05/14/2025    Amol Saxena, DPM, MPH

RE: Do We Really Have a Medical Degree? (Jon Hultman, DPM, MBA)

Dr. Hultman writes that MD programs are shortening
school for particularly for primary care. My MPH
thesis was on this very topic and it was discussed
in Congress. About 1/3 of US MD & DO programs are
"accelerated". There are even three accelerated
programs for orthopedics including Duke & Penn
State. I even wrote an article on this for
KevinMD: https://kevinmd.com/2023/07/is-it-time-
to-shorten-medical-education-in-the-u-s.html

Dr. Hultman also writes that we just need to be
able to take the USMLE or COMLEX. However, two
years ago at the AMA convention they stated the
"case is closed" for DPMs to take the USMLE. This
could be due to other political factors such as
opening the door to other much larger medical
professions that receive a doctorate who may also
want access to the USMLE. The door is closed for
DPMs to take the USMLE.

Keep in mind the podiatry profession is in reality
too small to have any political clout. In Paul
Starr's 500+ page book, "The Social Transformation
of American Medicine", podiatry was not mentioned
once. Many other non-physician professions were
mentioned, which is another stake in the ground
the AMA has planted: limiting physician and
surgeon status to MDs and DOs.

My interview on KevinMD discusses this, and I have
given lectures at several meetings on Podiatry,
Bias and possible solutions. Many listeners have
asked me to present at the APMA. In that lecture,
I cite an article in JBJS that orthopedic leaders
see the need to shorten their training as 90% of
orthopedists in the US specialize. Sound familiar?
https://kevinmd.com/2023/08/bias-and-inequity-in-
health-care-podcast.html

It is beyond time for podiatry leadership to bring
all the stakeholders (yes, orthopedics too) to the
table and come up with sustainable solutions. Time
for a carefully thought-out pivot. Merge with DO
schools, take on the oral surgery model, award an
MD? I have been willing to help.

I am reminded of President Teddy Roosevelt's
quote: "The first thing to do is the right thing.
The next is the wrong thing. The worst is to do
nothing."

Amol Saxena, DPM, MPH, Palo Alto, CA

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