Re: Low Payment to DPMs

I wholeheartedly agree with my colleague Dr. Lombardi’s recent comments about the constant publication of unfavorable stories about our profession. This is particularly true about commenting on news stories, which may be incomplete.

Perhaps the recent posting for an academic chair is one of those. Academia has always paid less than private enterprise. The reason is that academia offers many other avenues of income other than salary.

An academic chair often has their own practice on the side, which may be fed by other school faculty. The mere addition of “chair” of a department also makes one a tempting audience for medical malpractice work, IME, peer review, opportunities from insurance companies, etc. All of these are tremendous sources of additional income. Is there also the possibility that the chair of a surgical department can bill separately for performing surgical procedures in the academic setting?

These and more are additions to the paid advertised salary. Plus, the academic centers may offer a package of benefits above the salary. That may be true for any job. Certainly the academic centers have a responsibility to pay a reasonable wage commensurate with others, no matter the degree of the individual performing the same service.

In some states equal work provisions apply in medicine no matter what your degree. It is true with Medicare. And for states with equal pay for equal work, those same payment provisions should apply. Hence, the DPM must be paid the same as any other physician performing the same services.

Perhaps now that this story is out, the academic centers owe the readers an explanation. Hiding and being non-responsive only fuels the “vicious podiatric rumors.”

Hopefully, one or all these academic centers will find a way to end this story on a positive note!

—Paul Kesselman, DPM