Your publication should be ASHAMED of itself by promoting such vile nonsense in the letter from Gary Smith, DPM. (Scroll down.) It states, "50 percent of all state college students are foreigners." This is completely false and inherently promoting xenophobic beliefs spewed by MAGA trolls. In fact, only 5-6 percent of university students are from foreign countries. This FACT can be substantiated by multiple reliable sources.

In addition to the foreign student BS, there is this FACT:

Reality Check on Child SSI Statistics:

—Actual Recipients: Only about 1.2 million children (roughly 1.7 percent of all U.S. children) receive SSI benefits for a disability.

—Eligibility Limits: SSI is strictly means-tested, requiring both severe medical functional limitations and very low family income/resources.

—Source of Myth: The two-thirds figure appears to originate from unverified anecdotal commentary or internet misinformation rather than official Social Security Administration (SSA) data.

Shame on this publication for promoting such things that feed into hate of others. You should immediately retract the post from Gary Smith, DPM, and ban his posts from your articles. You should also do a better job of fact checking prior to publishing lies. STOP with your MAGA agenda. It's offensive to intelligent people.

—Paul Hilbert, DPM, FACFAS

To submit a question or response, email [email protected].

I very rarely comment on anything posted on a social media or professional community site. But after reading this post, I had to write.

The post by Dr. Smith about why college education is so expensive did not even remotely pass the sniff test. I cut and pasted the entire comment into ChatGPT. It was even more illuminating than I imagined. Dr. Smith relied on several proposed statistics about percentages of students receiving aid. These numbers were swiftly identified by ChatGPT, using several US government education sites as reference, as outright false or significantly inflated. One of the more striking stats in error is the number of children on SSI getting aid of any sort. It is 1.5 percent of US children, not 66 percent. The true numbers for foreign students receiving a full college education are even less credible.

I specifically asked ChatGPT to separate the claims based on truthfulness. Nothing in the post was considered patently true; in fact most of it is patently false. This should have been evident to the editorial board if any on the board had ever put a family member through higher education, had a family member with a disability, filled out forms for patients who are facing these hurdles or has developed any kind of sense of when something is a political rant vs. a reasoned argument. ChatGPT suggested the post expressed political views, that is not my own interpretation. But that tone IS why the post did not pass the sniff test.

Let’s not turn this site into another social media political war zone.

—Name Withheld

Just a quick note to refute the erroneous responses by two individuals who have never had full-time faculty appointments at podiatry colleges that are part of major universities. Not adjunct.

When a faculty member signs a university contract demanding 50 hours of your time per week of their time, there are usually stipulations attached. For example, monies generated outside the university belong to the university. Get a $1,000 honorarium, most, if not all of it goes to the university unless special arrangements are made, which cause problems amongst the other faculty. Invent some biomechanical device, the university gets up to 95 percent of the profit. It's called intellectual property and the work is done on university time, hence it belongs to the university.

—Rod Tomczak, DPM, MD, EdD

To view this entire response, click the button below. To submit a question or response, email [email protected].

You’re now receiving the podiatry sector’s newest source of timely and reliable information about everything from medical breakthroughs to practice management strategies. Share PM Pulse with your colleagues, and let us know how we can keep improving by emailing [email protected]

Do you have an employee who frequently has their feelings hurt, who seems to take everything personally, or who is prone to tears? Do you replay scenes from work in your head at night, beating yourself up for not handling or anticipating things better, or for making an honest mistake? Or do you or your employees find yourselves feeling hurt, embarrassed, or betrayed by a careless remark, a funny look, or the least bit of criticism? If so, you would all benefit greatly from having a thicker skin.

The due date for abstracts is October 13, 2026 (11:59 pm CST). The ACFAS 2027 conference runs from March 11-15 in Orlando, Florida.

As immediate past president of the American Podiatric Medical Association, I have specialized in foot and ankle health for more than 25 years. Doctors of podiatric medicine (DPMs) treat all foot conditions ranging from toenails, bunions, fractures, and plantar fasciitis to serious diabetic foot complications that can lead to limb amputation. Their expertise helps prevent costly complications and improves the efficiency of our health-care system.

—Brooke Bisbee, DPM

To read Dr. Bisbee’s entire letter, click the button below. To add your thoughts, email [email protected].

Source: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Dear Editor: The average person walks over 100,000 miles in their lifetime. Should you run into pain or problems with your body’s foundation, doctors of podiatric medicine (DPMs) like me are here to help. Podiatrists are the hidden gems of the healthcare system, and it is time to shine a light on their contributions in honor of International Podiatry Day (October 8).

More than 10 percent of Wisconsinites are diagnosed with diabetes, with many more undiagnosed and untreated. Podiatrists are essential to caring for complications arising from diabetes, including preventing foot issues that lead to amputations. Our state population is also getting older, with almost 50 percent more senior residents now than in 2010. These individuals are at higher risk for foot problems, and being unsteady on one’s feet is a leading cause of death in older populations.

—Robert Sage

To read this entire letter, click the button below. To add your thoughts, email [email protected].

Source: The Cap Times

A patient who isn’t ready on the morning of surgery becomes a cancellation, a no-show or a case that starts late. By then, there are no easy choices left. The cost shows up in places a cancellation report doesn’t track. Block time is already committed. Staff are already scheduled. The patient waits longer for a procedure. And the same pattern repeats after discharge, when questions that could have been answered in advance arrive as phone calls instead.

Quality care in an ASC starts long before the patient arrives. When patients are prepared, informed, engaged and pre-qualified, ASCs can reduce avoidable cancellations and no-shows, cut delays and field fewer discharge questions. Friday, 10.9.26, 1PM Eastern.

Source: Becker’s Hospital Review

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30-Year Podiatry Practice: Kansas City, Missouri 

Priced below appraisal. Established hospital-campus practice with strong referrals and 25,000 patient records. Fully equipped with digital X-ray and EMR. Staff staying on. Open four days, with demand for five. Retiring physician will assist with transition. A rare turnkey opportunity. Confidential inquiries: [email protected]

Full-Time Chair, Dept. of Podiatric Medicine & Surgery

The Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine is seeking a full-time chair for the Department of Podiatric Medicine & Surgery. The chair will lead faculty, drive academic excellence, and oversee clinical experiences in a collaborative environment. Generous benefits! ($120K–$140K). Contact: [email protected] or apply at https://www.rosalindfranklin.edu/employment/

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