Curriculum

Journal club

A monthly journal club is mandatory to stay current with the podiatric and orthopedic literature as it pertains to the foot and leg. The resident chooses a topic of interest and presents it with a critical evaluation of the literature.

The program supplements didactic information on a dedicated time with academics covering board review, ethical coding, complications, radiology review, trauma cases, and morbidity and mortality cases.

Anatomy dissection lab - simulation/skills lab

Regularly scheduled dissection labs are held with a Corewell Health, Farmington Hills staff anatomist reviewing lower extremity anatomy via lecture and Cadaver Dissection Laboratory. Surgical anatomy, incision planning and three-dimensional relations are discussed early in the year. As the program progresses, attention is directed to all areas of the forefoot, rearfoot and ankle. Osteotomy training is also performed on saw bones. A-O fixation techniques are explained and performed to the resident.

Lecturing/clinical pathology

Corewell Health Farmington Hills PMSR participates with the Michigan Podiatric Residency Consortium, which provides educational lectures, medical records workshops, and other educational resources from participating programs.

Medical records

The resident receives instruction in proper protocols and format for maintaining medical records both for the ambulatory and in-house patient. Included in the instruction is how to use pertinent information when performing histories and physicals, progress notes, operative reports, discharge summaries and consultations.
Risk management conferences

The resident attends several lectures on podiatric risk management including the law of medical malpractice and informed consent. Issues such as asset projection, incorporation, wills and trusts are discussed. The residents may be given an opportunity to observe worker's compensation and medical malpractice depositions.

Podiatry resident clinic

Podiatric residents participate in a resident-driven, attending-supervised office-based clinic. Pathology seen at this full working clinic includes diabetic wond care, palliative care, biomechanics and pediatrics. Significant surgical cases are generated from clinic patients

Board review

A regularly scheduled weekly lecture is mandatory for preparation for the ABFAS and ABPM boards. The resident will be given comprehensive didactic instruction.

The podiatric resident is assigned to an anesthesiologist and exposed to the indications, pharmacology, anatomy, physiological effects and techniques involved in the administration of general, regional and local anesthesia.

Daily tasks include

• Intubation
• Resuscitation
• Administering local and general anesthesia
• Establish IV routes
• Preoperative
• Perioperative and postoperative assessment of patient's health status

The rotation provides the resident with an appreciation of the emergency room procedures. The resident becomes competent with regards to

• Acute injury
• Acute illness
• Drug overdose
• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
• Airway management
• Insertion of IV's catheters
• Nasogastric tube insertion
• Gastric lavage and podiatric lower extremity trauma

The resident becomes competent in podiatric radiographic techniques including

• Stress radiographs
• Arthrography
• Ultrasound
• MRI and CT Scan

The resident reviews non-podiatric studies encompassing

• Chest films
• Arteriograms arthrograms
• Venograms and nuclear scan

A special two-week rotation provides magnetic resonance imaging experience. An advanced radiographic imaging (MRI, CT, Nuclear Scan) teaching file was created and is available as an ongoing educational benefit to residents.

These rotations permit the resident to be familiar with diagnosing and treating patients with rheumatologic diseases as well as general medical conditions. Participation in EKG reading and performance is included. The resident accompanies rheumatologists, endocrinologists and internists at Corewell Health Farmington Hills Hospital and office settings, examines patients, performs history and physical examinations, and contributes to diagnosis and treatment. These medicine rotations enhance the resident's medicine foundation.

The resident becomes competent to perform surgical procedures encompassing

• Soft tissue
• Digital surgery
• Lesser metatarsal surgery
• Surgery of the first ray
• Midfoot surgery
• Tendon transfers
• General/reconstructive rearfoot and ankle surgical procedures

The resident performs both medical and podiatric history and physical examinations on the patient. He or she reviews preoperative films and special studies such as CT and MRIs. The resident is trained in perioperative management of the podiatric surgical patient. The resident also experiences enhanced podiatric and orthopedic foot & ankle reconstruction/trauma rotations for advanced skills and judgment.

The resident is exposed to the clinical experience of podiatric patient care. The resident has the opportunity to work up patients

• Surgically
• Biomechanically
• Perform palliative care
• Diagnose and treat dermatologic conditions of the feet
• Work-up of podopediatric conditions
• Perform tapings
• Casting for orthotic devices
• Diagnose and treat various arthritic conditions
• Perform podiatric history and physical examination
• Write prescriptions for medications
• Orthotic devices
• Orthopedic shoes
• And work-up sports related conditions

This also includes the Corewell Health Farmington Hills Hospital Podiatry clinics and private practitioner office rotations. The resident is also involved in diabetic education and treatment of disenfranchised patients.

The objective of this rotation provides the resident with a thorough understanding of

• Antibiotics
• Their bacterial spectrums
• Dosages
• Toxicities and complications

• Performs and reads gram-stains
• Recognizes diagnoses
• Treats local skin infections and abscesses
• Recognizes and treats
  • Wet gangrene
  • Septicemia
  • Osteomyelitis
  • Diagnoses etiologies of fever
  • Treats foot infections
  • Recognizes and treats postoperative infections

A rotation in rehabilitative medicine exposes the resident to patients with musculoskeletal and neurological pain problems. It also offers exposure to neurological manifestations of disease processes. The podiatric resident attends muscular dystrophy clinics.

A rotation involves the podiatric resident with staff trainers participating in a variety of learning experiences with patients of all ages to recognize the implications of life changes on health and disease. Behavioral science lectures by staff psychiatrists and social workers support the resident's didactic education.