12/09/2025    

RESPONSES/COMMENTS (THE FUTURE OF PODIATRY) - PART 1A

RE: Who Are We? (Paul Kesselman, DPM)

From: Elliot Udell, DPM

 

Dr. Kesselman brought back fond memories of when I first started my podiatry practices. I had asked the former owner of what is now Henry Schein, where to open up. "Should I open up in an area where there are no podiatrists or in an area that may have many podiatrists?" He strongly advised me to open my first office in an area with many podiatrists, for the very reasons Dr. Kesselman stated. If there are no podiatrists, the community does not know what a podiatrist is. But in a community with many podiatrists, there might be some competition, yet the community is at least aware of how a podiatrist can address their foot problems. 

 

I opened in three locations. I opened two where I was the only "kid on the block" and one where there were lots of colleagues. The adviser was right: I did better in the podiatry-busy area and had to wait many years to build a practice in the two areas where I was the only podiatrist. 

 

Elliot Udell, DPM, Hicksville, NY

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12/10/2025    

RESPONSES/COMMENTS (THE FUTURE OF PODIATRY) - PART 1A

RE: Who are We? (Paul Kesselman, DPM)

From: Denis Leblang, DPM

 

The first day we were in general podiatry clinic in 1977, Monte Tuchman, DPM told us the definition of a podiatrist. He said that we are physicians and surgeons of the foot. This is what I told my patients  and to anyone who asked me what a podiatrist does. End of story. This is what we do. Now, it extends to physicians and surgeons of the foot and ankle. 

 

Denis Leblang, DPM, Congers, NY