Dean's Chat hosts, Drs. Jensen and Richey, welcome a American Podiatric Medical Association student representative from the LECOM School of Podiatric Medicine!

This podcast is sponsored by APMA, a tremendous supporter of podiatric medicine to students, residents, and practitioners alike!

Brian Price joins us to discuss how they discovered podiatric medicine, his shadowing experiences, and things that have surprised them in school. He shares a great story on what led him to Podaitric Medicine. He also shares "professor shout-outs" and his role with APMSA!

Enjoy this conversation with a student leader!

#Podiatry #FootAndAnkle #Residency #MedicalEducation #Surgery #PodiatricMedicine #PreMed #HealthCareCareers #DeansChat

In this SAM Conference Part 2 episode - Drs. Jensen and Richey were at SAM in Orlando. We shared a booth with Bako Dx and interviewed leaders, conference organizers, residents, students, young practitoners, Deans, APMA leader, FPMA leaders! Enjoy!

300th episode "What we have learned from over 300 interviews!"
Welcome to this special episode celebrating the 300th installment of Dean’s Chat! Join Drs. Jensen and Richey as they reflect on the insights, lessons, and recurring themes that have emerged from conversations with more than 300 individuals across the podiatric profession.
This episode is sponsored by the American Podiatric Medical Association! Throughout these discussions, several powerful messages have consistently risen to the surface. One of the most common is that no career path is truly linear. While medical training often follows a structured and predictable framework, many guests emphasized the importance of recognizing opportunities, embracing change, and leaning into the aspects of practice that bring genuine joy. It has been especially inspiring to hear the wide range of ways podiatrists have found fulfillment—across medicine, surgery, education, leadership, and life beyond the clinic—by sharing their unique talents and expertise.
Another clear theme has been the exceptional quality of our students. Today’s podiatric students are highly motivated, deeply engaged, and purpose driven, and they are helping to shape and advance the future of the profession.
We are also continually reminded that our profession is rich with talent. From clinicians and educators to innovators and advocates, podiatry thrives because of the collective strength of its people. Our sponsors play a vital role in this ecosystem as well—supporting advocacy efforts, workshops, leadership development, and continuing medical education. No one succeeds alone, and together we are stronger.
Finally, leadership has emerged as a central topic, defined by courage, integrity, and passion. We highlight the diverse ways our guests have demonstrated leadership and made meaningful contributions to the profession.
We are grateful for this journey and deeply appreciative of you—our audience—for your time, enthusiasm, and thoughtful feedback. The future of podiatry is bright, and we’re excited for what lies ahead.

In this episode - Drs. Jensen and Richey were at SAM in Orlando. We shared a booth with Bako Dx and interviewed leaders, conference organizers, residents, students, young practitioners, Deans, APMA leader, FPMA leaders! Enjoy!

Dean's Chat was a sponsor for the "Sam After Dark" event at SAM in Orlando last weekend. Drs. Jensen and Richey did a few interviews at this event! Enjoy!

Dean’s Chat hosts, Drs. Jensen and Richey are joined by Jim McDannald, DPM, from Montreal, Canada. Dr. McDannald received his undergraduate degree from Augustana College and attended the Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine.

This episode is sponsored by Bako Diagnostics!

He did his three-year surgical residency at Portland Good Samaritan/Kaiser Permanente. Dr. McDannald practiced in Eugene, Oregon for several years, collaborating with his orthopedic colleagues, athletic trainers, and coaches in the care of high-level NCAA Division I and world-class athletes (University of Oregon and Oregon Track Club/Nike Oregon Project).

Dr. McDannald is the founder of PodiatryGrowth.com. His services include Digital marketing strategy and services for private foot and ankle clinics, website planning, development, optimization, and delegation of tasks for maintenance. He also provides the digital foundation for efforts that align with overall organizational efforts. Podiatry Growth will Increase discovery of website and social channels by overseeing, managing, and measuring SEO, SEM & paid traffic campaigns. He can be contacted at jim@podiatrygrowth.com.

Hello everyone! In this episode of Dean’s Chat Drs. Jensen and Richey have an in-depth conversation with Dr. Lawrence Oloff, a highly influential podiatric surgeon, educator, and sports medicine specialist. The interview spans Dr. Oloff’s career, the evolution of podiatry, and his experiences at the highest levels of academic medicine and professional sports.

