Celebrating Current Opportunities and the Future of the Profession

In March of this year, I celebrated a 30-year tenure with the Indiana Pacers as the team podiatrist. It was an honor to work with a first-class organization, treat professional athletes, and be part of an outstanding medical team staff. I was honored on-court before tip-off with a framed Pacers' jersey with “Dr. DeHeer” and the number "30" on the back. Finally, making the evening more special, numerous family members joined me for the celebration.
 
My role with the Pacers is one of many opportunities the podiatric profession has provided me during my career. So no, I am not retiring any time soon. I love what I do. I wake up every morning excited to go to work—to heal patients, teach residents and students, educate colleagues worldwide through lecturing and publication, and actively participate in the profession's future. I love the profession. But, unfortunately, every specialty in medicine also has its drawbacks—no perfect scenario exists.
 
Last summer, at the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) Board of Trustees Meeting during the Annual Scientific Seminar, I was appointed chair of a student recruitment task force. The task force's goal was to bring together key stakeholders to objectively examine the status of student recruitment and look for ways to improve the current situation.
 
I researched the topic extensively to analyze the data, including APMA's research and research projects from the New York and Midwestern podiatric medical schools. In addition, I interviewed several vital players directly involved with or affected by recruitment. Finally, the task force met virtually to discuss the findings.
 
It became clear the profession has a marketing problem, but more importantly, to optimize any professional, unified branding and marketing campaign, we needed to know about our target audience. So, I met with executives from Google who explained it this way to me.
 
Let's say you want to catch a particular type of fish. First, you need to know the best season to catch that fish. Which lakes that fish inhabits? What depth does the fish swim? What type of fishing pole works best for this type of fish? What kind of fishing line to use? What bait is ideal for catching the fish?
 
Marketing and branding are the bait. All the rest—data! It became evident that it was time to modernize the approach by collecting data from all involved parties, aggregating it, then using machine learning and artificial intelligence to create predictive analytics and prescriptive optimization. Then employ targeted, professional branding and marketing.
 
The plan further materialized during the 2023 APMA House of Delegates with the approval of Budgetary Action Item 2-23: Podiatric Medical School Student Recruitment. This budgetary action item will create a nonprofit foundation to help fund our student recruitment goals. The Board will consist of the following:

• One Member of the Board of the American Podiatric Medical Association to serve as Chair of the Board
• One Member of the House of Delegates of the American Podiatric Medical Association chosen at the applicable annual House of Delegates
• One Member selected by the Board of the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery
• One Member selected by the Board of the American Board of Podiatric Medicine
• One Member selected by the American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine
• One Member selected by the Board of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons
• One Member selected by the Board of the American College of Podiatric Medicine
• One Member selected by the Board of National Board of Podiatric Medical Education
• Two members selected by the collective corporate donors
• One Member selected by the American Society of Podiatric Executives
• One Member annually selected by the Board of APMA who is in their residency
• One Member annually selected by the Board of the American Podiatric Medical Students Association

Many thanks are due for the progress made on this vital issue.

• APMA—specifically Peggy Tresky, Senior Director, Communications, Marketing, and Membership; James Christina, DPM, Executive Director, and Chief Executive Officer; Sylvia Virbulis, DPM, APMA President; Laura Pickard, DPM APMA Immediate Past President
• American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine (AACPM)—specifically Mori North, Executive Director
• Pennsylvania Podiatric Medical Association—specifically Mike Davis, Executive Director
• New York State Podiatric Medical Association—specifically Dan Kline, Executive Director

The profession's commitment to the future is evident in the steps taken to reach this point. However, success depends on a unified, data-driven methodology supported by the entire profession and industry dependent upon the profession.

Dr. DeHeer is the Residency Director of the St. Vincent Hospital Podiatry Program in Indianapolis. He is a Fellow of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, a Fellow of the American Society of Podiatric Surgeons, a Fellow of the American College of Foot and Ankle Pediatrics, a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, and a Diplomate of the American Board of Podiatric Surgery. Dr. DeHeer is a Partner with Upperline Health and the Medical Director of Upperline Health Indiana. Dr. DeHeer discloses that he is a speaker for Paragon 28, and that he owns stock in and is employed by Upperline Health.

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