The Use of Patient Simulations to Teach and Assess Clinical Competencies in Colleges of Podiatric Medicine: A Survey of US Podiatric Medical Schools.

Human and mechanical simulations are used to teach and assess clinical competencies in medical education. In 2014, the National Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners implemented the Clinical Skills Patient Encounter, an examination using standardized patients. Similar clinical skills examinations already existed as part of medical and osteopathic licensure examinations. The purpose of this study was to assess the use of simulation-based education in the nine colleges of podiatric medicine in the United States to inform podiatric clinical faculty and other stakeholders about current trends within the podiatric education system. In 2019, the Clinical Skills Patient Encounter committee of the National Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners developed a survey and contacted each podiatric school to voluntarily participate. The mailed survey instrument gathered information on patient simulation modalities, years used, clinical content application, simulation program administration, facilities and equipment available, and the role of simulation educators. All nine schools participated anonymously. The survey showed that simulation modalities were used in all of the schools during the first 3 years, although there was considerable variance in their use.

Effects of training podiatrists to use imagery-based motivational interviewing when treating people with diabetes-related foot disease: a mixed-methods pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Self-care in diabetes related foot disease (DFD) is challenging and contributes to poor outcomes. Motivational Interviewing (MI) can engage people in self-care and modifying it by integrating imagery may further improve its outcomes. No previous studies have trained podiatrists in using MI to address DFD self-care. This was the first study on training podiatrists to conduct imagery-based motivational interviewing (MI) when treating people with DFD, and to examine impacts on MI related skills, job satisfaction and subjective experiences in a mixed-methods pilot study. METHODS: Eleven recruited podiatrists (median age: 35 years, 9 female and 2 male) received two 4-h training sessions, and three received subsequent mentoring. MI and imagery skills were rated using validated tools during two clinical sessions per participant at baseline, and 2- and 12-weeks post-training. Job satisfaction was assessed at baseline and 12 weeks. Semi-structured interviews at 12 weeks were analysed using the framework approach. RESULTS: Significant improvements over time (p = .006-.044) with substantial effect sizes (η2 = .50-.67) were found in three of four global MI related communication skills and two of four MI behaviours. However, effects on these indices were not sustained to 12 weeks, and imagery was rarely used. Job satisfaction was high at baseline and unchanged at follow-up (p = 0.34, η2 = .100). In qualitative interviews, MI training and skills were valued, but significant challenges in using MI when treating people with DFD were reported. CONCLUSION: Training podiatrists in MI may have potential but more training, observation and mentoring appear needed to obtain sustained communication changes in practice.

Manejo del paciente hemipléjico mediante la utilización de AFOs: puntos clave para la prescripción podológica de Afos / Managemente of the hemiplegic patient by applying AFO. Key points when prescribing AFO

El propósito de este trabajo es revisar los últimos estudios realizados sobre el uso de ayudas ortésicas en el tratamiento de pacientes hemipléjicos, y establecer unos criterios para determinar los usos de los diferentes modelos de ortesis. Las opciones disponibles son muchas y carecemos de datos a este respecto en la bibliografía, son pocas las publicaciones con evidencia científica que han medido la efectividad de dichas ortesis. Por los antecedentes, en el año 2003 se organiza la Conferencia de Consenso Internacional sobre el tratamiento ortésico de los pacientes con Ictus y se intenta unificar criterios. De manera general, el objetivo perseguido con el uso de las ortesis en pacientes hemipléjicos es el mantenimiento de la posición adecuada de los pies para obtener una marcha más funcional. Según los últimos estudios realizados al respecto en niños hemipléjicos, los AFOs articulados parecen ser más efectivos que los AFOs rígidos, por la aproximación biomecánica que pretenden ofrecer con respecto al movimiento normal del tobillo (AU)

The purpose of this work is to revise the latest studies on the use of orthotic devices when treating hemiplegic patients, and to establish criteria to determine the use of different models. There are many existing alternatives however there is a lack of bibliography. There are fexw publications with scientific evidence that have measured the effectiveness of those orthoses. In 2003, the International Consensus Conference on orthotic treatments on patients with ictus tried to unify criteria. In general, the main purpose of the orthoses applied to hemiplegic people is to maintain the adequate position of their feet in order to have a more functional gait. According to the most recent studies on hemiplegic children, the articulated AFO seems to be more effective than the rigid AFO, due to its biomechanical effect (AU)

Admission characteristics and academic performance of podiatric and osteopathic medical students at Des Moines University.

