Dean's Chat - All Things Podiatric Medicine

Dean’s Chat hosts, Drs. Jensen and Richey, welcome Dr. Lawrence Ford, currently practicing in Kaiser Permanente Oakland Hospital.

Dr. Ford has had an exceptional career in podiatric surgery. He obtained his undergraduate degree in Biology at the University of California, Irvine. He went on to complete his Podiatric Medical School degree with California College of Podiatric Medicine in San Francisco, California. He then went on to do a three-year surgical residency program with Northwest Podiatric Foundation -Swedish Medical Center in Seattle, WA. Join us as we hear about his experience working with Dr. Sigvard T. Hansen at Harborview Medical Center. Listen, as we discuss the history of how relationship building fostered a collaboration between orthopedics and podiatry to progress the field of podiatric surgery for resident education. He discussed how transparency and excellence helped to foster new opportunities and practice with his full scope and capacity.

Dr. Ford has served in multiple leadership roles, his most recent contributions as part of the education committee for the AO Basic and Advanced course development, past Residency director for the Kaiser Permanente SF Bay Area foot and Ankle residency program, previous department chair for podiatric surgery, ABFAS oral exam committee and communications committee. He has lectured at multiple ACFAS events and other national meetings in the topics of podiatric surgery, Trauma and reconstruction. Listen as he discusses the importance of research and how it helped impact his career to work with the residents and the residency program and scratch the itch of asking curiosity questions.

Dr. Ford focuses his treatment philosophy around, evaluating the root cause from a biomechanical and functional etiology, and then focusing treatment on that cause as he says treating the symptoms without regard for the etiology, leads to frustration. He has a particular interest in mechanical engineering, especially how faulty mechanics can impact muscle imbalance and have progressive development of foot ankle pain. As Dr. Richey’s former residency director he had an direct impact on her own career and now as her friend and mentor, she gives some touching remarks about her gratitude to him for both large transformational lessons as well as small but highly impactful moments. 

In his time away from the podiatric profession Dr. Ford enjoys seeking time outdoors, including a variety of hiking camping, backpacking, kayaking, and backcountry skiing as well as being an avid Tottenham soccer fan! Enjoy!

https://residency-ncal.kaiserpermanente.org/residency/podiatry/bayarea/

https://www.acfas.org/

https://www.abfas.org/residents

https://www.aofoundation.org/aona

Dean’s chat hosts Drs. Jeffrey Jensen and Johanna Richey are joined by Dr. David Schweibish from Melbourne Beach, Florida.  Dr. Schweibish has proven to be an incredible leader advocating for podiatric medicine as a student, and now at the State and National level.  Join us for an engaging discussion on practice, practice management, and representing our profession on multiple stages!

We also discuss his role as a consultant with Bako Diagnostics  - addressing dermatopathology concerns in practice settings!  This episode is also sponsored by Bako Diagnostices!

He has over 15 years of experience in diverse leadership capacities bolstering a foundation of strong, effective communication, comprehensive fiscal management skills, and a breadth of key relationships with stakeholders across the spectrum of the podiatric profession and the broader healthcare landscape.  An example of his leadership capabilities are noted below!  He will be a tremendous leader for years to come!

FLORIDA PODIATRIC MEDICAL ASSOCIATION

• President-elect, Guiding the organizational mission of the nation’s largest state podiatric

component across 23 intrastate delegations and executive liaison between 10

committees, 2024 – Present

• Vice President, Management of Barry University podiatric student and state-wide

residency relationships to drive recruitment and educational opportunities, 2023 - 2024

• Treasurer, Development of association operating budget; reporting of operational and

charitable financials to leadership and member stakeholders, 2022 - 2023

• Secretary, Oversight of 1,030+ physician-member relations, member growth and

retention initiatives; conflict resolution; implemented strategies to catalyze new member

recruitment to record levels despite impact of COVID-19 pandemic, 2021 - 2022

• Chairman of Component Forum, Sole representative of Florida's 23 physicianmembership

components to state leadership; maintained working relationships with

physician-leaders across the state to drive association agendas, 2019 - 2021

• President (Brevard County Component), Liaison between local podiatric physicians and

state association leadership, 2019 - Present

AMERICAN PODIATRIC MEDICAL ASSOCIATION

• Co-coordinator (Florida), APMA Political Action Committee, 2021 – Present

• Delegate (Florida), 2023 APMA House of Delegates, Washington, D.C.

