How Young Physicians Can Get Involved In Leadership Within Podiatry

A recent article in the Harvard Business Review discussed how medicine involves leadership with physicians being on the frontline.¹ It was fitting that a few days later, the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) held its Young Physicians’ Institute in Nashville, which a combined 39 young practitioners (less than 10 years in practice) and residents attended.

The meeting consisted of lectures on communication and presentation skills, physician burnout and how to combat it, cybersecurity in the digital (specifically, cell phone) age, and student debt management. Additionally, there were leadership and member group discussions on ways to promote and improve the field of podiatry through both local and national methods. This was my second time attending, once as a young member and most recently as a member of the leadership panel.

It was a great meeting to pick up leadership skills, learn about methods of involvement, and network both within the APMA and among the attendees. Every year, the meeting has grown and evolved with respect to the type of programming and sheer number of attendees. This past year, 26 of the 39 attendees were sponsored by their state, the highest number of sponsored attendees to date, up seven from the past year. (Note: Yes, your state podiatric medical association can sponsor your attendance at this meeting.) It would be nice at one point in the program to have representatives from and sponsored by each of the 50 states (plus Washington, DC and Puerto Rico). Half of the programming was different from my time attending as a young member, a testament to how the APMA listens to the post-conference feedback and makes changes on a yearly basis.

From the meeting, with APMA leadership present, panel discussions led to creating new taskforce organizations to implement some of the ideas presented and discussed during the conference. It is the quick adoption and implementation of a pathway to either investigate or correct an issue, or creating a task force to push an agenda that makes this meeting special. On a small level, you get a taste of the business/political side of the organization, which may or may not prompt further or future involvement. The organization and its state affiliates are always looking for new, motivated, thoughtful, podiatry-forward (and young) members to serve on panels, organizations, work groups, and boards to continue the cycle of leadership. Hopefully, as the meeting had done for me, some of the attendees will seek a greater role in the field outside of the clinical setting and get involved whether it is through the local (county), state or national level.

In talking to a few of those who attended, I found they learned some important skills they could take back to their practice and felt the experience was worth the trip. I welcome those interested in the meeting to review the online information (visit the Young Physicians’ Institute section on www.APMA.com) and speak with their state about sponsorship for 2019. The more attendees, the greater the diversity in viewpoints, opinions and ideas, which will help grow and shape the field of podiatry now, for our future, and facilitate true change and/or evolution.

I encourage all residents and practitioners who qualify (less than 10 years in practice at the time of the meeting) to consider attending the meeting in the future and explore what else is out there past medicine, the office, the hospital and the operating room.

Reference

1. Rotenstein LS, Sadun R, Jena AB. Why doctors need leadership training. Harvard Business Journal. Available at https://hbr.org/2018/10/why-doctors-need-leadership-training . Published Oct. 17, 2018.

Dr. Hood is a fellowship trained foot and ankle surgeon. Follow him on Twitter at @crhoodjrdpm or check out his website www.footankleresource.com, which contains information on student/resident/new practitioner transitioning, as well as links to academic and educations resources found throughout the internet.