The Genesis of
Highlands Foot and Ankle Institute
Highlands Foot and Ankle Institute formed as a natural extension of the Highlands/PSL Podiatric Residency Program. Our board of directors are all graduates of the residency program.
The program was initially started by Dr. John Buckholtz in 1975 and soon after became a transformative foot and ankle training program in pursuit of academic excellence.
By assessing the needs of local podiatric surgeons, it was ascertained that there is a paucity of quality,reliable academic meetings designed specifically for the foot and ankle surgeon. Therefore, it was concluded that Highlands Foot and Ankle Institute would fill the void by drawing from the residency program’s greater than three decades of high quality graduates. A large number of our graduates have gone on to start new residency programs and have become leaders in the field. Many are published and are nationally recognized. Our first scientific foot and ankle conference began in 2006 at Vail, Colorado. This meeting combined academic excellence in a relaxed learning environment while enjoing the great outdoors in Colorado.
The Institute includes speakers who are recognized faculty members associated with the residency program. Highlands Foot and Ankle Institute showcases the talents of our graduates while being mindful of the needs of the podiatric surgeon serving the Rocky Mountain Region and beyond. Also, further assisting residents in advancing knowledge and training techniques, we offer grants for medical missions throughout the world including underservered regions.
The Highlands Foot and Ankle Institute was created for the educational purpose of fostering continuing education through a multi-media and multi-disciplinary approach to advance training of podiatric surgeons while maintaining focus on quality and safe patient care. The medical field is constantly changing and the ability to share procedures, information and equipment knowledge is crucial.
The Institute is designed to stay in contact with educational institutions, equipment manufacturers, and other physicians in the field who may develop new procedures, equipment, and techniques.
Communication advances are done via outreach programs, seminars, presentations, newsletters, emails, contacts and printed materials produced from research done by the Institute. The goal is to develop a wide variety of materials related to the field and will make this material available to practicing podiatric surgeons and doctors across the world.
A website and email address has been developed, www.highlandsfootandankleinstitute.org. The institute has conducted seminars and training of residents and surgeons in the podiatric field on current effective procedures and equipment.
Continuing education credits are awarded to participants attending these seminars. Scholarships from the institute will be awarded on a non discriminatory basis according to need and academic field of study of the medical residents. We also plan to introduce other educationional offerings in other venues.