• Delegate (Florida), 2022 APMA House of Delegates, Washington, D.C.

• Delegate (Florida), 2021 APMA (Virtual) Legislative Conference

• Alternate Delegate (Florida), 2021 APMA House of Delegates (Virtual Session)

• Member, Legislative Committee, American Podiatric Medical Association, 2021 – Present

• Member, Education Committee, American Podiatric Medical Association, 2023 - Present

• Member, APMA Affiliate Review Task Force (Chair Brooke Bisbee, DPM), 2021 - 2022

• Representative (Florida), 2023 APMA State Advocacy Forum, Albuquerque, NM

• Representative (Florida), 2022 APMA State Advocacy Forum, Virtual

• Representative (Florida), 2021 APMA State Advocacy Forum, Atlanta, GA

• Student Delegate (Illinois), 2014 APMA Legislative Conference, Washington, D.C.

• Student Delegate (Illinois), 2012 APMA Legislative Conference, Washington, D.C.

https://www.fpma.com/

https://www.apma.org/

https://bakodx.com/

https://bmef.org/

www.explorepodmed.org

https://podiatrist2be.com/

https://higherlearninghub.com/

Dean’s Chat hosts Drs. Jeffrey Jensen and Johanna Richey are joined by Dr. Thomas Chang, a podiatric surgeon who practices in Santa Rosa California with Sonoma County Orthopedic/Podiatric specialist. Dr. Chang has had a prolific career in academics and advancing the profession forward.

As a world renowned expert, Dr. Chang has delivered over 450 international and national state meetings with approximately 15 to 20 medical meetings every year. He has spent many years in academic medicine as a clinical professor and past chairman in the department of podiatric surgery at the college of podiatric medicine and continues to serve teaching students and residents. Listen in as he provides his insights into how passion, curiosity and willingness to stretch your comfort zone helped open doors for him along the way and fuel his career. 

Dr. Chang got his undergraduate degree from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri with a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering and a minor and biology. He went on to complete his podiatric medical school work with Temple University and completed his 3 year surgical residency program with Emory/Northlake Regional Medical Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Join us, as he describes what it was like to be a resident at one of the peak centers for podiatric education and training including obtaining his “Doctor of photographic medicine – DPM degree”. 

He also discusses mentorship and how several key players in his life helped influence his career including the development and authorship of the commonly utilized textbook “Master Techniques in Podiatric Surgery: The Foot and Ankle” which has sold over 10,000 copies worldwide. Dr. Chang donates 25% of these sales toward the various medical missions that he is a part of as this has also been an important part of his career Join us as we discuss the intricacies of global health and medical mission work. 

Tune in as we discuss all things podiatric medicine and surgery as we hear from Dr. Chang about what it was like to serve on the board of directors for the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons as well as the California Board of Podiatric Medicine, The Journal of Foot Surgery and the Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association and what it means to give back to the profession. We hope you enjoy this interview with one of the podiatric legends!

https://balancehealth.com/provider/dr-thomas-j-chang-dpm/sonoma-county-orthopedic-podiatric-specialists/

https://www.amazon.com/Master-Techniques-Podiatric-Surgery-Ankle/dp/0781732352

Over the next few months, Dean’s Chat will be providing bonus episodes interviewing students from the Schools and Colleges of Podiatric Medicine. This week we are joined by two students from Kent State University College of Podiatric Medicine (KSUCPM), Lasya Priya Anand and Jamie Stahl.  Both represent the American Podiatric Medical Students Association (APMSA) within KSUCPM.

This episode is sponsored by Bako Diagnostics!

Join our discussions each week on the podiatric journey our students are embarking on at the various schools. Students share their path to discovering podiatric medicine, to applying to what is now eleven schools and colleges of podiatric medicine, to the first and second year of didactics, Boards Part 1 and 2, and clinical experiences and opportunities. We do some professor shout-outs and discuss student services, extracurricular activities, and student life at each school. Enjoy!

In this episode, Drs. Jensen and Richey and the students discuss the significance of shadowing various health professionals to determine career preferences and find satisfaction in their chosen field.  The hosts specifically mention that podiatrists tend to be very happy with their careers due to the wide range of specialization options available to them. They explain that podiatrists can focus on areas they truly enjoy, which contributes to their overall job satisfaction.

