Ryan Fitzgerald, DPM PRESENT RI Associate Editor Hess Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Harrisonburg, Virginia

In a recent Residency Insight installment, I shared with you an opportunity that I had to visit with members of the Virginia state legislature to discuss numerous issues facing Podiatric Medicine here in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The event was designed to allow Podiatric Physicians in Virginia to meet with our elected state representatives to address several pressing issues here in the Commonwealth—among these included recent exclusion of Podiatric services from Medicaid in the proposed 2011 state budget.

I am pleased to announce that our efforts to maintain podiatric services in Medicaid did not fall on deaf ears, and our proposed amendment to reinstate Podiatric services has been included in the final 2011 budget.  While the completed budget still requires a full vote in the general assembly and signature by the governor prior to becoming law, this initial success demonstrates what we can accomplish when we work together to educate those in our community regarding our profession.

During our legislative day in January, Podiatric physicians in Virginia had the opportunity to meet with numerous state representatives, and the lawmakers that I met with were very interested in learning more about our specialty.  This provided a great opportunity to interact and to serve as ambassadors for our profession –and it made a difference!

Each day, as you go about the practice of your craft, I would strongly encourage you to consider the implications –both positive and negative –of your interactions with your patients and your colleagues in the medical community.  You are their “representative podiatrist”.When they think about podiatry and our abilities as a profession, it will be YOU they are thinking about.  You are our representative in your community, and that is a powerful position –one that you can truly utilize to help us grow in parity and in respect.

I encourage each of you to make every effort to become involved in your local and state organizations –even if things are going well. All too often, we wait until there is a potential problem before we become involved. The relationships you develop and the people that you reach –all of it matters—and your participation will help to further grow our great profession as we move into our next chapters. 

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