The American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) is a professional medical organization representing Doctors of Podiatric Medicine (podiatrists) within the United States. The organization was founded in 1912 and is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland. Approximately 80% of podiatrists in the US are members of the APMA. Under the APMA are 53 component societies in individual states and other jurisdictions, as well as 21 affiliated and related societies. [1] [ non-primary source needed ] Doctors of Podiatric Medicine are physicians and surgeons who practice on the lower extremities, primarily on the foot, ankle and lower leg. The preparatory education of most DPMs includes four years of undergraduate work, followed by four years in an accredited podiatric medical school, followed by a residency of 3–4 years. After residency, podiatric physicians may choose to pursue further education through fellowships in any subspecialty of podiatric medicine.
APMA's Council on Podiatric Medical Education is the body designated by the US Department of Education to accredit the nation's podiatric medical schools. [2] In addition, the Council has the responsibility to approve residency programs and continuing medical education programs. The Council recognizes certifying boards within podiatric medicine which meet its standards. [3]
The official journal of the APMA is the Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association, established in 1907. [4]
The National Association of Chiropodists, progenitor to the American Podiatric Medical Association, was established in 1912. It was renamed the American Podiatry Association (APA) in 1957. It was renamed the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) in 1984.
A physician, medical practitioner, medical doctor, or simply doctor, is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through the study, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of disease, injury, and other physical and mental impairments. Physicians may focus their practice on certain disease categories, types of patients, and methods of treatment—known as specialities—or they may assume responsibility for the provision of continuing and comprehensive medical care to individuals, families, and communities—known as general practice. Medical practice properly requires both a detailed knowledge of the academic disciplines, such as anatomy and physiology, underlying diseases and their treatment—the science of medicine—and also a decent competence in its applied practice—the art or craft of medicine.
A podiatrist is a medical professional devoted to the treatment of disorders of the foot, ankle, and related structures of the leg. The term originated in North America but has now become the accepted term in the English-speaking world for all practitioners of podiatric medicine. The word chiropodist was previously used in the United States, but it is now regarded as antiquated.
Podiatry or podiatric medicine is a branch of medicine devoted to the study, diagnosis, medical and surgical treatment of disorders of the foot, ankle, and lower extremity. The term podiatry came into use in the early 20th century in the United States and is now used worldwide, including in countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada.
The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C. that was established in 1876. It represents medical schools, teaching hospitals, and academic and scientific societies, while providing services to its member institutions that include data from medical, education, and health studies, as well as consulting. The AAMC administers the Medical College Admission Test and operates the American Medical College Application Service and the Electronic Residency Application Service. Along with the American Medical Association, the AAMC co-sponsors the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, the accrediting body for all U.S. MD-granting medical education programs.
Midwestern University (MWU) is a private medical and professional school with campuses in Downers Grove, Illinois and Glendale, Arizona. As of the 2020-21 academic year, a total of 2,987 students were enrolled at the Downers Grove campus and 3,902 were enrolled at the Glendale campus.
Des Moines University (DMU) is a private medical school in Des Moines, Iowa. Founded in 1898, Des Moines University is the second oldest osteopathic medical school and the fifteenth largest medical school in the United States. DMU's three colleges – the College of Osteopathic Medicine, College of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery, and College of Health Sciences – offer nine academic degrees, including master’s and doctorate degrees.
The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) is the representative member organization for the more than 145,000 osteopathic medical doctors (D.O.s) and osteopathic medical students in the United States. The AOA is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, and is involved in post-graduate training for osteopathic physicians. Beginning in 2015, it began accrediting post-graduate education as a committee within the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, creating a unified accreditation system for all DOs and MDs in the United States. The organization promotes public health, encourages academic scientific research, serves as the primary certifying body for D.O.s overseeing 18 certifying boards, and is the accrediting agency for osteopathic medical schools through its Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation. As of October 2015, the AOA no longer owns the Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program (HFAP), which accredited hospitals and other health care facilities.
Podiatric Medical School is the term used to designate the medical institutions which educate students and train them to be podiatric physicians, which diagnose and treat conditions affecting the foot, ankle, and related structures of the leg. In the United States, only schools which are accredited by the Council on Podiatric Medical Education (CPME) may earn the status of being a Podiatric Medical School. The Doctor of Podiatric Medicine degree is commonly abbreviated D.P.M. degree. The D.P.M. degree is a prerequisite for an individual to be accepted into a CPME accredited residency. A Doctor of Podiatric Medicine or podiatrist, is defined as a physician and surgeon of the foot and ankle.