The students mention their personal experiences with shadowing and how it influenced their career decisions.  The students emphasize the importance of shadowing multiple specialties to determine personal preferences. They emphasize that understanding other specialties is valuable even for those pursuing podiatry, as it helps in comprehending the body's other systems and treating patients holistically.

The students note that many podiatrists they have worked with and shadowed are incredibly satisfied with their careers. While they acknowledge that satisfaction can be found in other specialties as well, they observe this as a common theme within the podiatry profession. They also mention that students from all schools of podiatric medicine are incredibly happy with their choice to pursue podiatry.

In this episode, we discuss the importance of students taking advantage of opportunities for involvement and support from organizations like APMSA. They emphasize that being involved in organizations like APMSA allows students to have a voice and make a change at the national level. They mention that APMSA provides various opportunities for students, such as hosting webinars on different topics like mental health and clerkship advice. 

Overall, the episode emphasizes the benefits of shadowing different health professionals to help students determine their career preferences and find satisfaction in their chosen field. It underscores the importance of exploring various specialties, including podiatry, and understanding different aspects of healthcare to make informed decisions.

https://www.apmsa.org/

https://bakodx.com/

https://bmef.org/

www.explorepodmed.org

https://podiatrist2be.com/

https://higherlearninghub.com/

Drs. Jeffrey Jensen and Johanna Richey welcome Dr. Lance Wissman to Dean’s Chat. Dr. Wissman is faculty at the Arizona College of Podiatric Medicine (AZCPM).

Dr. Wissman teaches the Lower Extrematy Anatomy and Dissection course, arguably the most important course taught at AZCPM!

Dr. Wissman received his Bachelor degree at Michigan State University.  He completed his  Doctorate in Podiatric Medicine at the Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine at Rosalind Franklin University. He paracticed in both Michigan and Arizona before becoming faculty at AZCPM!

Outside of podiatry, Lance enjoys music!  He has electic tastes that are highlighted in this episode!

Dr. Wissman also discusses the diverse experiences and opportunities within podiatric medicine, giving back to the profession by writing board exam questions, and assisting other Colleges of Podiatric Medicine with their curriculum!  

Enjoy this engaging conversation with a world leader in lower extremity anatomy!

https://www.apmsa.org/

https://bakodx.com/

https://bmef.org/

www.explorepodmed.org

https://podiatrist2be.com/

https://higherlearninghub.com/

Dean’s Chat hosts, Drs. Jeffrey Jensen and Johanna Richey, are joined by four students from the Arizona College of Podiatric Medicine’s Class of 2028. Ari Gerber, Paxton Ingram, Paige Langford, and Athena Najar have all been immersed in the medical school curriculum for one quarter.

This episode is sponsored  by Bako Diagnostics! 

Great insights on anticipation of the school year, the inevitable “free floating” anxiety of anticipating the 1st Quarter, study techniques that work (and don’t work) in Biochemistry, Anatomy and Podiatric Medicine I. We also discuss being integrated with DO students for basic sciences, the benefits of a class of 40, how they “recharge” between exams, and settling into Arizona. We are going to follow this group quarterly to document their academic journey at the Arizona College of Podiatric Medicine!

In this episode, the students also discuss the advantages of interprofessional relationships and communication among students in various programs. They note that it promotes parity and communication among different disciplines, allowing students to interact and learn about different specialties. The seamless integration of different programs is highlighted, as professors may not even be aware of which program a student belongs to. 

Dr. Jensen, Dr. Richey and the students agree that interprofessional relationships help students work toward the common goal of helping patients. They also mention that the presence of students from different programs creates a vibrant community of healthcare professionals. 

Additionally, they discuss how integration with the DO program provides a unique experience and helps establish effective communication techniques, as podiatrists may need to communicate with primary care providers who are not podiatrists but are DOs. Overall, the episode emphasizes the positive impact of interprofessional relationships and communication on students in different programs.

Tune in for the next episode with these students as we follow this group quarterly to document their academic journey at the Arizona College of Podiatric Medicine!

https://www.apmsa.org/

https://bakodx.com/

https://bmef.org/

www.explorepodmed.org

https://podiatrist2be.com/

https://higherlearninghub.com/

Drs. Jensen and Richey welcome Dr. Mitzi Williams to Dean's Chat.  Dr. Williams is a pediatric foot and lower extremity surgeon who specializes in congenital deformities.

