36-2: Pediatrics

EDITORIAL

Health has been rather unkind to me over the last six months. In November, I fractured my right femur and required open reduction/internal fixation. I was out of practice for about six weeks. I returned to practice and then out of the blue went into septic shock and was out another six weeks. I am not looking for any sympathy or pity (but if you have some you don’t need, I will be happy to accept).

These time-outs gave me an opportunity both to reflect and complete projects. For instance, while recovering from the fracture, I finished the feature article for this issue while also Zoom lecturing for the remainder of Scholl’s Pediatric Orthopedics course for the second-year class. While in ICU with sepsis, I did my commentary for this issue. I was reminded by the nursing staff that I had one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel, but it beat binge watching old TV programs. I also had time to reflect on my 55 years of practicing podiatry and, specifically, of 45 years of focusing my practice on pediatric podiatry.

You must remember that when I graduated in 1970, an adequate number of fellowships didn’t exist. In fact, there were none. You had to improvise. I inherited the pediatric piece at what is now the Scholl College. We didn’t have much in terms of patient variety until we became known for accepting publicly funded children. It’s important to understand that at that time, podiatry was not reimbursed. We saw these patients for educational purposes in addition to providing care for children who had no other place to go. I did the same in my private practice.

Now, I am not a name dropper, but at the same time I was introduced to several of the truly “big-hitter” pediatric orthopedists in the Chicago area, and found them to be totally receptive to sharing their knowledge with anyone who was interested in learning, regardless of their degree. At the same time, I was invited to join the Pediatric Orthopedics section of a University Hospital. Somehow, I managed to worm my way into a group of pediatric orthopedists who met monthly, a muscular dystrophy clinic, and (along with three of my pediatric orthopedist colleagues) the regional clinic that cared for children funded by the State of Illinois. I did that for three years before the administrators kicked me out. I was a little annoyed about it until I realized that I walked away with tremendous knowledge about the entire spectrum of pediatric orthopedic pathology.

That brings us to my idea about where we are going. Podiatry is advancing rapidly, and I believe it should. I see a plenary license in our future as long as we can come to consensus. We must get rid of this attitude: “If I can’ do it, why should you be trained to do it?” We must pay attention to the relentless evolution of medicine as we know it. Think positively, my colleagues, and the future will be bright.

Edwin J. Harris, DPM, FACFAS