Western University of Health Sciences (WesternU) is a private medical school and health sciences university with its main campus in Pomona, California, with an additional osteopathic medical school in Lebanon, Oregon. With an enrollment of 3,814 students (2020–21), WesternU offers more than twenty academic programs in multiple colleges.
Foot and ankle surgery is a sub-specialty of orthopedics and podiatry that deals with the treatment, diagnosis and prevention of disorders of the foot and ankle. Orthopaedic surgeons are medically qualified, having been through four years of college, followed by 4 years of medical school or osteopathic medical school to obtain an M.D. or D.O. followed by specialist training as a resident in orthopaedics, and only then do they sub-specialise in foot and ankle surgery. Training for a podiatric foot and ankle surgeon consists of four years of college, four years of podiatric medical school (D.P.M.), 3–4 years of a surgical residency and an optional 1 year fellowship.
David G. Armstrong is an American podiatric surgeon and researcher most widely known for his work in amputation prevention, the diabetic foot, and wound healing. He and his frequent collaborators, Lawrence A. Lavery and Andrew J.M. Boulton, have together produced many key works in the taxonomy, classification and treatment of the diabetic foot. He is Professor of Surgery with Tenure and director of the Southwestern Academic Limb Salvage Alliance (SALSA) at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California and has produced more than 600 peer reviewed manuscripts and more than 100 book chapters.
The American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS) is a professional medical society of foot and ankle surgeons in the United States (US). Each of the over 7,700 members have graduated from one of nine podiatric medical schools in the US with a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine degree. ACFAS publishes the Journal of Foot & Ankle Surgery.
Alpha Gamma Kappa is the oldest and largest professional fraternal organization for students and practitioners of podiatric medicine in the United States and Canada. The fraternity was founded in 1939 at the Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine in Chicago, Illinois.
Western University College of Podiatric Medicine (WesternU-CPM) is a podiatric medical school at Western University of Health Sciences (WesternU) based in Pomona, California. WesternU-CPM is one of nine podiatric medical schools in the United States, and one of nine colleges at Western University of Health Sciences. The school was founded in 2009 with an inaugural class of 38 students and is fully accredited by the American Podiatric Medical Association's Council on Podiatric Medical Education (CPME). Westernu-CPM offers a four-year professional degree program leading to the degree Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM).
Lawrence B. Harkless, DPM, FACFAS, MAPWCA, is Founding Dean and Professor of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery at the College of Podiatric Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California, United States. He is a retired Professor, Department of Orthopaedics and former Louis T. Bogy Professor of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA).
The Royal College of Podiatry (RCPod) is the professional association and trade union for registered chiropodists and podiatrists in the United Kingdom.
Lee Christopher Rogers is an American podiatrist from Los Angeles, California. He is most known for his work preventing amputations in diabetes and treating Charcot foot and he has helped define the qualifications of doctors of podiatric medicine and the privileging process for hospitals and surgery. He was the Democratic nominee for US Congress in California's 25th district in 2012, and lost in California's top-two primary in June 2014. Rogers is also known as a film producer.
Michael H. Wynn, D.P.M. is an American podiatrist practicing in Kingwood, Texas, specializing in surgical application of lasers in the treatment of foot and ankle disorders. He has helped pioneer the treatment of bunions with the carbon dioxide laser.
The Reading Hospital is a 738-bed non-profit teaching hospital located in the borough of West Reading, in the US state of Pennsylvania. The hospital was established in 1867 and is a part of Tower Health System. The hospital is a certified stroke center, and the emergency department includes a level I trauma center. The hospital operates several residency training programs for newly graduated physicians, podiatrists (DPM), and pharmacists (PharmD) which are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. The internal medicine residency is also accredited by the American Osteopathic Association.
Advocate Christ Medical Center (ACMC) is a 788-bed teaching hospital located in Oak Lawn, Illinois a suburb of Chicago Founded in 1960, Advocate Christ Medical Center is a part of Advocate Aurora Health. In the most recent year with available data, the hospital had 40,517 admissions, 3,738 deliveries, 102,279 ED visits, 334,958 outpatient visits, and 24,745 surgeries. The emergency room includes a level 1 trauma center. The hospital operates a primary stroke center and a pulmonary rehabilitation center. ACMC operates a number of residency training and fellowship programs for newly graduated physicians, pharmacists and podiatrists. Each year, more than 400 residents, 600 medical students, and 800 nursing students train at the hospital. In 2016, ACMC opened a new eight story patient tower.