Press Release:

10/20/2020

CHICAGO-October 20, 2020   – The American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS), a national surgical association of over 7,800 foot and ankle surgeons released a new position statement on board certification within the specialty of foot and ankle surgery.

The podiatric profession in the United States is subdivided into two specialties, podiatric medicine and podiatric (foot and ankle) surgery. ACFAS supports the recognition of one board per specialty, as determined by the Joint Committee on the Recognition of Specialty Boards (JCRSB) of the Council on Podiatric Medical Education (CPME).

ACFAS recognizes the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery (ABFAS) as the certifying board in the specialty of foot and ankle surgery. The complete statement, Board Certification in the Specialty of Foot and Ankle Surgery, can be found at acfas.org/PositionStatements.

ACFAS President Scott Nelson, DPM, FACFAS explains why the position statement is important for the profession. “ACFAS believes the statement can be a useful resource for hospitals and insurance companies to help define the role of the certifying boards for the specialty of Doctors of Podiatric Medicine.” Dr. Nelson adds, “Board certification serves as a critical element of public trust that stringent requirements have been met. Certification by the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery is often considered the benchmark for the foot and ankle surgeon.”