Ep. 142 - Asim Raja, DPM, FACFAS - Leader/Fellowships/Military

Drs. Jensen and Richey welcome Dr. Mitzi Williams to Dean's Chat.  Dr. Williams is a pediatric foot and lower extremity surgeon who specializes in congenital deformities. Dr. Williams directs the Pediatric and Infant Foot Deformity Clinic at Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, California. She is an attending surgeon at the SF Bay Area Foot and Ankle Residency Program. She completed her undergraduate degree from the University of Arizona in veterinary science and chemistry. She went on to complete her podiatric medical degree at Rosalind Franklin University Schol College of Podiatric Medicine and then went on to complete her 3 yr surgical residency program with Scripps Mercy Podiatric Residency in San Diego.   Dr. Williams is greatly involved advancing treatment for children with Cerebral Palsy/ spasticity, Arthrogryposis, Spina Bifida and genetic conditions. Tune in as we discuss “all things podiatric medicine” including her creation of children's books to empower and educate children on musculoskeletal conditions. Dr. Williams is internationally recognized for her expertise in treating pediatric foot and lower extremity deformities. She takes pride in treating children, teaching surgeons worldwide and advancing the field of pediatric foot and ankle surgery. She has extensive experience in treating clubfoot, vertical talus, metatarsus adductus, tarsal coalitions, pediatric flatfoot, neuromuscular conditions, pediatric trauma, and numerous other congenital foot conditions. Join us, as we dive into her story and listen as she talks about how a chance meeting with Dr. Igancio Ponseti helped shape her career. Dr Williams serves as a board member for the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Her scholarly work also includes numerous textbook chapters on various pediatric conditions, research publications as well as section editor for pediatrics, in the Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery. We hope you enjoy this episode! https://www.drmitziwilliams.com/ https://www.instagram.com/paleyinstitute/p/C87fSPAuxXh/?img_index=1 https://www.instagram.com/paleyinstitute/p/C4Bca4iOPMk/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitzi-williams-961b4698/ https://residency-ncal.kaiserpermanente.org/residency/podiatry/bayarea/ https://www.acfas.org/membership  

Over the next few months, Dean’s Chat will be providing bonus episodes interviewing students from the Schools and Colleges of Podiatric Medicine. This week we are joined by three students from Des Moines University College of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery (CPMS), Haley Cornelison and Jaquine Egbon from the class of 2027, and Emily Maxwell from the class of 2026.  All three represent the American Podiatric Medical Students Association (APMSA) within CPMS. This episode is sponsored by Bako Diagnostics! Join our discussions each week on the podiatric journey our students are embarking on at the various schools. Students share their path to discovering podiatric medicine, to applying to what is now eleven schools and colleges of podiatric medicine, to the first and second year of didactics, Boards Part 1 and 2, and clinical experiences and opportunities. We do some professor shout-outs and discuss student services, extracurricular activities, and student life at each school. Enjoy! In this episode, Drs. Jensen and Richey and the students discuss the significance of shadowing various health professionals to determine career preferences and find satisfaction in their chosen field.  The hosts specifically mention that podiatrists tend to be very happy with their careers due to the wide range of specialization options available to them. They explain that podiatrists can focus on areas they truly enjoy, which contributes to their overall job satisfaction. The students mention their personal experiences with shadowing and how it influenced their career decisions.  The students emphasize the importance of shadowing multiple specialties to determine personal preferences. They emphasize that understanding other specialties is valuable even for those pursuing podiatry, as it helps in comprehending the body's other systems and treating patients holistically. The students note that many podiatrists they have worked with and shadowed are incredibly satisfied with their careers. While they acknowledge that satisfaction can be found in other specialties as well, they observe this as a common theme within the podiatry profession. They also mention that students from all schools of podiatric medicine are incredibly happy with their choice to pursue podiatry. In this episode, we discuss the importance of students taking advantage of opportunities for involvement and support from organizations like APMSA. They emphasize that being involved in organizations like APMSA allows students to have a voice and make a change at the national level. They mention that APMSA provides various opportunities for students, such as hosting webinars on different topics like mental health and clerkship advice.  Overall, the episode emphasizes the benefits of shadowing different health professionals to help students determine their career preferences and find satisfaction in their chosen field. It underscores the importance of exploring various specialties, including podiatry, and understanding different aspects of healthcare to make informed decisions. https://www.apmsa.org/ https://bakodx.com/ https://bmef.org/ www.explorepodmed.org https://podiatrist2be.com/ https://higherlearninghub.com/    

