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  • Foot Surgery Overview
  • Foot Surgery Board Qualified
  • Foot Surgery Board Certified

Foot Surgery

The American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery (ABFAS) certification process consists of Part I and Part II examinations.

Part I of the Certification in Foot Surgery Examination process leads to Board Qualified in Foot Surgery. The Part I examination involves diagnostic and perioperative care of the podiatric surgical patient encompassing the foot and ankle. Intraoperative areas include surgical procedures of the entire foot with the exception of Reconstructive Rearfoot/Ankle Surgery procedures.

Board Qualified in Foot Surgery is a prerequisite to Board Qualified in Reconstructive Rearfoot/Ankle Surgery.

Part II of the Certification in Foot Surgery Examination process leads to Board Certified in Foot Surgery.

The Part II examinations serve to evaluate the candidate’s knowledge and skills in obtaining and interpreting clinical information as well as the ability to reason logically and to arrive at a diagnosis or treatment plan for a specific patient presentation.

Board Certified in Foot Surgery is a prerequisite for Board Certified in Reconstructive Rearfoot/Ankle Surgery.

The current qualifications include:

  • Completion of a four-year doctoral training at a Council on Podiatric Medical Education (CPME) accredited podiatric medical school.
  • Completion of residency training program approved by the CPME: 12 months of the training must be in a CPME-approved podiatric surgical residency.
  • Submission of verified residency clinical logs through Podiatry Logging Service for Surgery (PLS) documenting the minimum activity volumes and surgical diversity for foot surgery specified by CPME Document 320.
  • Approval by the ABFAS Credentials Committee of complete foot surgery case documentation of procedures selected by ABFAS from the list of procedures.
  • Passing Part I and Part II of the Certification in Foot Surgery Examination.
  • Certificates for Foot Surgery are valid for 10 years. Diplomates who have this certification must pass a recertification examination by the end of the 10th year to maintain their certification.

Board Qualified in Foot Surgery

Board Qualified in Foot Surgery indicates a podiatrist has passed the ABFAS Part I Certification Examination in Foot Surgery, and has demonstrated capability in the diagnosis of general medical problems, including the diagnosis and surgical management of foot diseases, deformities, and/or trauma, and those structures that affect the foot and ankle.

Board Qualified in Foot Surgery status is limited to seven years.

Additional Requirements

  • Completion of a four-year doctoral training program at a CPME-accredited podiatric medical school.
  • Completion of two years’ residency training at a program approved by the CPME; 12 months of the training must be in a CPME-approved podiatric surgical residency.
  • Submission of verified residency clinical logs through Podiatry Residency Resource documenting the minimum activity volume and surgical diversity for foot surgery specified by CPME Document 320.

Part I Certification Examinations

Attaining ABFAS Board Qualified Status

Notes

All candidates applying for Board Qualified must submit residency logs through Podiatry Residency Resource (PRR).

Candidates completing other residency types prior to June 30, 2014: PM&S-36: If currently Board Qualified, may requalify for additional seven years (but no more than total of 14 years).

PM&S-24: If currently Board Qualified, may requalify, but requalification shall not extend beyond 2018.

PSR-12 plus any other residency: If currently Board Qualified, may requalify, but requalification shall not extend beyond 2018.

PM&S-36: If not Board Qualified, may qualify for seven years (but no more than total of 14 years).

PM&S-24: If not Board Qualified, may qualify, but qualification shall not extend beyond 2018.

PSR-12 plus any other residency: If not Board Qualified, may qualify, but qualification shall not extend beyond 2018.

Residents receiving training certificates in 2014 and beyond have seven years to achieve Board Certified status.

Didactic = Multiple-choice Questions

CBPS = Computer-based Patient Simulation

Certification in Foot Surgery

Certification in Foot Surgery indicates a podiatrist has demonstrated cognitive knowledge of podiatric surgery, including the diagnosis of general medical problems and surgical management of foot diseases, deformities, and/or trauma, and those structures that affect the foot and ankle.

Diplomates certified in Foot Surgery must recertify every 10 years.

Additional Requirements

  • Completion of a four-year doctoral training program at a CPME-accredited podiatric medical school.
  • Completion of a residency training program approved by the CPME-approved podiatric surgical residency..
  • Submission of a list of procedures through Podiatry Logging Service for Surgery (PLS) demonstrating a diversity of surgical experience in foot surgery.
  • Approval by the ABFAS Credentials Committee of complete foot surgery case documentation of procedures selected by ABFAS from the list of procedures.
  • Passing Part I and Part II of the Certification in Foot Surgery Examination.

Part II Certification Examinations

Attaining ABFAS Board Certified Status

Notes

All candidates with ABFAS Board Qualified status must log all procedures in Podiatry Logging Service for Surgery (PLS) from January 1, 2009 or, if after 2009, from July 1 of the year Board Qualified status is attained. The ABFAS will randomly select 10 Foot Surgery cases and/or 10 Reconstructive Rearfoot/Ankle Surgery Cases from the PLS log.

Candidates participating in the Case Evaluation process must request a list of cases for aspecific date range performed at a facility where the candidate has surgical privileges. The ABFAS will compare the facility list to the candidate’s PLS case list for audit purposes.

The ABFAS 220 document, available on the ABFAS website, provides details for preparing and electronically uploading materials for Case Evaluation.

In 2015, ABFAS discontinued oral examinations as part of its certification process. Instead, the ABFAS will conduct a rigorous Case Evaluation process combined with the CBPS examination.

Board Qualified candidates have seven years from the date of board qualification to achieve board certification.

Certification in Foot and Ankle Surgery

Since 2004, diplomates certified in Foot and Ankle Surgery can voluntarily convert to certifications in both Foot Surgery and Reconstructive Rearfoot/Ankle Surgery by participating in a process developed by the Board of Directors detailed in ABFAS Document 112.

Reminder

Certificates for Foot Surgery are valid for 10 years. Diplomates who have this certification must pass a recertification examination by the end of the 10th year to maintain their certification.