Miami Shores, Fla. – Samir Vakil, DPM, FACFAS, a 1991 graduate of the Barry University School of Podiatric Medicine, will be inducted as president of the Florida Podiatric Medical Association (FPMA) during their annual scientific and management meeting in Orlando on Jan. 20, 2012. More than 250 podiatric physicians and their guests are expected to attend the presidential banquet.
This will be the fourth time a Barry podiatric graduate is elected as president of FPMA. Terence McDonald, DPM ’92 served as president in 2010; Bradley Haves, DPM ’90 served in 2009 and Roger G. Beck, DPM ’90 served in 2006.
Valik served as the president of the Charlotte County Podiatric Medical Association from 2000 to 2008 and was the first vice president of FPMA this year. He is currently in private practice with the Charlotte County Foot and Ankle Doctors in Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte, Florida.
“I am excited about the opportunity to serve my colleagues and the profession of podiatric medicine as president of FPMA,” said Valik. “I plan to work on legislative issues that affect the practice of podiatrists in Florida and will be working with podiatrists in the state to be more involved with hospitals they are affiliated with to help strengthen our profession and its position in the health care delivery system. I would like to see more of our podiatric physicians involved with developing podiatric residency programs with their affiliated hospitals. This will benefit the profession and new graduates seeking high quality residency positions.”
Vakil earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in microbiology at the University of Florida and completed his residency training at St. Francis Central Hospital in Pittsburgh. He also completed an AO Fellowship in trauma in Austria.
He looks forward to working with the Young Practitioners to establish an FPMA Practitioners Data Base that can be used by podiatric physicians and other health care providers as a referral source for the numerous well trained and accomplished physicians with rear foot and ankle surgical training and experience.
“We are all proud of Dr. Vakil, for his accomplishments, and we congratulate him on his election as president of FPMA. It says a lot about the leadership roles Barry graduates are taking in the profession,” said Dr. Jeffrey Jensen, dean and professor of podiatric medicine and surgery for the School of Podiatric Medicine.
Barry University is a private, Catholic institution with a history of academic excellence in the Adrian Dominican tradition. Founded in 1940 in Miami, Florida, the University enrolls nearly 9,000 students and offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs through its nine academic schools and colleges, including Adult & Continuing Education, Business, Education, Human Performance & Leisure Science, Law, Podiatric Medicine, Social Work, Arts & Sciences, and Health Sciences.