Dean’s Chat hosts Dr. Jeffrey Jensen and Dr. Johanna Richey are joined by Dr. Jason Hanft, the founder of Defender Operations. This Part 2 episode has Insightful discussions on physician entrepreneurship, product development, patents, intellectual property, exit strategies, risk, and reward. Dr. Hanft, from Miami, has long been a leader in podiatric medicine as an educator, researcher, residency director, and a clinical trial expert in the wound care space. He’s one of the best minds in the profession! Dr. Hanft as a leader, innovator, inventor, entrepreneur, researcher, and educator. Dr. Jensen and Dr. Hanft discuss Dr. Hanft's background, including his education at the Illinois College of Podiatric Medicine and his surgical residency training at Larkin General Hospital. Dr. Hanft shares his experiences in the podiatry field and the opportunities it has provided him. He also mentions that he is married to a podiatrist who runs a clinical research business. Tune in to learn more about Dr. Hanft's journey and his contributions to the podiatric medicine industry! Dr. Hanft delves into the topic of risk tolerance behavior in entrepreneurship. They both agree that while some individuals may naturally possess the ability to tolerate risk, a significant portion of risk tolerance behavior is acquired through training and experience. They emphasize that individuals who can effectively compartmentalize and tolerate risk are more likely to see their entrepreneurial endeavors through to success. They explain that although everyone experiences some level of risk, those who can effectively deal with it are the ones who are able to complete their projects. https://footdefender.com/ https://explorepodmed.org https://deanschat.com/  

Dean’s chat welcomes Dr. Michael Dujela! Dr. Dujela practices in Olympia Washington and is currently the fellowship Director for the Advanced Surgical Foot and Ankle Fellowship- Washington Orthopedic Center. Listen in, as we dive deep into what fellowship training can offer. We’ll hear the personal experiences of Dr. Dujela and how fellowship for him was an opportunity to finesse his skills and seek different opportunities.   He graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor’s in Science. He continued his Graduate education studying Genetics at Westchester University before going on to complete his Podiatric Medical Degree with the Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine. He completed his surgical residency training under Dr. Gerard Yu at the Foot and Ankle Surgical Residency Training Program, at University Hospitals Health System, in Southwest General Cleveland, Ohio. His journey continued into private practice and a desire to seek additional training experiences internationally. Tune in, as he describes this process and how he took his family with him on this journey through a Multi-Center, European AO Fellowship with multiple leaders in Foot and Ankle Surgery. Come along as he describes the opportunity he had to work in different hospitals in six different cities throughout Germany and Switzerland. He then went onto complete a US based Fellowship program under Dr. Thomas Lee, MD and Dr. Chris Hyer DPM at the Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Center in Columbus Ohio before returning to his practice in Washington.   We also discuss his experiences working in a multitude of leadership positioning throughout the profession including: current President-elect for the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgeons and the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons; Chairman for the Annual Scientific Conference for the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons this year. He is the Past Chairman and a 5-year committee member of the National Education and Scientific Affairs Committee with the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons and has been Instrumental faculty in the collaborative effort between the AO Foundation and the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons to bring back the basic surgical principal courses offered through the AONA. It is no surprise, with all these accomplishments that he has been inducted into the leadership Hall of Fame with the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons.    Join us, as we dive into all things, podiatric medicine and surgery! We examine the impact that mentors can have on our lives and listen as he shares his experiences working with so many remarkable surgeons in the profession, including his touching tribute to Dr. Gerard Yu.   https://www.aofoundation.org/aona/engage-with-us/Become-a-member https://www.acfas.org/membership/joinrenew To find upcoming AO-ACFAS courses:  https://www.aofoundation.org/aona/our-community/DPM/DPM-courses-and-events#sortCriteria=%40startdate%20ascending&f-speciality=DPM https://www.acfas.org/education-professional-development/educationcalendar ACFAS Fellowship website:  https://www.acfas.org/professional-resources/fellowship-resources/list-of-fellowships-with-acfas-status https://www.apmsa.org/ https://bakodx.com/ https://bmef.org/ www.explorepodmed.org https://podiatrist2be.com/ https://higherlearninghub.com/    

Dean's Chat hosts, Drs. Jensen and Richey, interview the hosts of "The Frank & Lizzie Show", Frank Aviles and Elizabeth Faust. "The Frank and Lizzie Show" is a dedicated YouTube channel focusing on wound and lymphedema care, providing valuable information and support to those in need. Frank Aviles and Elizabeth Faust leverage their expertise and personal experiences to educate viewers, share practical tips, and foster a community around these critical health issues. With their fun and relatable approach and commitment to advocacy, they aim to improve the lives of the wound and lymphedema care community one episode at a time.  https://www.youtube.com/c/thefranklizzieshow  https://bakodx.com/ https://bmef.org/ www.explorepodmed.org https://podiatrist2be.com/ https://higherlearninghub.com/  

