure to read. Thank you
Dr. Jacobs for taking the time to articulate this
and to Dr. Block for publishing and helping it
gain some traction and attention, so that many
have the ability to read it. There's a lot of
lesson in it and Dr. Jacob's beautifully touches,
the surface describing attributes, nuances, and
the ability to get to feel who Dr. Ganley was, and
why he is recognized as an icon. Humble with
humility, brilliant, without exception,
compassionate for others, a sense of balance in
life and ability to enjoy other aspects outside of
his profession, sailing being just one of them.

One important point that comes out as you read the
tribute is how much Dr. Ganley appreciated and
enjoyed being a podiatrist. There's too much
negativity today about our profession and some of
the inadequacies or problems that we face. But as
I grow older, I realize how lucky I am and in a
similar way to Ganley, have a good fortune of
being a podiatrist and would recommend considering
our field to anybody seeking a career in medicine.
The opportunity to practice many different aspects
from surgery to biomechanics, orthopedics,
pediatrics to sports medicine on and on. Dr.
Ganley reflected a base of knowledge in so many
different areas and through his teaching
encouraged all of those who had the privilege to
learn from him to also appreciate how great our
field can be and develop interests and expertise
to help patients through knowledge in these
various areas of medicine.

Dr. Jacobs and those who have commented on the
stream including Dr. Caringi my good friend, Dr.
Joe Agostinelli have added to the stream as well.
There's not much more than I can say except I'm
glad this was written.

Steven Kravitz, DPM Winston-Salem NC area.

Other messages in this thread:

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01/11/2024    Joe Agostinelli, DPM

The Legacy of James Ganley, DPM (Allen Jacobs, DPM)

I am writing this after reading three times Dr,
Allen Jacobs’ thoughts on Dr. James Ganley. That
brought back memories from 1977-1981 during my
time at PCPM. Although during that time, Dr. Ganley lectured
mostly on pediatrics to our class. Dr. Jacobs’
comments are “spot on” as to the influence Dr.
Ganley had on his students! Personally during my 23 years in the USAF, we had Dr. Ganley speak to our armed forces DPMs several times. We had one particular seminar where Drs.
Ganley and E. Dalton McGlamry lectured a full day
each back to back.

I still remember the “pearls of knowledge from
both of these giants of our profession. Dr. Ganley
would sit in a chair on stage, reflecting back on
his few slides - but was talking to us “rather
than lecturing about various topics. He always
mentioned the medicine/surgery education and
training he received as a corpsman in the U.S.
Navy, and like all of our armed forces DPMs, his
experiences in the military mirrored ours as far
as our training with and working with orthopedic
surgeons. Dr. Jacobs mentioned the concept that
Dr. Ganley taught us about the “talus locked in
the tibia/ fibula and the foot basically
dislocating from the talus!”

He made complex things so simple by his humble
presentations. Dr. Ganley held court with us at
lunch time and after the days lectures - we could
not obtain enough knowledge during the day
lectures and he was more than happy to spend extra
hours with us. I have to thank Dr. Jacobs for
writing his comments about Dr. Ganley and “making
my day”!

I am sure countless other DPMs as students at
PCPM, and doctors at military and civilian CME
seminars have similar memories of how Dr. Ganley
influenced their careers.

Joe Agostinelli, DPM, Colonel, USAF (Retired),
Niceville, FL

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01/11/2024    Greg Caringi, DPM

The Legacy of James Ganley, DPM (Allen Jacobs, DPM)

I had an unusual relationship with Dr. Ganley.
Since I was an OCPM graduate, I did not know him
as a professor. He was a personal friend of Dr.
Chauncey Roelofs, my first employer in Lansdale.
Like myself, Dr. Ganley's first job out of the
Navy was in Dr. Roelofs' original office in
Phoenixville. He was introduced as a friend. We
worked together training residents at our
respective hospitals in Norristown.

His "residency" was the best fellowship a student
could have at that time and his former residents
have all had great success in our profession by
following his lessons in podiatry and in life. As
CPME requirements for residencies became stricter,
we were able to help him out with the required
rotations at our program. A small price for the
remarkable education I personally received from
Dr. Ganley. In practice, I don't believe a day
went by where I didn't use something he taught me.

As Dr. Jacobs' recently provided some insight into
this great man, here are some of my recollections.

Dr. Ganley would say, always do what is best for
the patient instead of what gratifies your ego or
bank account.

He was always a proponent of the interpositional
arthroplasty (modified Keller) procedure for a
wide range of pathologies. Dr. Ganley taught me
his technique. He could reliably demonstrate a
reduction in IM angle using the procedure because
of the reduction in soft tissue retrograde force.
It still works.

As complex as his surgeries could be, like another
mentor Dr. Ray Suppan, Dr. Ganley would always try
to avoid fusions and instead use osteotomies
(often opening wedges) to realign the abnormal
structure at the exact point of the deformity. He
often lectured on the opening cuneiform osteotomy
for correction of metatarsus primus adductus. He
also brought the Evans procedure to Podiatry.
Again, an opening calcaneal wedge osteotomy
instead of a fusion.

Dr. Ganley would say, if you do enough surgery,
you will have complications. He would say you
cannot guarantee your patients anything other than
doing your very best work. If a complication
occurs, give them all of your attention. If you
cannot solve the problem, find someone who can.
No ego. Always in the service of his patients.
Gone much too soon. A once-in-a-generation
physician and friend.

Greg Caringi, DPM, North Wales, PA