04/22/2026    Allen M. Jacobs, DPM

PODIATRIC MUSINGS (Lawrence Oloff, DPM)

The suggestion that podiatry is underrepresented
in research may not be totally accurate in general
context.. In fact, there are some arguments to be
made that as a profession, podiatry maintains an
excellent representative level of foot and ankle
research.

The few published works on published foot and
ankle research have a bias towards surgical
topics, and as such journals such as JFAS are
examined for authorship. However, podiatrists
publish in many journals in specialty areas such
as wound care, diabetes care, vascular care.
Typically, it appears from a review of this
subject that journals addressing topics other than
surgery of foot and ankle are not included. As an
example, JAPMA or Podiatry Quarterly, Podiatry
Today, Podiatry Management, and other lower impact factor
journals are not included in such surveys of
authorship.

There are few colleges of podiatry compared to MD
and DO colleges of medicine, and those colleges
have less enrollment and faculty than those of our
medical and osteopathic colleagues. Therefore,
there is a smaller subset of potential college-
based researchers.

There are many other specialties in medicine with
an interest in foot and ankle pathology. There are
relevant publications with authors from, as
examples, orthopedics, physical therapy,
physiatry, nursing, vascular surgery, wound care.
All make a contribution to our knowledge base
through published research.

We do not know how many articles have been
submitted but not accepted for publication. For
example, articles may have been submitted to the
authors preferred journal with a higher impact
factor which articles were not accepted but which
may have been published in a lower impact journal.

Podiatrists, like many surgical specialties, tend
to be "seminar dependent" in learning rather than
seeking continuing education through journals. The
results of research studies are typically
presented at many podiatric scientific sessions.

Given the small number of podiatrists and
podiatric colleges when compared to the number of
health care providers involved with the diagnosis
and treatment of foot and ankle disorders, the
accomplishments of the profession are impressive.
Consider the number of textbooks edited or
authored by DPM's relative to the lesser number of
podiatrists when compared to the totality of all
other health care providers. Consider the fact
that foot and ankle journals publish articles from
health care providers throughout the world,
whereas podiatry functions at an equal level only
in the United States and several other countries.
The suggestion that podiatry is out-published is a
reality of numbers, not of a lack of interest.

In another universe far far away, Larry and I
directed the Lindell Hospital residency program.
We published a number of research papers primarily
but not exclusively in podiatric journals. In
those days of yesteryear, residencies were
REQUIRED to publish in order to continue approval.
Perhaps enforcing research as a requirement for
continued certification should be followed for
residency and fellowship status.

Allen M. Jacobs, DPM

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