Dr. Williams directs the Pediatric and Infant Foot Deformity Clinic at Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, California. She is an attending surgeon at the SF Bay Area Foot and Ankle Residency Program. She completed her undergraduate degree from the University of Arizona in veterinary science and chemistry. She went on to complete her podiatric medical degree at Rosalind Franklin University Schol College of Podiatric Medicine and then went on to complete her 3 yr surgical residency program with Scripps Mercy Podiatric Residency in San Diego.  

Dr. Williams is greatly involved advancing treatment for children with Cerebral Palsy/ spasticity, Arthrogryposis, Spina Bifida and genetic conditions. Tune in as we discuss “all things podiatric medicine” including her creation of children's books to empower and educate children on musculoskeletal conditions.

Dr. Williams is internationally recognized for her expertise in treating pediatric foot and lower extremity deformities. She takes pride in treating children, teaching surgeons worldwide and advancing the field of pediatric foot and ankle surgery. She has extensive experience in treating clubfoot, vertical talus, metatarsus adductus, tarsal coalitions, pediatric flatfoot, neuromuscular conditions, pediatric trauma, and numerous other congenital foot conditions. Join us, as we dive into her story and listen as she talks about how a chance meeting with Dr. Igancio Ponseti helped shape her career.

Dr Williams serves as a board member for the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Her scholarly work also includes numerous textbook chapters on various pediatric conditions, research publications as well as section editor for pediatrics, in the Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery. We hope you enjoy this episode!

https://www.drmitziwilliams.com/

https://www.instagram.com/paleyinstitute/p/C87fSPAuxXh/?img_index=1

https://www.instagram.com/paleyinstitute/p/C4Bca4iOPMk/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitzi-williams-961b4698/

https://residency-ncal.kaiserpermanente.org/residency/podiatry/bayarea/

https://www.acfas.org/membership

Over the next few months, Dean’s Chat will be providing bonus episodes interviewing students from the Schools and Colleges of Podiatric Medicine. This week we are joined by three students from Des Moines University College of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery (CPMS), Haley Cornelison and Jaquine Egbon from the class of 2027, and Emily Maxwell from the class of 2026.  All three represent the American Podiatric Medical Students Association (APMSA) within CPMS.

This episode is sponsored by Bako Diagnostics!

Join our discussions each week on the podiatric journey our students are embarking on at the various schools. Students share their path to discovering podiatric medicine, to applying to what is now eleven schools and colleges of podiatric medicine, to the first and second year of didactics, Boards Part 1 and 2, and clinical experiences and opportunities. We do some professor shout-outs and discuss student services, extracurricular activities, and student life at each school. Enjoy!

In this episode, Drs. Jensen and Richey and the students discuss the significance of shadowing various health professionals to determine career preferences and find satisfaction in their chosen field.  The hosts specifically mention that podiatrists tend to be very happy with their careers due to the wide range of specialization options available to them. They explain that podiatrists can focus on areas they truly enjoy, which contributes to their overall job satisfaction.

The students mention their personal experiences with shadowing and how it influenced their career decisions.  The students emphasize the importance of shadowing multiple specialties to determine personal preferences. They emphasize that understanding other specialties is valuable even for those pursuing podiatry, as it helps in comprehending the body's other systems and treating patients holistically.

The students note that many podiatrists they have worked with and shadowed are incredibly satisfied with their careers. While they acknowledge that satisfaction can be found in other specialties as well, they observe this as a common theme within the podiatry profession. They also mention that students from all schools of podiatric medicine are incredibly happy with their choice to pursue podiatry.

In this episode, we discuss the importance of students taking advantage of opportunities for involvement and support from organizations like APMSA. They emphasize that being involved in organizations like APMSA allows students to have a voice and make a change at the national level. They mention that APMSA provides various opportunities for students, such as hosting webinars on different topics like mental health and clerkship advice. 

