05/05/2026    Paul Kesselman, DPM

: A 40 Year Retrospective (Robert D Teitelbaum, DPM)

This article was written almost three years ago
and published in Nov/Dec 2023, but based on the
feedback just revived, it must have been recently
re-posted. I searched both my manuscript and the
edited published copy and don't see where I
specifically defined podiatry under allopathic.
Having said that, Dr. Teitelbaum, brings up in
interesting question. Is podiatry allopathic or
something else? I am not sure this article ever
took a position on this.

Searching the web for a uniform definition of
allopathic medicine, I used an AI tool which from
the Univ. of Kansas describes allopathy as
follows: Allopathic medicine, or "conventional
medicine," is a modern, evidence-based system
where healthcare professionals (doctors/MDs) treat
diseases and symptoms using drugs, surgery, and
radiation. It focuses on diagnosing ailments
through scientific methods, such as imaging and
lab tests, to provide targeted solutions and is
the most common form of care in Western countries.

So I am not sure what the issue is. It states
Drs/MDs. Does that mean only MD physicians or does
that include other healing professionals with
doctorate degrees who use these techniques?
Osteopathic physicians use all these forementioned
techniques. They are Drs. and they also use other
techniques.

It also states allopathy is the most common form
of care.. but it does not eliminate or diminish
others.

So, are we or not practicing some form of
allopathic medicine? If no does it not matter?
Are dentists not also practicing some limited form
of allopathic medicine? After all they are
prescribing/ordering/administering medications,
using imaging and performing surgery.
Dentistry, however, has answered the question of
being a profession, simply because no one else
does what they do. So for them it doesn't matter.

This may evoke the same age-old question
constantly debated, are we a profession or a
medical speciality?

Thanks to Dr. Block for taking this almost 3.5
year old article, blowing off the dust and
bringing it back to the spotlight. It was fun re
reading it! Dr. Teitelbaum's response is not the
only one response to this. Thanks to those who
have DM me via email or text. They too obviously
have enjoyed reading it.

It's good to see that this article still has some
play left in it. But I wish that there would be a
simple easy answer to the questions raised then
and now.

Paul Kesselman, DPM, Oceanside, NY

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