APMA News - January/February 2018 - 19

Meet the Candidates

the board to be fruitful and-I hope-successful in making a
difference together with my fellow board members.
Looking toward the future, there are still many goals
that I feel must be accomplished for our members. Some of
these include:
1. fair and equitable compensation;
2. access to all health-care delivery systems;
3. the patient's right to have access to foot and ankle care
provided by a podiatrist;
4. passage of the Helping Ensure Life- and Limb-Saving
Access to Podiatric Physicians (HELLPP) Act;
5. parity within the Veterans Health Administration;
6. provider non-discrimination;
7. antitrust reform for physicians;
8. medical malpractice reform;
9. RAC reform; and
10. availability of a residency position for every qualified
podiatric graduate.
I look forward to running again this year for the board and
to continuing all of my efforts to help improve every aspect of
the podiatric profession for my colleagues. n

John Wright, DPM
Candidate for Election to the
Board of Trustees

had not planned to run for the APMA
Board of Trustees just yet. I did plan
to retire in January 2016, and I was
fortunate enough to do just that. As a
retired life member of APMA under the current rules, I figured I had about three to four years to enjoy retirement before I had to decide whether or not to run. As fate would have
it, I am forced to make that decision a bit earlier than I had
planned. If the proposed bylaws change prohibiting life members from holding elected office nationally is passed by the
House of Delegates, this 2018 cycle will be my last opportunity to serve if fortunate enough to be elected.
What would be my mantra? Collaboration! I do not have
and will never have all the answers for all the issues facing
our profession. But when I don't know, I will collaborate and
seek to find out from those who do know. If elected, my decisions as trustee will be centered on the good of the whole
outweighing the good of the few, and what would be of benefit to the majority of the great people in this great profession.
I served our nation as an Army medic before graduating from
Georgia's Mercer University in 1982. Next, I served as an assistant in the Student Recruitment office while attending the Dr.

William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine [now the Dr.
William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine at Rosalind
Franklin University of Medicine and Science], graduating in
1986. I completed a CPME-approved preceptorship in medicine
and surgery because there were not enough CPME-approved
hospital-based residency programs to go around. No, the most
recent residency shortage was not the first time it happened, and
I experienced firsthand the fallout from our profession graduating more students than it could place in hospital-based residency.
Am I complaining? No, because in many ways I had some
invaluable experiences that others may not have had in hospital-based settings. I have also been fortunate to serve at the
state level as Georgia's APMAPAC coordinator, president, and
alternate delegate. Whatever experiences I have had, I am a
product of cumulative efforts from some great people, especially in this extraordinary profession of podiatric medicine
and surgery, the best-kept secret in the world.
Now I am seeking to take these experiences to the next
level. Though some of my experiences may be somewhat obsolete, considering the current state of affairs, I do think I can
bring a different perspective to the table if you will lend your
support and vote for me. Thank you in advance for your consideration and vote. Questions and comments are welcomed
at wright702@bellsouth.net or 770-856-1262. n

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APMA News January/February 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of APMA News - January/February 2018