Practicing in Alabama

[JewOnThis]

I am looking to relocate to Alabama for spouse's job. I remembered reading somewhere that there's no ankle surgery privilege in this state, but are podiatrists still allowed to treat achilles tendon and soft tissue/wounds at the ankle joint?

Also anyone has experience in practicing in this state, please chime in. I would love to hear some pros/cons.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[JewOnThis]

He no longer practices in Alabama. Last I heard, he moved to WV .

 

[FnA Man]

He no longer practices in Alabama. Last I heard, he moved to WV .

Yes, He has moved to Huntington, WV "Dr. James L. Thomas, DPM is a Professor and Chief of the Foot and Ankle Surgical Division at the Joan C Edwards School of Medicine at Marshall University"... My undergrad Alumni .

 

[Adam Smasher]

The APMA has a nice resource for questions like this here: APMA Scope-of-Practice Map | APMA Working for You | APMA

It's members only but if you're a student/resident you can join for free. Anyway, I checked it out and Alabama has a pretty firmly delineated boundary. Usually podiatrists would try to argue that a structure inserts into the foot therefore it's part of the foot and within our legal scope. Alabama's law explicitly defines a boundary at the talar dome and the Achilles tendon is part of the leg and not the foot.

 

[pacpod]

I grew up in AL and they are quite strict. It is hard to get an expanded scope with names like Kirschner and Gould having associations with the state.


Sent from my iPad using SDN mobile

 

[Creflo]

I also grew up there, have been away in pod school, residency, and now working in another state so I'm not a contemporary on the subject. When I was there it was basically a forefoot state. I imagine that hasn't changed too much. Not sure what all Dr. Thomas did there, but I would imagine he was subject to same laws as others.

 

[bunNfxr]

If you happen to near the TN, FL or GA borders, you may want to get a license and surgical privileges in those states. Not Sure about Mississippi.

 

[JewOnThis]

Thanks for the info. Im definitely not looking forward to moving....

 

[JewOnThis]

So, I just had a good talk with a practicing Alabama podiatrist regarding surgery. Apparently, there's a couple of podiatrists who do some ankle work without issues for MANY years.

If possible, I would like some input from anyone who has trained in the more restrictive states.