The A.P.M.L.E. parts 1, 2 and 3

[DPMer]

The podiatry board exams for licensure had their name changed from NBPME Parts 1 thru 3 to APMLE Parts 1 thru 3. And that 3rd board test changed from PMLexis to NBPME Part 3 to finally A.P.M.L.E. Part 3.

The NBPME now has been debating whether to incorporate an oral clinical H&P or S.O.A.P. board exam similar to the USMLE Part 2 CS. Maybe it will be called the A.P.M.L.E. Part 2 CS if approved? And such an oral board, if approved, would be required for graduation from podiatry school AND getting OFFICIALLY matched for a residency program.

Hence, there would be a A.P.M.L.E. Part 2 CK (Clinical Knowledge) computer test, and an A.P.M.L.E. Part 2 CS (Clinical Skills) oral test. What a busy fourth year in podiatry school it would be IF these two boards become reality!

Any opinions about this next possible move in the future?

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[RATM2010]

I much needed step in the fight for parity. Great idea!

 

[347932]

I much needed step in the fight for parity. Great idea!

Please expand on why you think this is a great idea and how it can lead to parity.

 

[aPeainthePod]

The podiatry board exams for licensure had their name changed from NBPME Parts 1 thru 3 to APMLE Parts 1 thru 3. And that 3rd board test changed from PMLexis to NBPME Part 3 to finally A.P.M.L.E. Part 3.

The NBPME now has been debating whether to incorporate an oral clinical H&P or S.O.A.P. board exam similar to the USMLE Part 2 CS. Maybe it will be called the A.P.M.L.E. Part 2 CS if approved? And such an oral board, if approved, would be required for graduation from podiatry school AND getting OFFICIALLY matched for a residency program.

Hence, there would be a A.P.M.L.E. Part 2 CK (Clinical Knowledge) computer test, and an A.P.M.L.E. Part 2 CS (Clinical Skills) oral test. What a busy fourth year in podiatry school it would be IF these two boards become reality!

Any opinions about this next possible move in the future?

Podiatry is a specialty. Full patient history physical and medical differential diagnosis are outside of a podiatrist's scope of practice, then why waste my time effort and money on this cs exam. They would have to gear this within the current medical cs exam centers if they don't want to pump millions of dollars into creating podiatry specific test centers and standardized patients. These current testing centers are heavily and solely medical diagnosis focused. If I'm being tested for licensure to this extent then give me rights to treat general practice patients as I will be fully trained and tested to do so along with podiatry, or else stop fooling around with hard working students already facing challenging surgical and orthopedic curricula. Who ever came up with this idea did not think about everything fairly from a trainee's point of view. I say this is not a good idea. I would think it is a bad idea for the boards to approve of this exam. Our training and testing by our podiatry schools is well and sufficient enough. If and when in case this is approved' next move then would be the entire podiatry force pushing for recognition as MDs, full and equal in all aspects of scope of practice. They will be setting themselves up for even more of a case in podiatrist favor for a dual MD DPM degree and an option to apply and compete for medical residencies as well as podiatry residencies, as currently practiced by the osteopaths .

 

[dtrack22]

The whole CS thing is a waste of my time and money. If you can't work up a patient to admit or clear for surgery then you aren't going to pass your rotations and/or land a residency program.

If the CS exam is going to be an IM type diagnosis, then look at what aPeainthePod said regarding testing us on something outside of our scope.

Just like most organizations/forms of government, the people making the rules are way out of touch with the real world.

 

[DPMer]

Podiatry is a specialty. Full patient history physical and medical differential diagnosis are outside of a podiatrist's scope of practice, then why waste my time effort and money on this cs exam. They would have to gear this within the current medical cs exam centers if they don't want to pump millions of dollars into creating podiatry specific test centers and standardized patients. These current testing centers are heavily and solely medical diagnosis focused. If I'm being tested for licensure to this extent then give me rights to treat general practice patients as I will be fully trained and tested to do so along with podiatry, or else stop fooling around with hard working students already facing challenging surgical and orthopedic curricula. Who ever came up with this idea did not think about everything fairly from a trainee's point of view. I say this is not a good idea. I would think it is a bad idea for the boards to approve of this exam. Our training and testing by our podiatry schools is well and sufficient enough. If and when in case this is approved' next move then would be the entire podiatry force pushing for recognition as MDs, full and equal in all aspects of scope of practice. They will be setting themselves up for even more of a case in podiatrist favor for a dual MD DPM degree and an option to apply and compete for medical residencies as well as podiatry residencies, as currently practiced by the osteopaths .

The proposed oral board exam for Part 2 APMLE would be podiatry specific, not general internal medicine specific. Hence, COMMON diseases and injuries of the foot and ankle only. So, such a oral test would examine a student doctor's ability to obtain a history and physical for foot and ankle complaints only. It is a scope specific oral exam just like what the dentists have already.

NBPME is trying to do what allopath MDs, osteopath DOs, and dentists (DMD and DDS) have been doing for many years: incorporating an oral test as part of the process to get licensed to practice. Must be for parity reasons.

On this note, what do you think?

 

[oldpod]

The proposed oral board exam for Part 2 APMLE would be podiatry specific, not general internal medicine specific. Hence, COMMON diseases and injuries of the foot and ankle only. So, such a oral test would examine a student doctor's ability to obtain a history and physical for foot and ankle complaints only. It is a scope specific oral exam just like what the dentists have already.

NBPME is trying to do what allopath MDs, osteopath DOs, and dentists (DMD and DDS) have been doing for many years: incorporating an oral test as part of the process to get licensed to practice. Must be for parity reasons.

On this note, what do you think?

that would mean that the podiatry schools would have to prepare us for boards. my school did absolutely nothing. no preparation for interviews, no preparation for boards. there's no reason to think they would prepare students for oral boards. and with extremely limited review material for the written boards, what makes people think we would pass an exam that's more challenging? this is just another opportunity for the powers-that-be make up "criteria" as they see fit for their own personal purposes.

if we want to reach parity, we have to have accountability, adequate review materials, adequate preparation. we have neither

 

[PodTroll]

Ridiculous. If by parity, you mean money, then yes NBPME is trying to get parity. Ask any MD student about their clinical exam. They too agree its worthless and a waste of money.

As a student who is already paying $900 for boards II, travel to Texas for interviews, and countless money during away clerkships, I cannot see one valid point to having a clinical skills exam that we will all have to travel for. I agree with above posts on if you cannot do a history or physical then surely someone would have noticed by now during your rotations.

 

[GSRaw]

Just like most organizations/forms of government, the people making the rules are way out of touch with the real world.

Being held accountable for general medical knowledge, regardless of your level of study, is not outside our scope. As a matter of fact it's assumed if you wish to be respected by any medical physician. Before you scoff and say, I know what it's like in the real world, stop and think about where the majority of your referrals are coming from. It's not other podiatrists, it's the medical community.

You are too young in your education to be that cynical, less truly appreciate the value of knowledge beyond one's specialty. When you are a resident doing your medicine rotation, you will be treated as a medical resident and medical attendings will trust you. That trust is easily lost if you lack knowledge outside podiatry.

Trust the leaders in this profession on this one, some of them might be more in touch with the real world than you think.

Best,
GSR