
	for Residents and Students

This issue and the discussions to follow are dedicated to our student and resident readers.

Jarrod Shapiro, DPM
Practice Perfect Editor
Assistant Professor,
Dept. of Podiatric Medicine,
Surgery & Biomechanics
College of Podiatric Medicine
Western University of
Health Sciences,
St, Pomona, CA

When I was a resident, one of my attendings was kind enough to make up a list of tips. I found this list quite helpful. In fact, I’ve always found tips from other physicians both fascinating and highly useful. I admit that I look at the Tip, Quips, and Pearls section of the Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery before the other articles. Now, I know it’s not the highest level of evidence to listen to someone else’s pearls of wisdom. In fact, it’s considered the lowest level of evidence - anecdotal at best.. But that doesn’t change the fact that experience remains an important part of evidence-based medicine. No matter how scientific we make podiatric medicine and surgery, there will always be a place for experience.

"...experience remains an important part of evidence-based medicine."

With that in mind, I’d like to invite all readers to post 3 of their top tips and pearls on the eTalk site. What would you like our young practitioners, residents, and students to know? What would have made your learning experience that much more exciting, valuable, or profitable when you were a resident? I’ll start us off with 3 pearls I’ve found most useful so far.

Tonight's Premier Lecture is
Use of Human Skin Allograft as Treatment Alternative to
Bio-Engineered LSE's
presented by Lee J Sanders, DPM

Students: Carry a pocket notebook with you at all times. Whenever someone tells you something that you feel might be valuable, write it down. Not certain of something? Write it down. Unless you’re already an expert on the topic, you should write it down. for many years, Lawrence Harkless, DPM has been teaching based on a particular format. Use this format below to organize yourself. If you complete each section, written in your notebook, and carry it with you, you’ll become the expert on that topic.

Etiology
Epidemiology
Natural History
Risk Factors/Prevention
Clinical Presentation
Differential Diagnosis

Diagnostic Procedures
Treatment
- Nonsurgical
- Surgical
Outcomes

"...Carry a pocket notebook with you."

Residents: Do the same as the students. Additionally, when in surgury, practice the concept of economy of motion. When you’re in the operating room, try to make as few motions as possible. Don’t look away from the surgical field. Dissect with as few strokes as possible.

"...Practice economy of motion."

Practice minimizing the number of extraneous steps necessary to complete a procedure. This is something you can practice in all aspects of your life. In how few steps can you get dressed in the morning or cook a meal or perform a bedside procedure? This will save you time and effort and, when in practice, imbue you with an air of professionalism. One caution: residents should communicate what they’re doing to their attendings when first practicing this.

Young Doctors: I’ll offer two general pieces of advice. First, while you’re working hard to build a new practice, stop and take time for both your family and yourself. Nothing is more important. Second, start preparing for board certification on day one of practice. As you do each case, copy all necessary documents, radiographs, and hospital charts, and keep a secure running file. If you move or change practices, you’ll already have your cases without losing any. When it comes time to prepare for certification, you’ll already be prepared. Is this empty advice? Let me just say that I wished I'd followed this advice! I lost a significant number of cases when I made my first practice change.

Summary — Hot Tips for Today
	Carry a pocket notebook Practice economy of motion Take time for your family Start preparing for board certification right now

There are so many other tips and pearls one could add, from the specific to the general. Let’s hear from the podiatric community at large. What tips and pearls have improved your practice or made your lives that much easier? These don’t have to be profound, life-altering, suggestions. It can be anything from the mundane to the exceptional.

Keep writing in with your thoughts and comments. Better yet, post them in our eTalk forum. Best wishes.

Jarrod Shapiro, DPM
PRESENT Practice Perfect Editor
[email protected]