Spring 2022
Dean's Desk: An Update from Dean Dr. Allan Boike
At Kent State University College of Podiatric Medicine (CPM) we have much to celebrate, anticipate, and build upon as we head into warmer months ahead.
March of this year marked a momentous moment in the academic journey of the Class of 2022, as 100% of eligible students received a residency match. I am proud of our students for exemplifying our mission, and am excited for each of them to excel as they move on to exceptional residency programs across the country.
Summer will see the return of traditions lost the past two years. In May, CPM traveled back to Florence, Italy for the return of its Foot & Ankle Renaissance continuing education program. Reviving our international ties exposes our community to diverse ways of life, cross-cultural communication and fresh perspectives - qualities that are crucial in understanding the world today. In August, we direct our focus to reigniting connections in our own family with the return of the full Alumni Reunion Weekend, hosted here at our campus in Independence, Ohio, and booming neighboring cities across Cleveland. You’ll find more about the return of these CPM staples in the pages of this issue.
As we continue to rebuild following years of adversity, there is always room for you to join in our efforts. As you are likely aware, there is a decreasing pool of applicants pursuing podiatric medicine. It is disheartening to see such limited interest in a field that offers so much. Choosing this field continues to be the best professional decision I have made. I would like other podiatrists to share their passion for this field so the next generation of healthcare professionals can continue to advance the profession.
I encourage you to pursue an active role in recruiting our predecessors in podiatric medicine through one of the following avenues:
- Become a mentor within the profession and allow prospective students to shadow you in a clinical setting or make yourself available to answer questions about the field.
CONNECT.
- If you know of a prospective student interested in learning more about the profession, connect them with the Admissions Team at KSUCPM. Our team can discuss their candidacy and make arrangements for a tour of campus.
TEACH.
- If you are interested in teaching students about the field, the College can equip you with presentations, documents, graphics, and promotional items that you can share with a nearby high school or college. We can even help coordinate the presentation with you!
I hope you will consider supporting the profession by sharing it with students around you. We have created a website specifically designed to make career awareness easy and accessible. You will find links to refer students, sample PowerPoint presentations, informational videos, and even social media graphics.
If every alumnus of OCPM/KSUCPM referred one student to apply to the program each year, you could SOLVE the decreasing applicant pool. I would like to challenge you to do just that. Refer just one applicant. This is a great way to give back to the profession that has given you so much.
Thank you,
Allan Boike, DPM, FACFAS
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