Podiatrists

Podiatrists are physicians and surgeons specializing in diagnosing and treating disorders of the foot, ankle, and lower leg.

Podiatrists have expertise in orthopedics, radiography, sports medicine, dermatology, and surgery. Some conditions that podiatrists treat are ankle injuries, bunions, calluses, neuromas, running injuries, and toe deformities. They are trained in the use of orthotics, bracing, and taping. Often treatment will require a prescription for medications and/or physical therapy.

Podiatric surgeons are highly specialized in reconstruction and surgical repair of deformities and trauma. They are often the first health professionals to diagnose vascular problems that have previously gone unrecognized. Podiatrists also contribute significantly to the areas of diabetic foot care, arthritic foot care, and wound healing.

Our staff includes the following podiatrists:

• Troy A. Griffiths, D.P.M., F.A.C.F.A.S.
• Charles J. Daniel, D.P.M., F.A.C.F.A.S.
• John M. Feild, D.P.M., F.A.C.F.A.S.
• Terri S. Schmitt, D.P.M., A.A.C.F.A.S.
• Heather D. Kaufman, D.P.M., A.A.C.F.A.S.
• Mitch Williams, D.P.M.

Education and Training

Your foot and ankle are complex structures that merit a practitioner specially trained in their care. Podiatric education requires doctorate level training at a medical school, followed by 2-3 year residency training to obtain further clinical and surgical experience. This amounts to an average of 10-11 years of formal education.

Board Certification

Competency of your doctor is also important. Beyond the standard training required to obtain a license there is a higher standard to assure further proficiency and expertise. This is surgical board certification.

The first step in certification requires passing written tests. The surgeon then submits a list of diverse cases for review from professional peers. Once this list is accepted and several selected cases are reviewed, the surgeon is accepted for oral examination. Oral examination involves three days of testing utilizing several case scenarios before professional peer evaluators. To ensure the board-certified surgeon remains proficient and abreast of new research, they must participate in continuing medical education activities annually and must recertify every 10 years. This is a rigorous and extensive certification process and places the physician at the highest level of competency. There is only a small percentage of doctors who are board-certified in foot and ankle surgery qualifying as Fellows of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (FACFAS).