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ABPM is proud to be living up to its motto. We are “Certifying Today’s Podiatrist”. Not only is ABPM certifying more podiatrists annually than any other board, we are advocating for you and all of podiatry. In our Podiatry Forward campaign, we’re focused on clarity, fairness, and unity. You’ll hear more from our Podiatry Forward campaign in 2023 and there will be continued decisive action from this Board of Directors on clarity, fairness, and unity in the profession. We believe in clarifying the board certification experience in podiatry. The profession has evolved, and so must board certification. Boards that don’t evolve will find themselves experiencing a version of professional natural selection. Since 2011, there is now a single, CPME-standardized residency training model. Not having a single primary board certification at the end of that residency program does not serve the public or the profession. And if a podiatrist decides to voluntarily seek additional recognitions beyond board certification, those should be offered. ABPM’s Board Certification and Certificates of Added Qualification (CAQ) live up to this goal.
We’re out there taking meaningful and specific actions supporting podiatrists across the US. In the State of Oregon, they’ve limited a podiatrist’s access to the full scope of practice to those who are board certified in RRA by a single board. That is an additional step that is not required for any MD or DO in the state. ABPM has been a forceful advocate to ensure that podiatrists are treated the same as other physicians in their licensing process. ABPM provided written comments and I testified at a state hearing explaining that board certification is separate from state licensure.
In New York State, there are over 2,200 licensed in-state podiatrists and roughly 34 of them have the Advanced Ankle Permit. Again, the permit is only available to those who have a particular RRA certification. Many of the “have not” podiatrists in the state have excellent surgical training. In fact, much of that comprehensive training is coming from inside the state. Patients and podiatrists in New York deserve better. Patients in the state need access to competent podiatrists for their foot and ankle care. They shouldn’t have to drive across a state line to receive this care. ABPM will not stand idly by in the face of discrimination of competent, board certified podiatrists. The student recruitment crisis is having immediate, but also looming lasting effects.
Without unity in our profession, promoting the positives and fixing the negatives, we will enter a period of professional decline. Dr. Jason Lee, the founding Dean of the new LECOM School of Podiatric Medicine, told me something I thought to be profound; “You can’t shrink the profession into prosperity.” This crisis will require immediate and decisive action from all the stakeholders in the profession. I ask that you communicate with your leaders and insist upon it. And if they refuse to act, take the leadership role on yourself.
ABPM has become the new US national representative to the International Federation of Podiatrists (FIP). Now we represent American podiatrists on the international stage where we will work to achieve our goals of improving podiatric education and care worldwide. ABPM is filling its ranks with proven leaders in podiatry. You may have seen that we welcomed former APMA President Dr. Phillip Ward as our new executive director. Additionally, former CPME Chair Dr. Timothy Ford is the chair of the CAQ in Podiatric Surgery exam committee. Former APMA President and FIP President Dr. Matthew Garoufalis has become the President of ABPM International, a legally separate but affiliated organization certifying podiatrists outside the US. But perhaps even more importantly, our desire is to grow the next generation of leaders for the profession and we have dozens who are rising in the ranks now who will be the profession’s future leaders.
Lastly, the ABPM will not waiver in its obligation to advocate for Diplomates hospital and surgical privileges. Any impedance on a Diplomate of ABPM because of their board certification will be met with swift action from our team of attorneys led by general counsel Keith Greer, Esq., an icon in the podiatric legal space. Notify ABPM HQ if you experience any such discrimination.
As you know, not all the organizations in our profession see our vision. But, these are the same organizations who have neglected their duties to fix these issues in the past. Informed by you, we will continue to do what we believe is right.
Personally, I’m honored to represent 5,863 active ABPM Diplomates and hundreds more who are Board Eligible. I wish you a happy, prosperous 2023 and ask that you help us improve the profession for our next generation.
We’re ABPM and we’re moving Podiatry Forward.
