New school is the 11th podiatric medical school in the U.S. First class will begin in 2023
The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) announced today it will open a new School of Podiatric Medicine (SPM). The LECOM-SPM Erie (PA) received approval from the accreditation agency, the Council on Podiatric Medical Education, to begin accepting students for the fall semester of 2023. The LECOM-SPM is the eleventh podiatric medical school in the United States. The four-year program will be located at LECOM’s main campus in Erie, Pennsylvania and will offer a unique curricular collaboration with LECOM’s College of Osteopathic Medicine.
“There is a growing need for podiatric doctors throughout the United States and LECOM is committed to meeting this national healthcare need through the creation of this new school,” said LECOM president and CEO John Ferretti, D.O. “LECOM is uniquely positioned to provide podiatric students the opportunity to be trained alongside medical students and receive extensive clinical learning within our regional academic health system.”
Podiatric students will receive much of the same training as osteopathic medical students while also receiving studies unique to the podiatric physician. This particular teaching opportunity will better prepare graduates for entrance into podiatric residency programs. The LECOM Erie campus is integrated with LECOM Health, an osteopathic academic health system, which provides students clinical learning opportunities in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and a range of specialized medical practices.
LECOM also announced today that Dr. Ferretti has appointed Jason Lee, DPM, MSMEd, FACFAS to lead the podiatric school as dean. Dr. Lee is board certified by the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery and the American Board of Podiatric Medicine. He also serves as a Fellow of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Dr. Lee has been affiliated with LECOM Health since 2012, and served as the Podiatry Residency Director for the health system since 2015. He also has appointments as Head of Podiatry and Chief of Podiatric Surgery at Millcreek Community Hospital. Dr. Lee earned his degree in podiatric medicine from Des Moines University College of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery.
Podiatric physicians are the leading providers of medical and surgical management of foot and ankle disorders. Many conditions seen by podiatric physicians are related to underlying diseases such as diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, obesity, and disorders of bones and joints. The LECOM-SPM curriculum is designed to educate students on these and many other chronic disease states as well as conditions associated with the aging process.
As the population in the United States increases and people are living longer, the ability to maintain an active lifestyle is essential for an individual’s overall health and well-being. Podiatric physicians are key healthcare team members in helping people remain active and healthy.
The LECOM-SPM will soon be accepting applications for the fall of 2023. For additional information, prospective students can visit lecom.edu, call 814-866-6641, or e-mail admissions1@lecom.edu.