Over the next few months, Dean’s Chat will be providing bonus episodes interviewing students from the Schools and Colleges of Podiatric Medicine. This week we are joined by three students from Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine (TUSPM), Mark Gabriel from the Class of 2025.  Nigora Jurabaeva and Tyler Daley are in the Class of 2027.  All three represent the American Podiatric Medical Students Association (APMSA) within TUSPM.  This episode is sponsored by Bako Diagnostics!  Join our discussions each week on the podiatric journey our students are embarking on at the various schools. Students share their path to discovering podiatric medicine, to applying to what is now eleven schools and colleges of podiatric medicine, to the first and second year of didactics, Boards Part 1 and 2, and clinical experiences and opportunities. We do some professor shout-outs and discuss student services, extracurricular activities, and student life at each school. Enjoy!  In this episode, Drs. Jensen and Richey and the students discuss the significance of shadowing various health professionals to determine career preferences and find satisfaction in their chosen field.  The hosts specifically mention that podiatrists tend to be very happy with their careers due to the wide range of specialization options available to them. They explain that podiatrists can focus on areas they truly enjoy, which contributes to their overall job satisfaction.  The students mention their personal experiences with shadowing and how it influenced their career decisions.  The students emphasize the importance of shadowing multiple specialties to determine personal preferences. They emphasize that understanding other specialties is valuable even for those pursuing podiatry, as it helps in comprehending the body's other systems and treating patients holistically.  The students note that many podiatrists they have worked with and shadowed are incredibly satisfied with their careers. While they acknowledge that satisfaction can be found in other specialties as well, they observe this as a common theme within the podiatry profession. They also mention that students from all schools of podiatric medicine are incredibly happy with their choice to pursue podiatry.  In this episode, we discuss the importance of students taking advantage of opportunities for involvement and support from organizations like APMSA. They emphasize that being involved in organizations like APMSA allows students to have a voice and make a change at the national level. They mention that APMSA provides various opportunities for students, such as hosting webinars on different topics like mental health and clerkship advice.   Overall, the episode emphasizes the benefits of shadowing different health professionals to help students determine their career preferences and find satisfaction in their chosen field. It underscores the importance of exploring various specialties, including podiatry, and understanding different aspects of healthcare to make informed decisions.  https://www.apmsa.org/ https://bakodx.com/ https://bmef.org/ www.explorepodmed.org https://podiatrist2be.com/ https://higherlearninghub.com/    

Dean’s Chat hosts Dr. Jeffrey Jensen and Dr. Johanna Richey are joined by Dr. Jason Hanft, the founder of Defender Operations. This Part 1 episode highlights the diabetic foot problem plaguing so many! Insightful discussions on physician entrepreneurship, product development, patents, intellectual property, exit strategies, risk, and reward. Dr. Hanft, from Miami, has long been a leader in podiatric medicine as an educator, researcher, residency director, and a clinical trial expert in the wound care space. He’s one of the best minds in the profession! Listen to the last few minutes to understand the potential perils of inventing products and partnering with companies having few scruples. Dr. Hanft as a leader, innovator, inventor, entrepreneur, researcher, and educator. Dr. Hanft discusses his background, including his education at the Illinois College of Podiatric Medicine and his surgical residency training at Larkin General Hospital. Dr. Hanft shares his experiences in the podiatry field and the opportunities it has provided him. He also mentions that he is married to a podiatrist who runs a clinical research business. Tune in to learn more about Dr. Hanft's journey and his contributions to the podiatric medicine industry! Dr. Hanft delves into the topic of risk tolerance behavior in entrepreneurship. They both agree that while some individuals may naturally possess the ability to tolerate risk, a significant portion of risk tolerance behavior is acquired through training and experience. They emphasize that individuals who can effectively compartmentalize and tolerate risk are more likely to see their entrepreneurial endeavors through to success. They explain that although everyone experiences some level of risk, those who can effectively deal with it are the ones who are able to complete their projects. https://footdefender.com/ https://explorepodmed.org https://deanschat.com/  

Drs. Richey and Jensen welcome Dr. Brian Loder to Dean’s Chat.  This episode is sponsored by Bako Diagnostics! Dr. Loder's career has been focused on student, resident, and fellowship training for the past 25 years!  He was the residency director at Henry Ford Macomb Hospital from 2005-2023, where he not only trained residents, but had a clerkship program accepting students from all colleges of podiatric medicine.   His work includes working with ACFAS on minimal incision training for their surgical curriculum and workshops. Most recently, Dr. Loder became the fellowship director for the Michigan Minimal Invasive Foot and Reconstructive Foot and Ankle Fellowship.  He is also an Assistant Professor at the Michigan State University - College of Osteopathic Medicine.  Dr. Loder can be reached at [email protected]  https://bakodx.com/ https://bmef.org/ www.explorepodmed.org https://podiatrist2be.com/ https://higherlearninghub.com/    