Join us as we discuss “All things podiatric medicine and surgery” including Dr. Oloff’s Career Path & Leadership. Dr. Oloff trained at Pennsylvania College of Podiatric Medicine, he served as faculty at multiple podiatric institutions, including the California College of Podiatric Medicine and was Dr. Jensen’s Dean when he graduated from Podiatric Medial School. Most recently, Dr. Oloff became full-time faculty at UCSF and remains the program director for St. Mary’s Hospital - podiatric residency program as part of the Department of Orthopedics. He now practices alongside orthopedic foot-and-ankle surgeons, operating equally within a top-tier academic medical center—an example of podiatry’s integration into mainstream medicine.

He has chaired national academic boards and played a major role in advancing multi-year residency training and residency placement for graduates. A leader in the advancement of Podiatric Surgical Sports medicine, Dr. Oloff has served as team podiatrist for elite organizations including the San Francisco Giants (over 25 years), 49ers, Warriors, Stanford University, and others. He emphasizes: the importance of being a team player over asserting ego; Judicious decision-making, especially around return-to-play; Learning directly from trainers and real-world experience; The pressure, risk, and legal exposure involved in treating professional athletes.

Throughout the interview, Dr. Oloff reflects on earlier decades when podiatrists had to “break down doors” to gain hospital privileges and professional respect. Compared to that era, today’s podiatry offers far greater opportunity, visibility, and integration, though challenges remain. He stresses that good surgery is not about technical skill alone, but about knowing when not to operate, understanding biomechanics, planning several steps ahead, and remaining humble.

He credits mentors like Dr. Alan Jacobs and underscores the importance of rigorous academics, interdisciplinary collaboration, and lifelong learning. Overall, this episode is a rich oral history of modern podiatry—highlighting its struggles, growth, and future potential—through the lens of one of its most accomplished leaders.

Hello everyone! In this episode of Dean’s Chat Drs. Jensen and Richey interview Dr. Shane Hollawell, a podiatric surgeon, fellowship director, and national leader in foot and ankle surgery. Join us, as we discuss “All things podiatric medicine and surgery!” In this episode we discuss Dr. Hollawell’s background as a collegiate football player to podiatric medicine, his education at Temple University, his surgical residency in Philadelphia, and his current leadership roles in fellowship training, residency education, and professional organizations such as the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons.
Tune in to our discussion as we discuss the strong crossover between athletics and medicine. Dr. Hollowell explains how football shaped his time management, resilience, discipline, and ability to adapt—skills he sees as directly transferable to surgical practice. Listen to the parallels between game preparation and surgical planning, emphasizing adaptability, mental preparation, and learning from setbacks.
Join us for an in-depth discussion on fellowship training. As the Foot and Ankle Fellowship Director for the Orthopedic Institute of Central Jersey, Dr. Hollawell advocates strongly for fellowship education, noting that it enhances surgical confidence, clinical judgment, outpatient practice skills, business acumen, and overall career readiness. He explains how fellowships help graduates “hit the ground running,” often leading to stronger initial job offers and long-term career advantages. In this episode we get granular about guidance for residents and students on selecting fellowships, researching programs, networking at ACFAS events, and using the ACFAS website as a primary resource.
Leadership and lifelong learning are recurring topics. Dr. Hollawell discusses leadership as leading by example, adaptability, collaboration, and mentorship at all career stages—from private practice to national organizations like the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, where he serves on the board. The panel agrees that the future of podiatric medicine lies in continued surgical and medical parity, specialization, and professional unity.
Finally, we end with reflections on mentorship; Dr. Hollawell credits his residency training and senior attendings for granting autonomy and shaping his clinical confidence. He highlights learning not only from mentors but also from teaching residents and fellows. Beyond medicine, we discuss his community service, including his involvement with the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, and his interest in surgical innovation and device development driven by practical clinical experience.
We hope you enjoy!
https://www.acfas.org/professional-resources/fellowship-resources
https://www.acfas.org
https://oibortho.com/orthopaedics/foot-ankle/