You probably read the same blog notes recently that I did from fellow podiatrists, complaining that their Medscape accounts had been deleted based on the fact that they are DPMs. My account has been unaffected so far and I admit that I am glad because I learn so much from its contents.

Interestingly, I was reading an article on the Medscape  website today when I ran across an article titled  “Foot and Ankle Surgery Considerations for the Geriatric Patient.” Naturally I was eager to read it. I was surprised, however, to see that it was written by two of our colleagues – Daniel K. Lee and Gerit D. Mulder, both DPMs.

The article on Medscape originally came from the American Board of Family Medicine.

It doesn’t really make sense that they would be limiting access by DPMs and then allowing articles written by them, does it? There must be some misunderstanding. At least I hope so.

I can't imagine that medscape would do something so foolish.  It essentially costs them nothing to continue to allow DPMs access to their website; prohibiting us would only create a PR problem and achieve no definable goal.  Sometimes I worry that we, as DPMs, go around with a big chip our our collective "shoulders"  and consequently are  too quick to assume that we're being segregated against at any sign of trouble....

What i have heard of is that occasionally medscape will delete accounts that have not been active in a certain length of time --this is to conserve server space. Perhaps that is the root of all of this?

I have a Medscape account that I use from way back, but out of curiosity, I just tried to do a new registration, and they did indeed allow podiarists to register.  Under Profession, select "Other Healthcare Provider" first (I know, I hate that too.  Why do Physicians Assistants get higher status than us ?), a 2nd menu opens where you then select Occupation, and Podiatrist is a choice.  For the record, the company we keep in that list are Dentists and Chiropractors.

For the record, Medscape is an EXCELLENT medical education source and I would encourage all our members to take advantage of it.

I completely agree and don't mind if they lump me in with the medical students if that is what it takes to gain access. I check my Medscape account at least twice weekly to catch up on my medicine knowledge. I am an internist at heart.

This allows me to "attend virtually" dozens of leading meetings, "read" a plethora of the best journals and "listen" to the best of the best medicine lectures without having to cull through the med school library here or travel far and wide.

I advise our colleagues to log on and sign up as well. Perhaps if more of us do so, then Medscape will start to recognize that we are a force to be reckoned with.

And to our colleagues who thought that they were being discriminated against, I don't know what to tell you other than perhaps there was some misunderstanding.....jump back in, don't assume that your dismissal was because you are a DPM. I believe that sometimes we are too thin skinned.

Years ago, I was the only DPM a part of The New York Presbyterian Hospital IPA in New York City when WebMD was forming.  They gave applications to all the members of the IPA including myself and then proceeded to deny me membership as I was not an MD. 

I do not know if their policy has changed with regards to podiatry but this type of occurrence has happened before.