Primary care podiatric medicine and entry level residency. The new millennium

The author presents the perspective that the nation's health care initiatives demand that greater attention be given to primary care providers. Inasmuch as the credibility of the podiatric medical profession must function in a health care environment dominated by allopathic and osteopathic physicians, the podiatric primary care initiative must be pursued within the guidelines and definitions for primary care that are present in all of mainstream medicine. The author argues that primary care podiatric medicine must establish itself as a specialty that stands as an equal along side of the other recognized specialties in podiatric medicine. Also, in keeping with the essential educational needs for specialty training, the development of residencies in primary podiatric medicine is crucial to assuring a credible area of special practice.