APMA News - January 2014 - (Page 18)

Seize The Day: How One Podiatrist Rose to Leadership The mission of APMA's Vision 2015 is to ensure that podiatrists are universally accepted and recognized as physicians consistent with their education, training, and experience. In an effort to inspire members, APMA is sharing success stories of podiatrists who are achieving the goals of Vision 2015. "I have a favorite saying," said Marc to decrease potential discrimination Borovoy, DPM, of Michigan. "It's carpe based on licensure," he said. diem, or, seize the day." His success in As MPMA president (1993-95), achieving the goals of Vision 2015 and he engaged in outreach and worked becoming a leader among his MD and very closely with the Michigan Board DO colleagues embodies his mantra. of Medicine and the state's osteopathic Dr. Borovoy has been president of the association to form bonds with insurBone and Joint Surgery Center of Novi ance providers. "I think the obstacles in Novi, MI, since its inception in 2008, we all face in medicine are the same," and was elected to a two-year term as said Dr. Borovoy. "Whether an MD, board chair last year. The ambulatory DO, or DPM, the more we work tosurgery center currently boasts 52 emgether, the more likely we're going to ployees-including 13 orthopedic surcome out on top. I see that in our surgeons, six podiatrists, five pain specialgical center." ists, and two general surgeons. The Dr. Borovoy practices in a medical team performs approximately 450 casbuilding that houses three orthopedic es monthly. Dr. Borovoy attributes his groups, one pain specialist group, a Marc Borovoy, DPM success to his ability to recognize and durable medical equipment company, seize opportunities to demonstrate his skill as a podiatrist to and a primary care group. He takes advantage of his proximhis colleagues. ity to these specialists and educates them about the podiatric In 1991, Dr. Borovoy became the first podiatrist on staff at Providence Hospital in Southfield, MI. Now more than 40 When asked what advice he podiatrists are on staff, and the hospital sponsors an approved would give to podiatrists, Dr. Borovoy podiatric medicine and surgery residency with the added credential in reconstructive rearfoot and ankle surgery, training said, "Never stop learning; never be nine residents. But it didn't happen overnight. afraid of moving forward. Realize "We got staff privileges, but we took a long time to prove that [podiatrists] have something ourselves before we got ankle privileges," Dr. Borovoy said. "Then we got a residency program." At each step, podiatrists [significant] to offer. We need to shout were met with a mixed reception from their non-DPM colfrom rooftops that we are the best." leagues. Early on in the surgical center planning stages, Dr. Borovoy said his MD and DO colleagues often claimed podiatrists would never perform ankle surgery at the hospital. Dr. medical profession. Over time, these other physicians, who Borovoy and other hospital podiatrists simply persevered in were once less supportive of the profession, recognized the doing what they were licensed to do. value of podiatrists. As a second-generation podiatrist, Dr. Borovoy was taught When asked what advice he would give to podiatrists, Dr. by his father to give back to the profession, so he has always Borovoy said, "Never stop learning; never be afraid of moving been actively involved in advocating for podiatry. "When I forward. Realize that [podiatrists] have something [signifiwas vice president of [the] Michigan Podiatric Medical Assocant] to offer. We need to shout from rooftops that we are the ciation (MPMA), we succeeded in getting legislation passed best." Or, in so many words, seize the day. n 18 APMA News January 2014

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APMA News - January 2014