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Home , Podiatry

Certification and Membership Organizations in

tudents, residents, young members, and others have tion or certification to be eligible to join and maintain mem- voiced confusion about the roles of the many organi- bership. Others may require board qualification or certifica- zations that exist in the podiatric medical profession. tion to be eligible for certain categories of membership. MostS often the concerns focus on certifying boards and their connection to other organizations. n Can I be certified by more than one certifying board? No podiatric medical certifying board requires member- Yes. No restrictions exist on sitting for certification by mul- ship in any organization to complete the certification process. tiple boards. Voluntarily electing to become a member of any podiatric organization provides no advantage to candidates seeking n What is a component organization? board certification, nor does it affect eligibility to serve in a A component organization is an association duly char- program: Applicants to CPME-approved residency tered and recognized by APMA. Component organizations programs are not required to be members of any specific orga- are available in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the District nization in order to be eligible for placement. Students who are of Columbia, and a separate federal services component is informed otherwise are encouraged to report these residency recognized for DPMs who are employed in the VA or oth- programs to CPME. er federal facility or serve in the uniformed services. APMA recognizes the difficulty in understanding the dif- ferences between various podiatric medical and surgical orga- n What are affiliated and related organizations? nizations. We have created this brief guide to assist students, APMA recognizes Clinical Education Affiliates and Related residents, young members, and others. An attempt has been Organizations that have complied with the requirements made to include all of the existing organizations, but some established in the APMA Bylaws and Administrative Proce- may have escaped our research. We apologize for any that dures. A Clinical Education Affiliate brings together podia- were missed and plan to update the guide when a new orga- trists and others who have a common interest in a unique nization surfaces or an old one discontinues its operations. area of podiatric medical practice. Members have a signifi- cant interest in the unique area of practice but may be seek- ing membership purely to develop or expand this interest by gaining increased knowledge and/or skill through edu- Frequently Asked Questions cational programs and/or materials offered or produced by the organization. A Related Organization brings together n What is the importance of JCRSB with regard to certifying and/or others who have a common interest in a boards? non-clinical aspect of podiatric and practice (e.g., The JCRSB (Joint Committee on the Recognition of Specialty administrative, educational, credentialing, fraternal, or cul- Boards) serves as an arm of the Council on Podiatric Medical tural). APMA-recognized affiliated and related organiza- Education (CPME) and American Podiatric Medical Associa- tions embrace the mission and values of APMA and require tion (APMA) to recognize certifying boards in podiatry as that all members of the organization who are eligible to be well as to establish national policy for certification. It func- members of APMA maintain membership in APMA. tions in a manner similar to the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), the coordinating body for allopathic n Do I need to be a member of a component organization certification. Recognition of a specialty board by the JCRSB in order to be a member of APMA? serves to provide important information to the profession, Yes. APMA’s components are separate organizations that health-care institutions, and the public about the sound op- provide unique services tailored to the needs of DPMs at erations and fair conduct of the board’s certification process. the local level. Your dues payments to both the national and your component organization allow for a strong part- n Do I need to be a member of any specific organization in nership and support of your work as a DPM at the nation- order to sit for my board qualification/certification exam- al and local levels. ination? No. In order to sit for board qualification/certification, you n APMA advocates for the entire profession. Won’t I bene- do not need to be a member of any other organization; how- fit from those efforts, even as a non-member DPM? ever, you must meet the training and experience require- No; APMA’s advocacy initiatives are a direct result of the ments established by the certifying board. input of its members. Non-members do not have the op- portunity to participate fully in important conversations on n But don’t I have to be board certified to join certain spe- critical issues facing DPMs, such as reimbursement, scope cialty organizations? of practice, and legislative challenges. No membership Yes. Some specialty organizations require board qualifica- means no voice in shaping practice and policy.

1 The APMA Family of Organizations

Organization Dual Membership Requirements Website

Dual membership required in component society American Podiatric and APMA. Canadian podiatrists must be www.apma.org Medical Association (APMA) members of the Canadian Podiatric Medical Association to be eligible to join APMA.

Dual membership required in a APMA Component Organizations www.apma.org/components component society and APMA.

JCRSB-Recognized Certifying Boards (Certifying Boards)

American Board of and None www.abfas.org Ankle (ABFAS) American Board of None http://abpmed.org Podiatric Medicine (ABPM)

Clinical Education Affiliates (Voluntary Membership Organizations)

American Academy of Must be a member of APMA www.aapsm.org Podiatric (AAPSM) to be a member of AAPSM.

Must be a member of APMA to be a member of ACFAOM. Some membership American College of Foot & Ankle categories are restricted to podiatrists who www.acfaom.org Orthopedics & Medicine (ACFAOM) are board qualified or board certified by the American Board of Podiatric Medicine.

American College of Must be a member of APMA http://acfap.org Foot & Ankle (ACFAP) to be a member of ACFAP.

Must be a member of APMA to be a American Society of member of ASPM. The fellow membership www.americansocietyof Podiatric Medicine (ASPM) category is restricted to podiatrists who podiatricmedicine.org have met specific educational criteria. Must be a member of APMA to be a member of ASPS. Some membership American Society of www.aspsmembers.org categories are restricted to podiatrists who Podiatric (ASPS) are board qualified or board certified by the American Board of .

Related Organizations (Voluntary Membership Organizations)

American Academy of Podiatric Must be a member of APMA http://aappm.org Practice Management (AAPPM) to be a member of AAPPM.

American Association for Must be a member of APMA www.americanwomen Women Podiatrists (AAWP) to be a member of AAWP. podiatrists.com

Institutional members must be American Association of accredited/approved by or have www.aacpm.org Colleges of Podiatric Medicine (AACPM) obtained candidate status from the Council on Podiatric .

Opt-in membership to APMA required to be American Podiatric Medical eligible for student scholarships available www.apmsa.org Students’ Association (APMSA) from the APMA Educational Foundation.

Podiatric medical assistants must be American Society of Podiatric employed by a DPM who is a member www.aspma.org Medical Assistants (ASPMA) of APMA. DPMs must be a member of APMA to be a member of ASPMA.

Other (Voluntary Membership Organizations)

American Association None www.apha.org (APHA) (Podiatric Section)

Society for (SVS) None www.vascular.org

See next page for other podiatric organizations

2 Other Podiatric Organizations Outside of the APMA Umbrella

Organization Dual Membership Requirements Website

Certifying Boards

American Board of None www.ables.org Lower Extremity Surgery (ABLES)

American Board of Multiple None www.abmsp.org Specialties in Podiatry (ABMSP)

American Board of None www.abwmcertified.org Wound Management (ABWM)

Voluntary Membership Organizations

Academy of Ambulatory None www.aafas.org Foot and Ankle Surgery (AAFAS)

Podiatrists (other than residents) must be American College of board qualified or board certified by the www.acfas.org Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS) American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery.

American Society of Foot and None www.dermfootsociety.org Ankle (ASFAD)

American Society of Representatives are required to be employed www.aspeonline.org Podiatric Executives (ASPE) by an organization recognized by APMA.

Association of Extremity None www.aens.us Nerve Surgeons (AENS)

Must be a member of the provincial Canadian Podiatric organization. If the province in which a www.podiatrycanada.org Medical Association (CPMA) practices does not have an association, that podiatrist can apply directly to the CPMA.

Federation of Podiatric None www.fpmb.org Medical Boards (FPMB)

National Podiatric None www.npmaonline.org Medical Association (NPMA)

Student National Podiatric None www.npmaonline.org/snpma-students Medical Association (SNPMA)

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