Podiatry Residency

Residents complete rotations throughout BMC Brighton as well as other area hospitals in the course of the three-year program.

First Year

• Podiatric Med/Surg — 29 weeks
• Emergency Medicine — 6 weeks
• Internal Medicine — 6 weeks
• General Surgery — 4 weeks
• Anesthesiology — 2 weeks
• Behavioral Medicine — 2 weeks
• Endocrinology — 2 weeks
• Infectious Disease — 2 weeks
• Medical Imaging — 2 weeks

Second Year

• Podiatric Med/Surg — 45 weeks
• Pain Clinic — 2 weeks
• Vascular Surgery — 2 weeks
• Wound Care — 2 weeks (and on a case-by-case basis throughout residency)

Third Year

• Podiatric Med/Surg — 12 months

Ongoing

Coverage for orthopedic and plastic surgery is on a case-by-case basis throughout residency.

Pathology is an ongoing rotation for all residents, which convenes quarterly and on a case-by-case basis as needed.

In addition to BMC Brighton, residents rotate through several other regional hospitals and healthcare facilities. These include:

• Boston Medical Center – South, Brockton, MA
• Boston Outpatient Surgical Suites, Waltham, MA
• Emerson Health, Concord, MA
• New England Baptist Hospital, Boston, MA/New England Surgicare, Brookline, MA
• South Shore Health, South Weymouth, MA

In addition to rotations and other educational sessions, podiatry residents are required to complete the below didactics for successful completion of the program.

Lectures

BMC Brighton podiatric residents attend formal lectures both internally and at nearby institutions. Guest lecturers consist of podiatric and allopathic physicians. Topics vary from year to year, but encompass podiatric medicine and surgery as well as medical imaging, infectious disease, and other medical and surgical topics.

Clinical Pathological Conferences

Each resident is expected to present at the Clinical Pathological Conference (CPC) throughout the year. The conference is attended by all residents and moderated by the senior surgical resident and attending staff. During each session, one of the residents presents a case report or a complete topic review, followed by active discussion. Pertinent literature should be included.

Journal Club

The Journal Club, held twice a month, is intended to provide residents with current knowledge of important developmental articles written in recognized journals. Residents also participate in an online journal club coordinated through the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS).

Research Paper

Each resident prepares a topic for study which must include a pertinent literature review, development of research questions, generation of a hypothesis, selection of an appropriate research methodology, and development of a proposal for data analysis.

Workshops

Workshops consist of laboratory instruction in psychomotor skills and practical application of operative and clinical techniques. Workshops may include topics such as:

• Arthroscopy
• Bandaging
• Casting
• Endoscopic procedures
• External fixation
• Internal fixation and osteotomies
• Plastic skin maneuvers
• Suturing techniques
• New technologies

Grand Rounds

The hospital staff provides regular conferences featuring visiting physicians who are authoritative on specific topics. Residents are encouraged to attend whenever possible.

Mortality and Morbidity (M&M) Conferences

Residents and faculty are required to attend all surgical specialty M&M conferences at the sponsoring institution. The division is mandated to present cases as required by the surgery department.

Teaching Responsibilities

Residents and attendings have teaching responsibilities toward students, medical staff/house officers, and the surrounding community. Affiliations with area podiatric medical schools allow fourth-year podiatric medical students to rotate through BMC Brighton on a monthly basis to augment their clinical curriculum. Externs are actively involved in the clinic, operating room, patient floors, emergency department, and all didactic activities.

Academic Research

Research activity is encouraged, and is an additional requirement for program completion.

For a required research paper, each resident prepares a topic for study which must include a pertinent literature review, development of research questions, generation of a hypothesis, selection of an appropriate research methodology, and development of a proposal for data analysis.

Anatomy Lab Prospectors

Residents and faculty serve as experienced lower-extremity specimen dissectors for allopathic medical students, and, with staff approval, have access to the cadaver lab throughout the year to perform dissections and research projects.

Evaluations

Residents are required to undergo periodic evaluation as per Council on Podiatric Medical Education (CPME) guidelines. These evaluations are used not only to evaluate the residents, but also to evaluate and assess the capabilities of meeting the competencies established for these rotations by the instructors/supervisors.

The director of the specific rotation and/or their designee provides the evaluation through observation of the resident. Evaluation forms are open to inspection by the individual resident, the director, and the CPME.

Residents are recommended to periodically review their evaluations and to appeal or remediate as necessary. Upon satisfactory completion of all mandatory rotations and demonstrated clinical and surgical competence, the resident is awarded a certificate verifying completion of the training program.

In-training Examination

The BMC Brighton Podiatry Residency mandates that all residents complete an in-training examination developed by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) and American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM), to both assess the resident’s postgraduate development and in preparation for sitting for board certification examinations.

CPME Podiatric Medicine and Surgery Residency with Reconstructive Rearfoot and Ankle Surgery (PMSR/RRA) Minimum Requirements

Case Activities

• Podiatric clinic/office — 1000
• Podiatric surgery — 300
• Biomechanics cases — 75
• Comprehensive H&Ps — 50
• Trauma — 50 (25 foot/ankle)
• Podopediatrics — 25

Procedure Activities

• Minimum 400
• Digital — 80
• First ray — 60
• Reconstructive rear foot/ankle — 50
• Other osseous — 40
• Other soft tissue — 5