Lee C. Rogers, DPM
President, ABPM
To Our Podiatry Community,
We cannot thank you all enough for the support and positive comments regarding our Certificate of Added Qualification (CAQ) program. While a majority of comments from the profession have been overwhelmingly supportive, we have received responses from a few organizations asking us to delay the CAQ in Podiatric Surgery. However, in light of the many heartfelt accounts from both young and established physicians, it is clear that the status quo is unfair and discriminates against many highly competent podiatrists. We have even heard from many women podiatrists, who highlight a disparity in certification opportunities due to starting families. Moreover, the very low pass rate of the other recognized board results in a large number of podiatrists who complete 3-year CPME-approved residencies not being able to successfully complete certification and obtain hospital privileges consistent with their education and training. This impacts them directly, and harms the public by decreasing our patients’ access to competent podiatric care. The profession should not simply sit by and do nothing after years of trying to get all the stake holders at the table to address this very serious condition that is strangling our profession.
You will read a contrast in our communications as compared to other organizations. We are not asking anything of the other certifying board. Instead, we believe a podiatrist should have a choice between two valid primary board certifications which can lead to hospital and surgical privileges. And if a board-certified podiatrist chooses to take a voluntary step beyond their board certification to identify specific areas of expertise by obtaining a CAQ, we believe that is their prerogative.
It should also be noted that for nearly two decades, since APMA Vision 2015 (written in 2005), the ABPM has periodically sat at the negotiating table with the APMA and the other recognized certifying board in an endeavor to unify the profession through a common certification pathway. One organization has unilaterally opposed these efforts. Thus, understandably, we feel the sudden calls for negotiation and cries of divisiveness to be disingenuous. However, if a serious attempt at unification or improvement in the process of podiatric board certification is made by all organizations, we will be first at the table, as we always have been.
To be clear, the ABPM is an autonomous testing organization with several valid, independently-verified, and trusted exams that has been in existence since 1978. As the CPME acknowledged, we have the authority to issue CAQs under our own autonomy. We are moving forward with our established CAQ process without delay. Diplomates may register for the all three of our CAQ examinations beginning tomorrow.
We believe our mission is consistent with what is best for the profession and the patients we serve, and we appreciate your continued support.
Sincerely,
The ABPM Board of Directors
Lee C. Rogers, DPM, President
Melissa Lockwood, DPM, Vice President
Nicole DeLauro, DPM, Treasurer
Bryan Roth, DPM, Secretary
William Chagares, DPM, Past President
Gina Painter, DPM, Acting Executive Director
Coleen Napolitano, DPM, Director
Priya Parthasarathy, DPM, Director
Brian Lepow, DPM, Director
Karen Shum, DPM, Director
Adam Johnson, DPM, Director
As your certifying board, the American Board of Podiatric Medicine is constantly working to better serve our diplomates at every stage of their career. From residency and fellowship training to board certification, certificates of added qualification, private practice, multispecialty and orthopedic group privileging and hospital privileging, to solo and community based practice, we recognize the exceptional diversity of professionals in our diplomate pool. To that end, the Board invites its diplomates to tell us more about themselves.
Our 2023 Membership Survey is less than twenty questions and should take no more than five to ten minutes to complete and will help ABPM improve our service to our diplomates. We encourage you to scan this QR code, or log onto www.podiatryboard.org and take our survey. It can be completed anonymously and personal information collected from the survey will never be shared with the hospitals, insurance companies or members of the public. We look forward to your input and feedback on all things ABPM!
NASHVILLE, T.N. – The American Board of Podiatric Medicine will attend a Town Hall style meeting on Friday July 14, 2023 at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville, TN, to cover the future of Board Certification for all podiatrists. Both CPME-recognized boards and the boards without CPME recognition have been invited to send representatives to address the podiatric profession.
Invitees Include:
American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery (ABFAS)
American Board of Podiatric Medicine (ABPM)
American Board of Multiple Specialties in Podiatry (ABMSP)
American Board of Lower Extremity Surgery (ABLES)
The Town Hall will be facilitated by Dr. Michael King who will field questions from the audience and moderate the responses from the board representatives.
ABPM encourages interested Diplomates, students and residents to visit the registration site below and sign up to make your voice heard on the future of Podiatric Board Certification!
Attendance must be confirmed via the registration link below, 150-person capacity limit.
https://www.eventcreate.com/e/board-certification-town-hall
Full details below:
What: Podiatric Board Certification Town Hall
Where: Gaylord Opryland Hotel, Nashville, TN – Jackson E/F Rooms
When: Friday July, 14 – 7:30PM to 9:30PM