Dean's Chat hosts Drs. Jeffrey Jensen and Johanna Richey,  welcome Dr. Ronald Ray DPM, who currently practices in Great Falls Montana. Dr. Ray completed his undergraduate degree at California State University at Long Beach with a Bachelors of Science in Physical Therapy. He worked as a Physical Therapist for several years and ultimately became interested in podiatry from his interest in the mechanics of the lower extremity.   Through his work, he explored podiatric medicine and decided to return for his Doctor of Podiatric Medicine degree obtained from the California College of Podiatric Medicine.  He went on to complete his surgical residency training at one of the top programs in the country at Waldo Podiatric Surgical Residency Program in Seattle Washington (now known as the Swedish residency program). Here he was introduced to many of his mentors. It was through his training he met Dr. Sig Hansen MD with Harborview Medical Center and had the privilege of doing an AO Fellowship with him.   Listen, as we hear his experience of working with Dr. Hanson and the beautiful lessons that he learned watching a master of surgery. Join us as we discuss all things podiatric medicine and surgery as we discuss Dr. Ray's many service opportunities.   Dr. Ray discusses what it means to be involved with professional organizations. As a past president of the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery as well as leader in the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (serving on many different committee including: Annual Scientific meeting, Leadership Development Committee and Surgical Skills Committee).  Dr. Ray is no stranger to advancing our profession in the education world. His continued dedication and service are predicated on his passion, which is clear as you hear him speak.  Dr. Ray discusses tricks to elevate speaking in public which our students will surely benefit. Tune in, as he discusses his mentors, Dr. Jeffrey Christensen DPM and Richard Bouche DPM, who helped encourage him to take on lecture opportunities and get engaged in the profession. He provides great wisdom and tips into stretching your comfort zone and being willing to jump in and take the leap into the unknown. His physical therapist framework of learning and developing a skill set-verbalizing, and saying lectures out loud to develop proprioception and muscle memory to improve public speaking are fascinating!  Dr. Ray has been integral in the development of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons collaboration with the AO Foundation to build the curriculum for the Advanced Principles Course for Foot and Ankle Trauma and Surgery. He talks about how this collaborative effort has been a harmonious, but delicate balance of earning trust and maintaining the highest standards to propel our profession forward.   If you are interested in more information about how to join the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons or the AO North America https://www.aofoundation.org/aona/engage-with-us/Become-a-member https://www.acfas.org/membership/joinrenew  To find upcoming AO-ACFAS courses:  https://www.aofoundation.org/aona/our-community/DPM/DPM-courses-and-events#sortCriteria=%40startdate%20ascending&f-speciality=DPM https://www.acfas.org/education-professional-development/educationcalendar  

Dean's Chat host, Drs. Jeffrey Jensen and Johanna Richey, are joined by leadership of the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery, Ms. Kathy Kreiter, CEO, and President, Michelle Butterworth, DPM, FACFAS. Join us for a fun discussion highlighting Board Certification in foot and ankle surgery!   This Dean's Chat episode is sponsored by Bako Diagnostics!   An overview of the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery (ABFAS) from their website:  "ABFAS safeguards public health and well-being by certifying and continuously assessing the knowledge, skills, and abilities of podiatric surgeons to ensure excellence in surgical care.  Our Core Purpose is to promote the health and well-being of the public.  Our Values - Excellence: Embracing innovation, continuous improvement, and adaptability. Integrity: Upholding fairness and transparency in all our actions. Quality: Committing to high standards and trustworthiness. Service: Dedicated to serving the profession and the public.  Recognizing the need for a surgical specialty board within the field of podiatry, the Council on Podiatric Medical Education (CPME) approved the creation of the National Board of Podiatric Surgery. Today, that board is called the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery® (ABFAS).  The primary function of ABFAS is to certify qualified foot and ankle surgeons. Initially, we offered a single certification in foot and ankle surgery. Today, ABFAS offers board certification in foot surgery or foot and reconstructive rearfoot/ankle (RRA) surgery.  Prior to achieving ABFAS Board Certification, candidates must become ABFAS Board Qualified in Foot Surgery or ABFAS Board Qualified in Foot and RRA Surgery. To become ABFAS Board Qualified, DPMs must complete a three-year residency program and pass ABFAS Part I Board Qualification Exams (or the equivalent Final-year In-training Exams). Once board qualified (or "board eligible"), candidates must pass the rigorous Case Review process to achieve ABFAS Board Certification.  ABFAS board-certified surgeons, called ABFAS Diplomates, engage in a process of continuous learning to remain certified through the LEAD Continuous Certification Program."  https://www.abfas.org/about-us https://bakodx.com/ https://bmef.org/ www.explorepodmed.org https://podiatrist2be.com/ https://higherlearninghub.com/