Choosing a Foot and Ankle Specialist

     Lately, more patients have been asking me about the differences and similarities between podiatric surgeons and orthopedic surgeons.  The podiatry profession has evolved immensely over the decades, which has created more parity with the orthopedic community.  In most instances nowadays the two professions have been able to find common ground from which to share opinions and accept each other as coequals regarding the treatment of foot and ankle pathology.  However, there are still many in both professions that do not see eye to eye and may consider one as inferior to the other.  I have seen many instances recently where this same attitude is manifested through the general public. The cause of this confusion is usually due to misinformation or general lack of knowledge of what each specialty is capable of performing.  For this reason, I would like to explain briefly the education and training process that a typical podiatrist currently needs to fulfill in order to practice as a licensed physician.

     Podiatrists begin their specialized foot and ankle education on the first day of medical school.   Most of the podiatry colleges are affiliated with medical schools, meaning that podiatry students are learning alongside M.D. and D.O. students.  Podiatry school is four years of comprehensive medical instruction and clinical training.  After graduating, podiatrists are required to fulfill a rigorous three-year residency program of foot and ankle surgery, including rotations through several other specialties such as Internal Medicine and Orthopedics.  Our surgical training includes everything from ankle fractures and complex foot deformity reconstructions to hammertoes, bunions, and ingrown toenail removal. Also, many podiatrists choose to apply for one-year fellowship programs after completing residency to continue their specialized surgical training. 

     There is a reason an entire profession is dedicated to the foot and ankle.  One quarter of all the bones in our body are found in our feet.  The complexity of foot and ankle pathology and biomechanics requires its own specialty in order to be treated effectively.  As a podiatrist, I am limited to treating ailments specific to the foot and ankle.  Does that mean I don’t consider the whole body and the effect systemic diseases and pathologies have on the lower extremity?  Absolutely not.  That is the whole premise our profession is based upon.  We have been trained since the beginning of medical school to look beyond the foot and ankle for answers.  As podiatrists we routinely order various labs and diagnostic studies to evaluate for specific systemic processes that correlate with the presenting foot and ankle symptoms.  Some of the best counsel I received pertaining to my career came during my podiatry graduation ceremony.  The speaker stated, “Our scope of treatment is limited to the foot and ankle, but our scope of diagnosing is unlimited”.  

     We are foot and ankle specialists in every aspect.  I hope that you can see that from all of us at Cascade Foot and Ankle.  We want you to feel confident that the care you are receiving is top notch.  Please contact us  and let us help you get back on your feet.

Sincerely,

Shawn Summers, DPM