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Podiatrists
and Orthopaedic Surgeons both treat and perform surgery
on the foot and ankle. However, there are definite differences
in their training that patients should be aware of.
Orthopaedic
Surgeons complete a 4-year medical school curriculum,
which leads to an MD or DO degree. Following medical
school, they usually perform up to a five-year orthopaedic
residency, where they are trained in all aspects of
orthopaedic surgery including hand, wrist, shoulder,
hip, knee, ankle & foot surgery. They also complete
additional rotations in Anesthesiology, Emergency medicine,
Internal medicine, Pathology and Radiology. Surgeons
who have a special interest in Foot & Ankle Surgery
may complete an additional one-year fellowship.
Podiatrists
complete a 4-year podiatry school curriculum, which
leads to a DPM (Doctor of Podiatric Medicine) degree.
During the final two years of podiatry school, students
perform clinical rotations in private practices, hospitals,
and clinics focusing on foot & ankle problems. Following
podiatry school, they usually perform a 1- to 3-year
podiatric residency, where they are trained in all aspects
of foot & ankle pathology. They also complete additional
rotations in Anesthesiology, Emergency medicine, Internal
medicine, Pathology and Radiology.
So
what is the difference?
A recent study by the Resident Education Committee of
the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society initiated
a survey of Orthopaedic Surgery Residencies in the United
States. (1) They found that the
majority of orthopaedic residents experienced an average
of 12 weeks dedicated to foot & ankle training,
whereas eighteen of the 148 programs actually had 20-24
weeks of foot & ankle training. The majority of
the Orthopaedic Surgery Residencies had only one faculty
member dedicated to foot & ankle training. As noted
above, some Orthopaedic Surgeons choose to participate
in a one-year foot & ankle fellowship where they
spend the year treating foot & ankle pathology.
Podiatrists,
on the otherhand, spend over half of their final two
years of podiatry school focusing on specific foot &
ankle conditions. In addition, one-year Podiatric Residencies
focus at least half the year on foot & ankle conditions,
while Three-Year Podiatric Residencies focus over 2
years (104 weeks) on dedicated foot & ankle training
by multiple podiatric and orthopaedic surgeons.
Dr.
Gonzalez
completed a Three-Year Podiatric Surgical Residency
at a Level-1 trauma center in downtown Chicago (Illinois
Masonic Medical Center). He is trained in all aspects
of foot & ankle surgery, including conservative
and surgical management. He recommends that patients
inquire as to the amount of training of any foot &
ankle surgeon prior to undergoing any surgery. As patients
rely on their feet for everything they do, Dr.
Gonzalez recommends that patients consider
having surgery performed by experienced foot & ankle
surgeons, who are either Board Certified by the American
Board of Podiatric Surgery or are members of the American
College of Foot & Ankle Surgeons or the American
Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society.
Dr.
Gonzalez is Board Certfied in Foot Surgery
by the American Board of Podiatric Surgeons and is a
Fellow of the American College of Foot & Ankle Surgeons.
(1) Pinzur MD, Mikolyzk D, Aronow
MS, DiGiovanni BF, Mizel MS, Pinney SJ, Saltzman CL,
and Temple T. Foot and Ankle Experience in Orthopaedic
Residency. Foot & Ankle International 24(7):pp
567-569, 2003.
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