Podiatric Medicine and Surgery Residency Program
The Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center (CNVAMC) in Augusta, Georgia, hosts a 3-year Podiatric Medicine and Surgery Residency (PMSR-RRA). Since 1983, CNVAMC has sponsored a Podiatry Residency – graduating one resident per year since its inception. The program gives residents exposure to the needs of Veterans as well as private practice patients in both outpatient and inpatient clinical and surgical environments.
Residents not only work with the attendings at the CNVAMC, but also work with attendings at Augusta University, and private practices in the Augusta area. This program offers the ability to graduate from a residency approved and accredited by the Council on Podiatric Medical Education (CPME), but it also gives the resident the flexibility to take podiatry in a direction of their own interest.
Whether the resident wants to focus on research, surgery, medicine, biomechanics, limb salvage, vascular, CNVAMC offers that opportunity. This residency also offers billing and coding exposure (this is a career long endeavor). Furthermore, through the podiatry and non-podiatry rotations, CNVAMC residents will also experience the influence of medical conditions above the lower leg and ankle, especially cardiovascular, neurologic, lumbar spine etiologies. Residents will experience managing patients in the spinal cord unit. CNVAMC is one of the region’s leading spinal cord injury units. The goal of this residency program is to develop residents into a well-rounded compassionate podiatric physician.
This is a busy residency, as there is only one resident per year. First year residents can expect to be in the OR within the first month. There is no competition with other first year podiatry residents, and teamwork is essential. This residency requires initiative, motivation, discipline, time-management, and the willingness to always want to learn more.
About our organization
Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center
Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center provides services to more than 50,000 Veterans each year at 5 locations in Georgia and South Carolina. Facilities include two hospital sites in Augusta, Georgia, and 3 community-based outpatient clinics in Athens and Statesboro, Georgia; and Aiken, South Carolina. As a high-complexity healthcare system, Charlie Norwood VAMC employs more than 2,700 personnel and offers several specialty healthcare programs for Veterans, including blind rehab, intensive psychiatric community care, restorative nursing home care, Alzheimer’s disease care, spinal cord injury treatment, comprehensive women’s health services, and stroke rehabilitation. Charlie Norwood VAMC is also a leader in the VA’s Whole Health approach to care, which seeks to place the Veteran in control of their health planning and offer comprehensive care that extends beyond physical needs, such as mental health, social services, nutrition and exercise, and alternative therapies. Through partnerships with neighboring healthcare systems, colleges and universities, and the U.S. Army Dwight D. Eisenhower Medical Center, Charlie Norwood VAMC provides medical and allied health training to more than 700 students and residents every year and conducts cutting-edge research to promote better health outcomes for Veterans and the surrounding community.
Why Augusta?
Augusta, Georgia, is one of the nation’s most dynamic and historic cities. With its affordable housing, strong schools, and numerous parks, the Augusta area is a great place to call home; in fact, Money Magazine named the nearby suburb of Evans as the “best place to live in America” in 2020 and U.S. News and World Report ranked Augusta as the top metro area to live and retire in Georgia. As home to The Masters, Augusta is also the golf capital of the world and is a short drive from major sports venues in Atlanta and nearby college powerhouses the University of Georgia and Clemson University. In less than a few hours, one can be to the beaches of the Atlantic Ocean, the historic cities of Savannah and Charleston, or the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina. Local outdoor recreation abounds, also, such as the Serene 18 Paddle Trail. And if a vibrant music scene is more your tune, Augusta has produced giants such as master of soul James Brown, opera legend Jessye Norman, and country band Lady A; future stars perform live music locally each week, often at some of the more than 100 restaurants and breweries across the region.
Plus, Aiken, South Carolina was named "best small town in the South" by Southern Living Magazine in 2018. Aiken his known for many things including equine pursuits, the arts, sporting facilities, nature, and even playing a part in our country's railroad birth and our fight in the cold war era.
For more information, please visit our About Us section. About Us | VA Augusta Health Care | Veterans Affairs
Medical Students / Clerkships / Externships
Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center also offers clerkship opportunities for students to learn more about the residency program. Though not mandatory to do an externship, students are highly encouraged to rotate. Clerkship information can be found on the American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine (AACPM) website. There is a clerkship link on the top of the AACPM webpage.
The American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine (aacpm.org)
AACPM :: Clerkship (dpmclerkships.org)
Students apply through the clerkship matching process through their podiatry school.
Once students are accepted and scheduled to rotate at the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, students must contact Mrs. Kimberley Lowe, kimberley.lowe@va.gov, at least two months prior to their scheduled rotation month to coordinate in processing. (Please note that if you are at another VA prior to coming to CNVAMC, make certain that the prior VA does NOT out process you and deactivate your VA badge. Contact Mrs. Lowe for more information.) In processing is done at the UPTOWN Division, One Freedom Way, Augusta, GA, 30904. Students may not start their rotation until in processed and released by Mrs. Lowe.
Once released, students come to the DOWNTOWN Division, 950 15th Street, Augusta, GA, 30901. Parking is behind the hospital, either in the parking garage (2nd or 3rd deck) near the McDonald’s on Walton Way or in the open lot. The Podiatry Clinic is on the 4th floor, “C” Wing. Check in to the Podiatry Residents Room 4C153.
How to apply
We fill one residency position annually and participate in the Central Application Service for Podiatric Residencies for resident selection. Please follow the standard podiatric application process.
Training experience
Cadaver Lab
Journal club monthly
Attending and Resident lectures
M&M conferences
Augusta University Orthopedic morning report and lectures
Didactic sessions
Weekly meetings and surgical case reviews
Weekly Vascular conference
Current rotations outside of podiatry
Anesthesiology
Behavioral Science
Emergency Medicine
General Surgery
Infectious Disease
Medical Imaging
Medicine
Orthopedics and Trauma
Pain Management / Addiction Medicine
Pediatric Orthopedics
Plastic Surgery
Rheumatology
Vascular Surgery
Additional benefits
Foot and Ankle Surgical Academy Website Access (PGY 1, 2, 3)
Board Wizards Website Access (ABFAS and ABPM) – board preparation (PGY 1, 2, 3)
Podiatry Institute Rearfoot and Ankle Course (PGY-2)
ACFAS - Arthroscopy course (PGY – 3)
Use of McGlamry’s Foot and Ankle Surgery, Fifth Edition (each resident gets their own set of books to use but, unfortunately, due to Federal regulations, the resident may not keep the books after graduation.)
Competitive salary / Medical / Dental
ABFAS / ABPM in-training exams (ITE) (PGY 1, 2, 3)
CME Conferences (PGY 1, 2, 3)
BLS/ACLS through Talent Management System (TMS)
Online medical library
Free parking
Locations
CNVAMC – Downtown campus
Augusta University
Evans Surgery Center
Surgery Center Columbia County
Augusta Foot and Ankle
We welcome any questions you may have regarding our Podiatric Medicine and Surgery Residency Program
Francis Castillo DPM
Attending
VA Augusta health care
Mickey D. Stapp DPM
Faculty
VA Augusta health care
Trevor S. Payne DPM
Faculty
VA Augusta health care
Christopher Menke DPM
Faculty
VA Augusta health care
