An Educational Resource for Podiatry Students
The organizational history of the American Podiatric Medical Association, 1895–present
From a small gathering of 225 chiropodists in 1912 to a national organization representing nearly 18,000 physicians, the APMA's history is one of relentless self-definition — a profession that repeatedly renamed, restructured, and reimagined itself in pursuit of full medical legitimacy.
Part I
To understand why the APMA was necessary, one must first understand just how old — and how persistently under-organized — the practice of foot care truly is. Specialists cared for feet long before they had a name, a school, or a professional society.
Bas-relief carvings at the entrance to the Tomb of Ankmahor in Saqqara depict what scholars interpret as foot and hand treatment. The Ebers Papyrus (c. 1500 BC) later records specific remedies for foot conditions, evidence that specialized foot care was embedded in Egyptian medical culture.
Hippocrates, the "Father of Medicine," described both corns and calluses and the rationale for their removal — using skin scrapers of his own invention that are considered the original scalpels. His attention to foot health established a precedent that would persist for centuries.
By the 1800s, foot care had become a respectable, established trade in Europe and North America. Itinerant "corn cutters" traveled rural America. Presidents sought them out — records show Abraham Lincoln received treatment from a chiropodist for "troublesome corns and ingrown toenails."
"The foot is a masterpiece of engineering and a work of art." — Leonardo da Vinci, whose anatomical studies laid early groundwork for biomechanical foot science
Part II
The very names by which foot medicine has been known reflect its long struggle for professional identity. The term chiropody derives from the Greek cheir (hand) and pous (foot) — an etymologically odd coupling for a practice focused purely on feet. It first appeared in a 1774 London treatise by D. Low titled Chiropodologia.
In 1917, Dr. M.J. Lewi of New York coined the term podiatry — from the Greek podos (foot) and iatros (physician), literally "foot physician." The word was cleaner, more precise, and more clearly medical. It would take decades for the profession to officially adopt it, but its eventual dominance would reshape public perception entirely.
The 1957 renaming of the National Association of Chiropodists was driven directly by public confusion: citizens simply did not understand what a "chiropodist" was. Podiatry, by contrast, communicated medical authority in its very syllables.
Chiropody
cheir (hand) + pous (foot) → Greek
First used in print: 1774, London
Podiatry
podos (foot) + iatros (physician) → Greek
Coined: 1917, New York, by Dr. M.J. Lewi
DPM
Doctor of Podiatric Medicine
Degree introduced: 1960s, replacing D.S.C. (Doctor of Surgical Chiropody)
Part III
The world's first professional organization of chiropodists is founded in New York City — the direct organizational ancestor of what would become the APMA. Prior efforts to organize the profession had failed; this one stuck.
The profession establishes its first scientific journal — now known as the Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association (JAPMA) — five years before the national association itself is born. Scientific publication precedes institutional formation.
The New York School of Chiropody — today the New York College of Podiatric Medicine — opens as the first institution in the United States dedicated to formal podiatric education. Standardized training was now possible.
The direct ancestor of the APMA, the National Association of Chiropodists (NAC), is established with 225 founding members drawn from five state-level organizations. Education is the primary concern from the start: between 1912 and 1916, seven new schools are founded.
Dr. M.J. Lewi of New York introduces the term "podiatry" as a cleaner, more precisely medical alternative to chiropody. Though not yet the official name of the profession, the word begins its long ascent into common use.
The NAC formalizes educational oversight with the creation of the Council on Education — the forerunner of today's Council on Podiatric Medical Education — marking a pivotal step toward standardized, accredited podiatric training.
The NAC restructures its annual meeting as a national convention of state delegates, apportioned by dues-paying state society members. A democratic, federated governance model begins to take shape.
Following World War II — which dramatically highlighted the medical importance of foot care among soldiers — the NAC turns its focus to profession-wide concerns: standardizing degrees, titles, curricula, and state practice acts while expanding public relations and scientific research.
