Specialist Registration of Podiatric Surgeons

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Hello,

I am a U.S. trained podiatrist in need of some assistance. I'd like to attain registration as a podiatric surgeon in Australia. (I've already been accredited by the Australian and New Zealand Podiatry Accreditation Council (ANZPAC) for general podiatry.

Unfortunately I've had no luck obtaining an application for the ACPS Fellowship program. Here's what their website says:

I e-mailed ACPS at podiatric.surgeons@rsmi.com.au
The last response I received from them was sent about 2 months ago. It was sent from the Assistant Secretary who basically informed me that I need to meet the following criteria:

To be honest, I don't think that she understood that I am an International applicant.

I read the FAQ on ACPS' website. I even found a document called ACPS Training 2010. It says the following (on page 14):

.

I believe that this pertains to me, because:
I received my DPM from Rosalind Franklin University (in Chicago) in 2006.
I completed a 2-year CPME Approved Surgical Residency (PM&S-24) in New York in 2008.
I became Board Qualified in Foot Surgery by the American Board of Podiatric Surgery (ABPS) in 2009. My Board Qualification is still valid.

I've contacted them several times, trying to resolve any confusion and obtain an application. But I've had no luck...

Their "International Committee" consists of 3 doctors:

Mark Gilheany, BAppSc (Pod), PGradDipPod, FACPS
Mario Horta, BSc PGradDipPod MSc FACPS
Craig Camasta, DPM, FACFAS, FACPS - I got in contact with this doctor. He was very friendly. He quickly got back to me, telling me that he will forward my e-mail to the other 2 doctors - Mark Gilheany and Mario Horta. (According to him, they are the past and current presidents of ACPS.)

It's been almost 4 weeks and I haven't heard from anyone.

I would greatly appreciate it if someone can give me an idea how I can obtain an application or at least get in touch with the right person.

Thank you all in advance!

 

Podiatric surgery is very small in Australia with only 26 registered in the country, so very small staffing in the ACPS office.
So you will need to be a bit more "pushy", so ask the office what is happening, and recontact Craig, (and Mario, as the current President)

 

Thank you for your reply.

I received an answer from Pat Trubiano today. She is the Assistant Secretary of the ACPS office. According to her, the Council is going to consider me during the next meeting in the end of October.

I wasn't aware that there are so few podiatric surgeons in Australia. Would you happen to have a link to a webpage where they are listed?

 

Unfortunately not. The number is from the Podiatry Board of Australia's practitioner statistics. You can search the register, but not by specialist registration, though it is listed

 

You could also contact
Prof. Alan Bryant
Podiatric Medicine
The University of Western Australia (M422)
35 Stirling Highway
CRAWLEY WA 6009
Australia

Phone6488 4523
Fax6488 4525
EmailAlan.Bryant@uwa.edu.au


Good Luck

 

I am the president of the New Zealand College of Podiatric Surgery. You maybe best to contact the Australian Podiatrists Board who may be able to direct the ACPS or as colleague previously suggested, Prof. Alan Bryant. If you continue to have problems please let me know. Kind regards Stefan

Mr S R Edwards
Podiatric Surgeon FNZCPS

 

Just a quick question Stefan

Is there any training posts for podiatrists at the New Zealand College of Podiatric Surgery?

 

Hello, Yes there is, the NZCPS will provide practical assistance, pupillage to those NZ based students who undertake the Masters programme in Podiatric Surgery at the University of Western Australia. Kind regards Stefan

 

At the end of the pupillage in NZ what qualification does one gain? Also, will an individual be able to work in Australia afterwards.

Regards

 

Vegetarm - I think you are misreading - by pupillage I assume Stefan means if you are already enrolled at the UWA program, you can rotate through NZ with Podiatric Surgeons as part of that degree.

Formal qualifications in Australia are bestowed by the ACPS and recognized by AHPRA. Unless it has changed recently I do not believe the ACPS or AHPRA has any reciprocal arrangements with any other country in the world regarding Podatric Surgeons and their registration in Australia. This includes the U.S. where even if you had a DPM it would not be automatically recognized in Australia to allow you to practice.

Have you done any rotations with Podiatric Surgeons in Australia? Its a very long and difficult road and it may not be all you think it is cracked up to be at the end of the day! Maybe spend some time with a few of them around Australia to get a better feel for it.

 

Stefan - Yes that is correct.There are aspects of the course that NZ based students will need to complete in Australia and parts that include pupillage that can completed while in NZ with the assistance of the NZCPS. Successful candidates will be able to practice in New Zealand and in Australia. I hope this helps.

 

Thank you for the clarification

 

I'd like to thank everyone for the replies once again.

I'm going to patiently await their Council's meeting in 3 weeks. I'm hoping that their decision would be a positive one. I'll post the outcome here.

 

Sorry to bring a UK perspective in here but this is really a general point.

Unlike medicine, there is no automatic reciprocation for pod surgery qualifications anywhere in the world. This is certainly true for the USA where only USA trained practitioners are accepted. In the UK a practitioner can only become a Consultant via working within the National Health system and those jobs are few and far between and highly contested.

It may be that as the international surgical qualifications begin to align, as is happening now, the 'politicians' will get their heads together and work something out.

All the best

Bill Liggins