When you have an injury or condition and need treatment, it can be difficult to know whether a podiatrist or an orthopaedic surgeon with specialty training in the foot and ankle can better help you. Both are physicians with medical training in treating that area of the body; however, the depth and range of their education and training differ.
At Tidewater Orthopaedics, we endorse the Position Statement on Podiatry by the American Orthopaedics Foot & Ankle Society and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
POSITION STATEMENT ON PODIATRY FROM THE AOFAS (Revised 2009)
1. The AOFAS believes that members of the podiatric community provide a valuable service when they function within their education and training.
2. The AOFAS believes that nationally recognized educational standards which are widely accepted by the medical profession are an essential means of educating and credentialing practitioners to provide safe and effective patient care. These standards are essential to maintain the public trust.
3. The AOFAS believes that all practitioners who provide surgical care should meet the uniform educational and training standards established by the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). All foot and ankle care providers should be educated, trained, and credentialed by the same standards as other medical and surgical specialties.
4. The AOFAS believes that separate and unequal credentialing and accreditation are not in the best interest of quality patient care.
5. The AOFAS believes that, to create parity in credentialing and accreditation, the podiatric community should take steps to ensure that: a) podiatric students take and pass the standardized U.S. Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) at the completion of podiatry school, as is required of medical students; b) ACGME accreditation is attained and maintained for all podiatric residency programs; and c) podiatric residents take a certifying examination prepared by a member board of the ABMS.
6. The AOFAS will assist regulatory and credentialing bodies to achieve these goals.
7. The AOFAS will work with the podiatric community for the benefit of patient care.
Original statement approved by the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society Board of Directors, March 31, 2007; Above statement approved by the AOFAS Board of Directors, May 19, 2009, reaffirmed May 10, 2011
Endorsed by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Board of Directors, May 16, 2009
Our Foot & Ankle Center is designed to provide our patients comprehensive education and exceptional surgical care through the knowledge, experience, and expertise of our specialty-trained foot and ankle surgeon, Dr. Paul Maloof. He aims to treat his patients in the most conservative manner, reserving surgery only for cases when nonsurgical management is no longer an option. Dr. Maloof brings many advanced treatments to Tidewater Orthopaedics as the only full-time foot and ankle orthopaedic surgeon in the region specializing in complex and comprehensive foot and ankle care, both surgical and nonsurgical. Dr. Maloof treats a wide-range of injuries and conditions, such as:
To search the full list of injuries, conditions, and procedures he specializes in, click here.
If you are searching for a foot specialist near you, contact us. With years of experience and advanced training devoted to the orthopaedic care of the foot, our esteemed orthopaedic foot surgeon at Tidewater Orthopaedics, Dr. Paul Maloof, is the unparalleled expert in accurately diagnosing and effectively treating injuries and conditions.
Dr. Paul Maloof has the knowledge, proficiency, and skill to accurately diagnose and effectively treat your injury or condition so you can get back to your active lifestyle quickly and safely.
To consult with our Tidewater Orthopaedics surgeon, please request an appointment online or call (757) 827-2480.