Gerald Mauriello Jr., MA, DPM, Surgery/Podiatry, Our Lady of Mercy Medical Center, East 233rd Street, Bronx, NY 10039, 201-463-6783, gmaurie@aol.com and Anthony J. Tickner, DPM, Surgery/Podiatry, St. Vincents Medical Center, 212 West 91st Street, Apt. 1037, New York, NY 10024.

There is a great need for those podiatric physicians and surgeons practicing in today's healthcare environment to further educate other healthcare professionals. This education should consist of a comprehensive explantion of the role of the podiatric physician/surgeon, the education and training leading to the Doctor of Podiatric Medicine degree (DPM), scope of practice, and the benefit of podiatric medicine and surgery to the public health. It is the responsibilty of all healthcare professionals to educate themselves as to the role of the DPM. Additionally, it is the podiatric physician's responsibilty to facilitate this education. Not doing so, is doing a costly disservice to the healthcare consumer. The goal of this project is as follows: Improve the abilty of healthcare providers to make the proper referal to the podiatric physician/surgeon, through education. In doing so, decreasing the morbitity associated with the lower extremity.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the need to further educate health professionals as to the DPMs role in healthcare, Construct a framework to deliver this information, Discuss how increased awareness of podiatric medicine/surgery impacts healthcare comsumers through preventive medicine, and practical application of this educational program.

Keywords: Essential Public Health Services, Preventive Medicine

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.