A National Education Association of Podiatric Medical Colleges and Teaching Hospitals aacpm
On March 20, 2013, the graduating class of 2013 went through the residency match program of the Central Application Service for Podiatric Residencies(CASPR) program coordinated by the Council of Teaching Hospitals (COTH) of the American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine (AACPM). A large number of the students did not place into residency training programs. This is a devastating event.
While residency training shortages are not unique to podiatric medicine and surgery, our profession is committed to having enough training slots for all qualified graduating podiatrists to enter into Podiatric Medicine and Surgery Residencies (PMSR) for a period of three years.
The effects of not having sufficient residency training programs go beyond the pain of the graduating individuals who do not place. It is not reasonable for an individual who has successfully completed four years of college and four years of podiatric medical school to be unable to secure a postgraduate training position. This is a problem that is recognized by the profession and is being addressed.
The AACPM, through its national residency facilitation project, is working to develop new sponsor hospitals. We are identifying hospitals across the country that have robust podiatric staffs that can provide the adequate resources for training the future generation of podiatrists. But this effort requires everyone in our community to assist.
As of March 2013, there are currently 208 sponsor hospitals nationwide for podiatric medical and surgical training programs. This affords training for 516 first year positions. In the past 15 months, substantive talks have been held with an additional 201 institutions as potential training sites. To date, nine programs have submitted applications for sponsorship to the Council on Podiatric Medical Education (CPME). Currently 25 institutions are diligently completing sponsorship applications to the CPME. Additionally, 69 facilities are evaluating information that has been sent to them for the purpose of evaluating their resources to determine if they wish to submit applications to become sponsor facilities.
This process of developing new residency sponsor sites is progressing, but there is a long arduous road ahead. The process has begun and is well under way. Some are progressing more rapidly than others. It will take time and the continued efforts of all to do their part until the issue is resolved.
The process of approving sponsor sites is difficult and time consuming. Relationships need to be developed and fostered. Institutions need to understand and embrace the benefits of podiatric medical education. Leads for potential locations for residency training sites need to be identified and developed.
It is most gratifying for individuals who have an interest in being program directors. Aside from the benefit to the community and the benefit to the profession of podiatric medicine, there are direct financial benefits for the sponsoring institution as well as the program director and faculty.
Federal money is still available for hospitals who wish to sponsor podiatric medicine and surgery residency training programs. The amounts can be significant. This money is used to pay program directors and faculty members, as well as support residency and training purposes.
We ask everyone to direct us to those institutions that you believe would be appropriate facilities to sponsor training programs. We would like to work with them and show them the advantages of sponsoring a residency training program.
If you believe you can help solve the problem by identifying a location suitable for sponsorship of a PMSR, please e-mail the AACPM National Facilitator directly at ewolf@aacpm.org or call (212) 874-0609. Follow this link to a short informational video to find out more information:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRSdR0QoivU&feature=youtu.be
Edwin W. Wolf, DPM, MS
_________________________________
American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine Edwin W. Wolf, DPM, MS
15850 Crabbs Branch Way, Suite 320 National Residency Facilitator
Rockville, Maryland 20855-2622 1 West 85th Street
301-948-9760 New York, NY 10024
Fax: 301-948-1928 212- 874-0609
www.aacpm.org Fax: 212 496-8548
ewolf@aacpm.org
Edwin W. Wolf, DPM, MS
National Residency Facilitation
Project Director