When it comes to the future of podiatry, there’s a lot to unpack, and I recently had the pleasure of doing just that with three powerhouse guests from the United States: Dr Ben Pearl, Dr Patrick Deheer, and Dr Patrick Agnew. This conversation explores the profession’s past, its current state, and how we can ensure its continued success in the years ahead.
The discussion kicked off with a retrospective from Ben, who highlighted the evolution of podiatry from inpatient surgical care to a broader, multi-disciplinary landscape. We discussed the growing interest from other healthcare professionals, including nurses, physiotherapists, and orthopaedic fellows, and the need to market the exciting diversity of our field more effectively.
Patrick Deheer, who will be the 100th President of the APMA in 2026, shared some insightful perspectives on student recruitment. He’s spearheading a campaign called Podiatry Moves the World, backed by research and a $1.5 million budget to tackle what’s really a marketing issue: students simply don’t know what podiatrists do. When they do, they love it.
The profession has so much to offer, from surgical opportunities before 30 to a tight-knit community and lifestyle benefits that many other health careers can’t match.
Patrick Agnew brought a historical and clinical lens to the table, referencing pioneers like Dr Ganley and his own decades of paediatric experience. He reminded us that true growth in the profession often stems from creativity and sharing ideas, rather than just relying on clinical data. But as Deheer pointed out, innovation becomes stronger when backed by research, and he encouraged more practitioners to collaborate with teaching institutions and residency programs.
We also tackled an issue I see far too often: internal negativity. Whether it’s public criticism on social media or resistance to new ideas, that kind of behaviour hurts the profession. Instead, we should focus on being builders, not destroyers. When we work together and cheer each other on, it reflects in how the public views podiatry and encourages more students to join us.
One of my favourite lines from this episode came from Patrick Deheer: “Put patients first. Be a lifelong learner. Leave the profession better than you found it.” That’s the kind of attitude we need more of if we want podiatry to be seen as a modern, appealing career path.
This episode is a must-listen for any podiatrist who wants to be part of the solution. Whether you’re based in Australia, the UK, the US, or anywhere else in the world, many of the challenges and opportunities we face are the same.
If you have any questions about this podcast episode or are looking for a speaker for an upcoming event, please email me at tyson@podiatrylegends.com, and we can discuss the range of topics I cover.
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