The Growth of Podiatry – But then Again, Where Were We?
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Robert Frykberg,
DPM, MPH
PRESENT Editor,
Diabetic Limb Salvage
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In the last two months, I've attended two major national meetings – the American Diabetes Association Annual Scientific Conference in San Diego and the APMA National in Boston. Both were extremely well attended and quite invigorating (as most good conferences should be). In this week's Residency Insight, I wanted to share my perspectives about both meetings and what they represent.
2011 APMA Annual Scientific Meeting
I have to say that the APMA National meeting in Boston was the best attended Podiatry meeting that I’ve yet been to. I believe the official statistics were 4000 or so! Not bad, but I do believe that number also includes the exhibitors as well. And there were certainly a lot of them- two large exhibit hall areas were filled with vendors. I cannot remember ever seeing more at any APMA meeting and I must admit that I was impressed! I also have to admit that I didn’t come close to visiting most of the booths. There were just too many and I ran out of time. We were in the Hynes Auditorium, a major convention destination in Boston straddling Copley Place, the Marriott and the Sheraton. I certainly recall the days when we couldn’t even fill up the Marriott or the Sheraton. It was great getting back to Boston to visit with my old friends and colleagues, some of whom I hadn’t seen since leaving Boston 12 years ago. But the most gratifying aspect was seeing the breadth of the program- medical, surgical, and biomechanical topics, practice management symposia, and breakfast symposia were available just about every day. There was a very strong showing for submitted abstracts and posters- some very good posters and a lot of them. What a pleasant change from years ago when posters were not even a part of our considerations. I congratulate the organizers and the national and local committee for their efforts in making this year’s APMA National the best ever. It has reflected very well on the growth of Podiatry over the last 30 years that I’ve attended such meetings. You should all be proud of this growth and increased sophistication of our meeting.
2011 ADA Annual Session
The ADA Annual conference in San Diego was characteristically a great meeting as well. This international congress is the world’s premiere diabetes meeting and attracts participants from all over the globe. I believe around 15,000 were in attendance with almost every major specialty of Medicine being represented. The exhibit halls are huge with gigantic displays and booths (some two stories tall). I always find the ADA exhibits to be fabulous – this is where I get updated on the latest or upcoming technologies/pharmaceuticals for the management of diabetes. The attendants at the exhibits are well equipped to provide study reprints, videos, and explanations of mechanisms of action for drugs that I am not generally familiar with. (You can also get your fill of coffee, cappuccinos, water, and juices if you are willing to stand in line long enough). But of course, it is the scientific program that is the central focus of the meeting. It’s a huge program with numerous tracks and concurrent symposia at any one time. You really need to plan in advance to determine which lectures and breakfast/dinner symposia you wish to attend, since there are so many competing sessions all day long. Not being a basic scientist, I usually avoid those types of symposia, since I really can’t understand what they are talking about. So I tend to stick to the clinical side, listening to talks on diabetes complications, lipids, renal disease, new therapeutictrials, and diabetes management. I always gain something from such sessions, even if I do not directly take care of such matters. The poster section is equally gigantic- taking up nearly half of the exhibit hall with numerous categories being displayed. Poster presenters come from all walks of life and many disciplines (including Podiatry). I am always amazed at the number of posters displayed and the breadth of topics dealt with. Hours can be spent reading (and trying to understand) their content.
I have been attending the ADA meeting just about every year for 22 years or so. It’s always great to catch up with friends from Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia (they are always there). It was actually 23 years ago when the Foot Care Council was first established within the ADA and lower extremity concerns became an integral component of the meeting. It was actually Larry Harkless and Lee Sanders who were several of the founding podiatrists of the Foot Care Council and both, in turn, became Council Chairs (as several other podiatrists have also served). We now have complete Foot Care Council programs within the ADA setting, generally spanning the course of 2 or 3 days- dedicated symposia as well as oral abstract and Council Discussion sessions. Our meetings are extremely well attended, often requiring overflow rooms featuring live video monitors of the presentations being given in the adjacent room. Attendees come from every continent, speak many different languages, and practice in many different specialties. Medicine, family practice, Podiatry, Endocrinology, Nursing, Physical Therapy, Biomedical Engineering, Orthopaedic Surgery, and Biomechanics are all represented among the many attendees.
But where are all the Podiatrists? Of at least 100 customary attendees, there are generally only a dozen or so DPMs from America in this showcase event! I can generally name the 10 "usual suspects" who attend every year, regardless of location. Then we pick up a few locals from nearby cities who might be curious about the proceedings. It's funny – when I travel around the US and look in local phone directories, I see advertisements full of references to diabetic foot care and diabetic foot surgery. I see that so many wound centers have DPMs on their staffs of providers. There are many podiatrists who consider themselves to have some degree of expertise in the management of diabetic foot disorders. But then again, where were we when it came to representing our profession at the most important diabetes meeting in the world? Most of our profession were nowhere to be found. This fact has not changed much over the last 20 years (although we have gained several new dedicated usual suspects along the way – and you could probably name them as easily as I can). I would think that all the diabetic foot experts in our profession would be anxious to participate in such a meeting and interact with their international colleagues who share a similar interest. This has always perplexed me.
Let this serve as a wakeup call to you all. Put your time and money and efforts where your interests lie. If you too have a desire to specialize in diabetic foot disorders, I urge you to become active in the ADA and make your interests known. Attend our Foot Care Council Sessions and submit abstracts for oral or poster presentations. Become a "usual suspect" and join us in the most multidisciplinary conference that you will ever attend. We look forward to your contributions. Who knows, you might become Foot Care Council Chair and organize the program yourself one day – I know that I did – and it's the gift that keeps on giving year after year. I'll see you there in 2012!
Keep writing in with your thoughts and comments. Better yet, post them in our eTalk forum and start a discussion on the what matters to you and your colleauges.
Best regards,
Robert Frykberg, DPM, MPH
PRESENT Editor,
Diabetic Limb Salvage
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