Footnotes - Winter 2024 - 14

Women in Podiatric Medicine
Q&A with One of America's Favorite
Podiatrists, Dr. Ebonie Vincent
By Rameesha Asif-Sattar, WUCPM Class of 2026
Dr. Ebonie Vincent earned her bachelor's degree in
Biology from Hampton University, where she played
volleyball as a Hampton Lady Pirate. She later earned
her master's degree in Biomedical Science from
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM)
and her Doctor of Podiatric Medicine degree from
Des Moines University. Her continued education has
prepared her for a successful career in Foot and Ankle
Surgery and a partner at her practice in Orange County
and Los Angeles.
She is currently the Vice President of the Orange
County Podiatric Medical Association and a member
of the Board of Directors for the California Podiatric
Medical Association. She has since taken a more active
role in the politics of medicine and in forging a path for
podiatric physicians to help the medical community at
large given the persistent health disparities.
In 2021, she was able to receive the award for Best
New Cast in " My Feet Are Killing Me " by the
American Reality TV awards. She was awarded the
California Podiatric Medical Association Rising Star
and the Des Moines University Rising Star in 2022
for her accomplishments after graduating. Having
been nominated and then inducted into Hampton
University's 40 under 40 gave Dr. Vincent yet another
opportunity to reach even more people and uplift the
legacy of Hampton University.
14
Q: Can you share a bit about your background
and what led you to pursue a career in podiatric
medicine?
A: I started as a student athlete playing volleyball and
experienced two torn ACLs myself. That led me into
the world of sports medicine and orthopedics. I went
to college on a volleyball scholarship with the intent
of majoring in biology and becoming an orthopedic
surgeon. Given my volleyball background, I needed to
ensure I took the necessary classes for medical school.
I ended up at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic
Medicine for my master's program, where I did
extensive shadowing. It was during this time that I
discovered the field of podiatry.
While my initial inclination was towards orthopedic
surgery, my personal knee surgeries made me look
more maturely at the entire medical profession. After
shadowing various physicians, including those in family
medicine and physical therapy, I found that podiatry
offered diverse options despite its focus on the foot and
ankle. I attended an interest meeting at NYCPM, which
was the turning point for me. Podiatry stood out to me
for its promotion of independence. The field allowed
practitioners to have their own practices and set their
own hours. As a woman, this flexibility was particularly
appealing compared to other medical specialties, along
with the diverse opportunities within podiatry itself. So
WINTER 2024
Footnotes - Winter 2024

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