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A centenary year
The Foot 22 (2012) 55
Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect
The Foot journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/foot
Editorial
A centenary year
This year celebrations on both sides of the Atlantic will take place to commemorate the establishment of organisations devoted to the practice of podiatry. In the USA the first body (The National Association of Chiropodists) which became the American Podiatric Medical Association was inaugurated while in the UK the professional association (the National Society of Chiropodists) that became the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists was finally formed by the signing of the Declaration of Members on 5th November 1912. There had been efforts to form an association in the UK in 1898 but these had come to nothing [4]. Eventually both successful organisations were the result of years of planning and dedication of practitioners in each of the countries, who while they were aware of each other’s efforts developed along separate but parallel routes. In the United States several organisations had been formed in some of the states. Most notably, in 1895, practitioners of chiropody, from the New York area gathered together to act under the authority of a fresh piece of legislation passed by New York State legislature under which was authorized the Pedic Society of New York, which 28 chiropodists proceeded to organize, to conduct examinations and issue licenses to practice chiropody [1]. By 1907 the group launched a publication, named Pedic Society Items, later simply called The Pedic Items. It became influential among the many chiropodists practicing throughout north-eastern and midwestern states. Following New York’s lead, over the next 15 years similar societies were formed in New Jersey, Massachusetts, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Connecticut. It was in 1912 that chiropodists from 12 states registered at a convention in Chicago [1] where the National Association of Chiropodists was formed. This was changed in 1958 to the American Podiatry Association becoming the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) in 1984. It is interesting that the two national bodies started out with nearly the same name for the organisation with the UK body changing its name in 1916 [2] to the Incorporated Society of Chiropodists. In the early days of the UK society before it produced a professional journal the UK National Society purchased the US journal, “Pedic Items”, for its members. Throughout the years this contact has continued and the link has been strengthened.
0958-2592/$ – see front matter © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foot.2012.04.006
Both professional organisations put considerable resources into setting up educational establishments which developed courses through which students were educated and started to promulgate the scientific basis for the management and treatment of foot and lower limb conditions. The development of educational institutions was delayed in the UK by the advent of the First World War but the first educational establishment was opened in 1919 [3]. The regulatory structure in the USA was more clear-cut from the outset, based as it was on individual state legislatures but in the UK the Incorporated Society had to lobby Parliament long and hard and it was not until the 1960 Professions Supplementary to Medicine Act was passed that this became a reality. By this time the Incorporated Society had merged with four other bodies in 1945 to become the Society of Chiropodists. The 1960 Act established an overarching council and separate boards for each of the professions it registered and the Chiropodists Board established a framework of law which oversaw professional education, registration and discipline and developed strategies for professional governance. This function has now been taken over by the Health Professions Council. The APMA in the US and the Society in the UK through its College of Podiatry have both continued to work with legislative authorities to establish a strong educational and professional framework to support the steady expansion of clinical practice on both sides of the Atlantic. We wish both organisations well in their endeavours for the next hundred years. References [1] Notes of the 75th Annual Meeting of the American Podiatric Medical Association. 1987. [2] First Annual Report of the Incorporated Society of Chiropodists; 1916, March. [3] School of Chiropody Balance Sheet; 1919. [4] Holden’s Journal of Foot Therapy 1913;6(June (66)).
Editor Donald L. Lorimer E-mail address: [email protected] 17 April 2012
Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect
The Foot journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/foot
Editorial
A centenary year
This year celebrations on both sides of the Atlantic will take place to commemorate the establishment of organisations devoted to the practice of podiatry. In the USA the first body (The National Association of Chiropodists) which became the American Podiatric Medical Association was inaugurated while in the UK the professional association (the National Society of Chiropodists) that became the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists was finally formed by the signing of the Declaration of Members on 5th November 1912. There had been efforts to form an association in the UK in 1898 but these had come to nothing [4]. Eventually both successful organisations were the result of years of planning and dedication of practitioners in each of the countries, who while they were aware of each other’s efforts developed along separate but parallel routes. In the United States several organisations had been formed in some of the states. Most notably, in 1895, practitioners of chiropody, from the New York area gathered together to act under the authority of a fresh piece of legislation passed by New York State legislature under which was authorized the Pedic Society of New York, which 28 chiropodists proceeded to organize, to conduct examinations and issue licenses to practice chiropody [1]. By 1907 the group launched a publication, named Pedic Society Items, later simply called The Pedic Items. It became influential among the many chiropodists practicing throughout north-eastern and midwestern states. Following New York’s lead, over the next 15 years similar societies were formed in New Jersey, Massachusetts, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Connecticut. It was in 1912 that chiropodists from 12 states registered at a convention in Chicago [1] where the National Association of Chiropodists was formed. This was changed in 1958 to the American Podiatry Association becoming the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) in 1984. It is interesting that the two national bodies started out with nearly the same name for the organisation with the UK body changing its name in 1916 [2] to the Incorporated Society of Chiropodists. In the early days of the UK society before it produced a professional journal the UK National Society purchased the US journal, “Pedic Items”, for its members. Throughout the years this contact has continued and the link has been strengthened.
0958-2592/$ – see front matter © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foot.2012.04.006
Both professional organisations put considerable resources into setting up educational establishments which developed courses through which students were educated and started to promulgate the scientific basis for the management and treatment of foot and lower limb conditions. The development of educational institutions was delayed in the UK by the advent of the First World War but the first educational establishment was opened in 1919 [3]. The regulatory structure in the USA was more clear-cut from the outset, based as it was on individual state legislatures but in the UK the Incorporated Society had to lobby Parliament long and hard and it was not until the 1960 Professions Supplementary to Medicine Act was passed that this became a reality. By this time the Incorporated Society had merged with four other bodies in 1945 to become the Society of Chiropodists. The 1960 Act established an overarching council and separate boards for each of the professions it registered and the Chiropodists Board established a framework of law which oversaw professional education, registration and discipline and developed strategies for professional governance. This function has now been taken over by the Health Professions Council. The APMA in the US and the Society in the UK through its College of Podiatry have both continued to work with legislative authorities to establish a strong educational and professional framework to support the steady expansion of clinical practice on both sides of the Atlantic. We wish both organisations well in their endeavours for the next hundred years. References [1] Notes of the 75th Annual Meeting of the American Podiatric Medical Association. 1987. [2] First Annual Report of the Incorporated Society of Chiropodists; 1916, March. [3] School of Chiropody Balance Sheet; 1919. [4] Holden’s Journal of Foot Therapy 1913;6(June (66)).
Editor Donald L. Lorimer E-mail address: [email protected] 17 April 2012