06/14/2024    Allen Jacobs, DPM

RE: APMA Policy 2-24. One Board Certification in Podiatry (Jon Purdy, DPM)

Personally, I would approach things somewhat
differently, Dr. Purdy. I think we should have one
board and one board only. We should be in podiatric
medicine and surgery. If a person has a particular
interest in some area, for example, wound care,
limb, salvage, sports medicine or whatever, then if
you really feel, compelled to do so offer a
"certificate of added qualification”.

I personally do not feel this is needed or would
benefit any individual practitioner in the long-
term, I think this is a far better solution than
continuing with a ridiculous number of board
certifications in podiatry. If I treat an athlete
with a Jones fracture, my treatment is going to be
identical for that patient whether I am “board-
certified in sports medicine” or have a
“certificate of added qualification in sports
medicine“. The slicing and dicing of the foot into
multiple boards is frankly ridiculous in my
opinion. If you have an interest in peripheral
nerve surgery, join an interest group in peripheral
nerve surgery and follow your interest and passion.

Failure to have some type of “certification and
peripheral nerve surgery” does that mean that an
individual should not be doing surgery for Morton
neuroma, tarsal tunnel, or, nerve, and entrapments
were neuropathy. Where do we end this? Board
certification in pronation limiting surgery? Board
certification in trauma? Board certification in
peripheral vascular disease of the foot?

There is a difference between having a special
interest in one particular aspect of foot and ankle
care and claiming to have ‘board certification’ in
that area. It is simply not required. Knowledge and
experience are what is required. That is the basis
on which any practitioner should be evaluated.
Offering a series of meaningless pseudo credentials
does not advance our profession, but in fact, makes
us look silly and disorganized as we are not in
step with the remainder of the medicine.

Allen Jacobs, DPM, St. Louis, MO

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