After growing pains caused by post-veteran enrollment drops and inadequate staffing, the NAC undertakes a sweeping reorganization: new constitution, new bylaws, new governance structure. The association rebuilds itself from the inside out.
The NAC becomes the American Podiatry Association (APA). The rationale is pragmatic: the public was persistently confused by "chiropody." Podiatry's Greek roots — "foot doctor" — communicate clearly and professionally. An era of identity consolidation begins.
Podiatric schools transition from granting a Doctor of Surgical Chiropody (D.S.C.) to the Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM). The APA drives review and reform of curricula, pushing for interprofessional cooperation and a more rigorous, medically integrated education.
A staff of 15 moves into a purpose-built headquarters building on Chevy Chase Circle in Washington, DC — a symbolic arrival in the nation's capital, signaling the profession's growing legislative ambitions.
The APA becomes the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) — its current name. The addition of "Medical" is deliberate and emphatic: the profession is staking its claim as a full branch of mainstream medicine, not a trade or allied health specialty.
APMA moves to a new headquarters in Bethesda, MD, deepening its proximity to federal health policy institutions and the broader Washington medical-political ecosystem.
The organization relocates again to its current headquarters at 11400 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD — housing approximately 60 professional staff serving nearly 18,000 members across 53 state and territory component societies.
The Name Through History
Each name change reflected not mere branding, but a fundamental renegotiation of the profession's relationship with the medical establishment and the American public.
The Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association was founded in 1907 — five years before the national association itself. A scientific publication existed before the organization that would eventually give it its name.
Part IV
Across all three of its names and more than a century of organizational life, APMA's work has clustered around four enduring concerns.
From the very first years of the NAC (1912–1916 saw seven new schools founded) to the introduction of the DPM degree in the 1960s, and continuing today through the Council on Podiatric Medical Education, formal standardized training has been APMA's central preoccupation from the beginning.
Two major renamings — in 1957 and 1984 — were not cosmetic. Each reflected a hard-fought negotiation over what podiatry is: a trade, an allied health specialty, or a full medical profession. The 1984 addition of "Medical" was the culmination of decades of identity work.
The 1969 move to Washington DC was no accident. APMA has been the legislative voice of podiatrists to Congress, CMS, and state legislatures — fighting for scope-of-practice laws, Medicare physician status, and most recently, the Interstate Podiatric Medical Licensure Compact.
APMA has long worked to shift foot health from a cosmetic concern to a medical priority — sponsoring Foot Health Awareness Month, producing public education materials, addressing diabetic foot care as a critical public health issue, and operating the APMA Seal program for footwear evaluation.
JAPMA — the Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association — predates the APMA itself, founded in 1907. It remains the profession's primary peer-reviewed scientific publication, publishing six issues per year and anchoring podiatry's identity as an evidence-based medical discipline.
The federated model adopted in 1920 — national organization supported by state component societies — remains APMA's structure today, with 53 state and territory components. The House of Delegates ensures that member voices from across the country shape national policy.
Part V
More than 110 years after its founding, APMA continues to evolve — now navigating telehealth policy, Medicare reimbursement battles, licensure compacts, and the growing recognition of podiatry's critical role in diabetes management and preventive care.
11400 Rockville Pike, Suite 220, Rockville, MD — with approximately 60 professional staff serving the membership and the profession at large.
APMA represents approximately 80% of the estimated 18,000 podiatrists practicing in the United States — a vast majority of the profession, across all 50 states and territories.
53 state and territory component societies provide local networks, advocacy, and peer connection — supplemented by 21 affiliated and related specialty societies.
APMA actively advocates before Congress, CMS, and state legislatures on issues including scope-of-practice parity, Medicare physician classification, and the Interstate Podiatric Medical Licensure Compact.
The House of Delegates — the APMA's legislative body — meets annually to set policy. The Board of Trustees handles ongoing governance between meetings, led by an elected President serving a one-year term.
APMA supports continuing education through its Online Learning Center, annual National meeting, and JAPMA — while advocating for strong accreditation standards through the Council on Podiatric Medical Education.