Footnotes - Spring 2023 - 29

how they have advanced in their careers and how they
are coming up with creative solutions to better serve
their patient populations, " she said. " Witnessing the
advancement of podiatry and the direction the profession
is heading was exciting. It further solidified that I chose the
right path for my career. "
Remi had a bit of a different take. Getting to meet
colleagues from other schools was his favorite part of the
conference. " I am thrilled to know I am surrounded by
highly motivated and skilled counterparts that will help me
stay dedicated for years to come, " he recounted.
Future Involvement
As a student, especially early on in podiatry school, it
is easy to narrow the focus to didactic exams and daily
lectures. However, the opportunity for exposure to surgical
excellence is invaluable, as both contest winners recounted
to me. Remi anticipates his own experience at the ASC will
change as a third- or fourth-year student, as he expects he
" will have accumulated more knowledge on each subject
and will be able to contextualize and evaluate everything
a lot better. " This perspective is crucial for a first year
attending his first conference, of course!
Similarly, Faith found it refreshing to get to listen and learn
at the ASC without the pressures of a test. " It really allows
you to just take the information in, and as upperclassmen,
it will enhance understanding of the procedures you get to
witness in clinic and in clerkship, " she said. Naturally, with
the three of us all being students, we are excited to see how
our individual involvement and understanding progress as we
move from school to residency. And we are eager to all return
to the ASC again as many times as we can before graduation!
Pursuing Board Certification
Finally, these two students took a moment to reflect on the
opportunity granted to them by the ABFAS Surgeons of
Tomorrow Contest. Faith and Remi both saw firsthand
SPRING 2023
the value and importance of ABFAS Board Certification
in Foot and Ankle Surgery; this was evident to them by the
accolades touted by many of the lecturers and moderators
throughout the course of the weekend. For Faith, the
experience further illustrated the importance of ABFAS
Board Certification: " All the leaders of our profession are
Fellows of ACFAS, which requires Board Certification. You
could see that they have extensive knowledge [of our field],
and I believe that being certified helped facilitate that. "
Similarly, Remi learned that attaining ABFAS Board
Certification does not only demonstrate proficiency in
surgery, but it also provides a framework to be able to
communicate effectively with other colleagues: " Knowing
that your colleague is Board Certified guarantees that they
understand the same principles and techniques so that more
progress can be made. " All of this being said, both Remi
and Faith certainly plan to pursue Board Certification in
both Foot Surgery and Reconstructive Rearfoot/Ankle
Surgery through ABFAS when the time comes.
Overall, both Faith and Remi were able to learn, network,
and grow their passion during the weekend spent in Los
Angeles for the Annual Scientific Conference. Their
enthusiasm was evident each day, and the opportunities for
involvement seemed almost limitless. Both contest winners
felt strongly that any student offered the opportunity to
attend the ASC should pursue it wholeheartedly, as it served
to invigorate them further along their path in podiatry.
As the Student Liaison to ABFAS, I was thrilled to have the
chance to meet both of these remarkable students, and I
look forward to working with them professionally. I am also
eager to see who has the good luck of winning the Surgeons
of Tomorrow Contest next year-more opportunity awaits
in Tampa in 2024!
Any reader with questions for either interviewee or the author, or anyone
wanting to read Faith's essay or watch Remi's video, is welcome to
reach out to jeneen@temple.edu.
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Footnotes - Spring 2023

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