Author: Foot Doc
Date: 5/6/2007 7:25 am PDT
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Going back 50 years or more ago, the medical profession now know as podiatry was called chiropody. At that time, podiatrists were trained mainly as technicians who, for the most part, performed conservative/palliative care in the treatment of common foot problems. The profession began to be called chiropody-podiatry as early as the early 40's and by the late 50's the profession's official name was officially accepted as "podiatry," as reflected in the name of the profession's journal. Currently the profession is known as Podiatric Medicine.
Along with the evolution of the names came deeper involvement with real medical issues, diagnostic methods and invasive and surgical procedures intended to more aggressively treat and even cure certain foot conditions.
I don't know what you mean in differentiating between a "community podiatrist" and a podiatrist who is also a surgeon. All podiatrists now, and for many years, have been trained to some degree in surgical approaches to foot care. Post-Graduate residencies, originally 6 months in length and now up to 3 years, have evolved to further train graduate podiatrists to be skilled surgeons, and in 1975 the profession sanctioned a surgical certification board (ABPS (The American Board of Podiatric Medicine]) which offers Board Certification status to podiatrist who demonstrate, by written and oral examination, their knowledge of surgical care and who must produce case documentations establishing their competent performance of sufficient numbers of qualifying procedures. At this time almost 6000 podiatrist have been granted Board Certification in foot or foot and ankle surgery.
Most modern-day podiatrists offer at least some surgical services, and, most but not all podiatrist, continue to treat minor foot disorders with palliative cares such as paring of corns and callous and the routine trimming of toenails. These are procedures which, with the proper lay-intended equipment, many patients can do for themselves. But many with complicated medical problems including such as diabetes, insensitivities, circulatory disorders, poor vision, unsteady hands and others should never attempt. So such instructions as you recommend are clearly not appropriate for very many of the patients who otherwise avail themselves of professional podiatric care and in the hands of these persons might prove extremely detrimental.
But in conclusion, podiatrist are not defined as either "community" or "surgeons." |
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