Overall, the episode emphasizes the benefits of shadowing different health professionals to help students determine their career preferences and find satisfaction in their chosen field. It underscores the importance of exploring various specialties, including podiatry, and understanding different aspects of healthcare to make informed decisions.

https://www.apmsa.org/

https://bakodx.com/

https://bmef.org/

www.explorepodmed.org

https://podiatrist2be.com/

https://higherlearninghub.com/

Dean’s Chat hosts Dr. Jeffrey Jensen and Dr. Johanna Richey are joined by Dr. Jason Hanft, the founder of Defender Operations. This Part 2 episode has Insightful discussions on physician entrepreneurship, product development, patents, intellectual property, exit strategies, risk, and reward.

Dr. Hanft, from Miami, has long been a leader in podiatric medicine as an educator, researcher, residency director, and a clinical trial expert in the wound care space. He’s one of the best minds in the profession! Dr. Hanft as a leader, innovator, inventor, entrepreneur, researcher, and educator.

Dr. Jensen and Dr. Hanft discuss Dr. Hanft's background, including his education at the Illinois College of Podiatric Medicine and his surgical residency training at Larkin General Hospital. Dr. Hanft shares his experiences in the podiatry field and the opportunities it has provided him. He also mentions that he is married to a podiatrist who runs a clinical research business. Tune in to learn more about Dr. Hanft's journey and his contributions to the podiatric medicine industry!

Dr. Hanft delves into the topic of risk tolerance behavior in entrepreneurship. They both agree that while some individuals may naturally possess the ability to tolerate risk, a significant portion of risk tolerance behavior is acquired through training and experience. They emphasize that individuals who can effectively compartmentalize and tolerate risk are more likely to see their entrepreneurial endeavors through to success. They explain that although everyone experiences some level of risk, those who can effectively deal with it are the ones who are able to complete their projects.

https://footdefender.com/

https://explorepodmed.org

https://deanschat.com/

Dean’s chat welcomes Dr. Michael Dujela! Dr. Dujela practices in Olympia Washington and is currently the fellowship Director for the Advanced Surgical Foot and Ankle Fellowship- Washington Orthopedic Center. Listen in, as we dive deep into what fellowship training can offer. We’ll hear the personal experiences of Dr. Dujela and how fellowship for him was an opportunity to finesse his skills and seek different opportunities.  

He graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor’s in Science. He continued his Graduate education studying Genetics at Westchester University before going on to complete his Podiatric Medical Degree with the Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine. He completed his surgical residency training under Dr. Gerard Yu at the Foot and Ankle Surgical Residency Training Program, at University Hospitals Health System, in Southwest General Cleveland, Ohio. His journey continued into private practice and a desire to seek additional training experiences internationally. Tune in, as he describes this process and how he took his family with him on this journey through a Multi-Center, European AO Fellowship with multiple leaders in Foot and Ankle Surgery. Come along as he describes the opportunity he had to work in different hospitals in six different cities throughout Germany and Switzerland. He then went onto complete a US based Fellowship program under Dr. Thomas Lee, MD and Dr. Chris Hyer DPM at the Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Center in Columbus Ohio before returning to his practice in Washington.  

We also discuss his experiences working in a multitude of leadership positioning throughout the profession including: current President-elect for the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgeons and the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons; Chairman for the Annual Scientific Conference for the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons this year. He is the Past Chairman and a 5-year committee member of the National Education and Scientific Affairs Committee with the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons and has been Instrumental faculty in the collaborative effort between the AO Foundation and the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons to bring back the basic surgical principal courses offered through the AONA. It is no surprise, with all these accomplishments that he has been inducted into the leadership Hall of Fame with the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons.   

Join us, as we dive into all things, podiatric medicine and surgery! We examine the impact that mentors can have on our lives and listen as he shares his experiences working with so many remarkable surgeons in the profession, including his touching tribute to Dr. Gerard Yu.  

https://www.aofoundation.org/aona/engage-with-us/Become-a-member

https://www.acfas.org/membership/joinrenew

To find upcoming AO-ACFAS courses:

 https://www.aofoundation.org/aona/our-community/DPM/DPM-courses-and-events#sortCriteria=%40startdate%20ascending&f-speciality=DPM

https://www.acfas.org/education-professional-development/educationcalendar

ACFAS Fellowship website: 

https://www.acfas.org/professional-resources/fellowship-resources/list-of-fellowships-with-acfas-status

https://www.apmsa.org/

https://bakodx.com/

https://bmef.org/

www.explorepodmed.org

https://podiatrist2be.com/

https://higherlearninghub.com/