APMA News - November/December 2023 - 38

federal advocacy forum
The Season of Gratitude
By William S. Long, DPM
The fall is absolutely the best season of the year!
Serving on the APMA Board of Trustees affords
me the opportunity to attend meetings across the
country. I love nature, so I try to get out of the
hotel and explore the area in the early morning or
late evenings. I have yet to visit a state that exceeds
the beauty of my home state of South Carolina,
especially this time of year. I may be biased, but the
bright, vibrant color transformation throughout the
South Carolina Lowcountry and mountain ranges
in fall is breathtaking. Every morning when I walk
out of my home into the cool, crisp fall morning
air, I am truly thankful to see another day and serve
my community as a podiatrist. We have much to
be thankful for!
Traveling for APMA also affords me the opportunity
to interact with students, podiatrists, legislators,
and industry partners. I am always advocating
for the advancement of our profession either by
discussing the importance of passage of legislation
such as the Helping Ensure Life- and Limb-Saving
Access to Podiatric Physicians (HELLPP) Act, or the
importance of student recruitment and retention. I
am grateful for the opportunity to serve this profession
and the members of our association.
I enjoy interacting with podiatric medical students
and highly recommend that my fellow podiatrists
engage with prospective and current podiatric
medical students through the APMA Mentor
Network and the APMAPAC's new Ligament
Connection program, respectively. (To learn more
and sign up for the Ligament Connection, email
us at pac@apma.org.) Most students I encounter
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have various questions about life after residency.
They are inquisitive about our experiences, both
good and bad. I share with them that the most
valuable secret to a successful career is positivity. I
tell them to follow their dreams and work hard. It's
that simple.
I also emphasize the importance of gratitude.
Most students are so stressed with studying for
exams and matching to their ideal surgical residency
that they find it hard to live in the moment and
enjoy their progress through medical school.
I recently visited Temple University School of
Podiatric Medicine (TUSPM) in Philadelphia. The
APMAPAC sponsored a social event and invited
students, residents, and TUSPM faculty and staff.
The event was a success and was enjoyed by all.
TUSPM students interacted with members of the
PAC Board and enjoyed food, drinks, and bowling.
The event coincided with TUSPM's mental
health week, which reinforced the dedication of
Temple University and Dean John Mattiacci, DPM,
to acknowledging the importance of maintaining
healthy academic environments.
I want to express my personal thanks to the
entire APMA staff for the diligence and hard work
that ensures the advancement and protection of
our beloved profession. Additionally, I am grateful
to the podiatric physicians who volunteer selflessly
to serve on the APMA Legislative Committee. Our
profession is stronger because of your hard work
and sacrifice. It is my sincere wish that every staff
member, student, resident, and podiatrist have a
healthy and prosperous 2024.
APMA News - November/December 2023

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