BACKGROUND: Podiatric and osteopathic medical students at Des Moines University take the same basic science medical curriculum. The first course students complete is medical biochemistry. The final common course is the second-year medical pharmacology course. Attrition typically occurs between these academic offerings. We sought to compare admissions data, retention rates, and academic performance between these two groups of medical students for the classes of 2008 to 2011. METHODS: Average admission scores, performance scores for the biochemistry and medical pharmacology courses, and retention rates for the 2008 to 2011 classes were obtained from the registrar and enrollment offices. One-way analysis of variance was used to compare the scores of the two cohorts. Linear regression was used to identify changes across time. RESULTS: The DO students showed significantly better performance than the DPM students in matriculating overall and science grade point averages, total Medical College Admissions Test scores, retention rates, and the medical biochemistry course (P < .01). There was no difference in the performance of the student groups in the medical pharmacology course. The DPM student scores across the four classes increased for both academic courses, whereas the DO student scores remained at the same level for medical biochemistry, at a rate of 0.74% per year (R(2) = 0.50), and pharmacology, at a rate of 0.90% per year (R(2) = 0.49). CONCLUSIONS: Admissions data and initial academic performance of osteopathic medical students were higher than those of podiatric medical students. Once attrition occurred in year 1, the difference in academic performance between these groups of students was no longer statistically significant, and students in both medical programs at that time in the curriculum are equally academically qualified.

Admission characteristics and academic performance of podiatric and osteopathic medical students at Des Moines University.

In this study, the admissions data and initial academic performance of osteopathic medical students were significantly statistically higher than that of podiatric medical students at Des Moines University. Once attrition occurred in year one, the academic performance between these groups of medical students was no longer statistically significant and can be considered comparable. The challenge for podiatric medicine is to increase the applicant-to-seat ratio and admit classes with admissions qualifications similar to other health professions. Until this goal is achieved, the academic aptitude or comparability of two groups of medical students representing different medical professions can be achieved through collaborative curriculum strategies and student outcomes assessment processes.

Podiatric medicine: a current assessment.

Podiatric medicine had its own evolution in the medical field apart from allopathic and osteopathic medicine. Podiatrists are well-respected members of the health-care team and have earned recognition as physicians within their education, training, and credentialing processes. Unlike allopathic medical doctors and doctors of osteopathic medicine, whose scope of practice is based upon their education, training, and credentialing processes, podiatrists' scopes of practice are determined by state laws (and are often influenced by politics) with variances across the United States. In contrast to a lack of uniformity in the training and credentialing processes of an allopathic medical doctor, podiatrists complete a streamlined educational process that is competency-based and well-aligned from the undergraduate phase (podiatric medical school) to the postgraduate phase (residency) through the credentialing processes (licensure and certification). Podiatric medical students begin to directly engage in the specialty related to the diagnosis and treatment of the lower extremity much earlier in the educational process than an orthopedist, whose foot and ankle exposure is less extensive by comparison.

Comparison of entrance requirements for health care professions.

OBJECTIVE: To compare U.S. chiropractic college admissions requirements with those of allopathy, osteopathy, optometry, podiatry and dentistry. DESIGN: Survey. PARTICIPANTS: The schools that participated in the comparison were selected based on their geographic location within the United States. The number of schools selected were 16 chiropractic college, 17 allopathic colleges, 16 osteopathic colleges, 16 optometric colleges, 7 podiatric colleges and 15 dental colleges. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Information collected from the individual schools included: (a) minimum number of undergraduate semester hours (toward a bachelor's degree) that are required on entrance; (b) actual percentage of applicants with a 4-yr bachelor's degree on entrance; (c) minimum GPA required on entrance and (d) actual average GPA of applicants on entrance. RESULTS: Averages were computed for each outcome. Overall, allopathic averages were highest and chiropractic averages were lowest for each of the four outcome measures, with the other programs scoring at varying points in between. CONCLUSION: Successful completion of preprofessional requirements may be an indicator for success within a rigorous professional curriculum. These data reflect overall differences between health-care professions on a very few entrance criteria. Further investigation is needed to understand the long-term impact of these differences as well as the possible economic or political factors that may be influencing these results.

College of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery in Des Moines.

The College of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery was established in 1981 as a fully integrated college of the University of Osteopathic Medicine and Health Sciences, Des Moines, Iowa, becoming the only school in the profession to be part of an academic health science center. Thus, this college provides a unique opportunity for the students and the podiatric medical profession to receive a multidisciplinary education, preparing them for podiatric medical practice as an integral part of total health care.