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Proud to train tomorrow's specialists

Excellent foot and ankle care starts with specialists who are highly skilled and committed to their work. To that end, in 2004 we established the American Health Network Fellowship in Foot & Ankle Reconstructive Surgery.

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Our mission

Our fellowship offers rigorous, hands-on experience in a variety of clinical and surgical environments. The goal is to enhance fellows’ expertise and foster leadership development. AHN is proud to support the profession in this way. 

Ready to apply?

Download application

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Program details

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  • Our fellowship is a one-year program that runs from July 1 through June 30. Fellows have privileges at 15 central Indiana hospitals and surgery centers. Fellows usually work at a different hospital or surgery center each day of the week.

    A typical weekly schedule is five days of surgery. This may also be half days for research, clinic time, reading or other areas of interest.

    During this time:

    • Fellows are on-call to assist the staff (usually one day a month at a clinic)
    • Hospital rounds are based on each fellow’s interest and typically include a clinic of post-ops
    • Evenings and weekends are free unless voluntarily covering for a physician 
    • Fellows are treated like colleagues by attending staff

    Indianapolis has a population of nearly 1.75 million. Attractions include low cost of living, a thriving downtown and beautiful scenery. It’s also home to historic universities, world-class museums and galleries, and many professional and college sports teams.

    OR
  • Fellows train with eleven surgical podiatrists, each with different areas of expertise in foot and ankle pathology:

    • J. Michael Miller, DPM, FACFAS, Director of Fellowship Training
    • Douglas Blacklidge, DPM, FACFAS
    • Christopher Winters, DPM, CWS-P
    • Scott Hoffman, DPM, FACFAS
    • Colin Blackburn, DPM, FACFAS
    • Andrew P. Kapsalis, DPM, AACFAS
    • Joshua Fisher, DPM, AACFAS
    • Elizabeth Chan, DPM, AACFAS
    • Tyler McKee, DPM, AACFAS
    • Brian Elliott, DPM, FACFAS (Major Orthopedics)
    • William Adams, DPM, FACFAS (Hancock Regional Hospital)
    OR
  • The fellowship provides intensive hands-on learning tailored to individual needs. You’ll work with residents from two local programs. You can also scrub in with other area surgeons.

    Areas of focus include:

    • Primary and revision foot and ankle reconstruction
    • Advanced techniques in internal
    • Peripheral nerve surgery
    • Diabetic foot and ankle reconstruction and limb salvage
    • Arthroscopy
    • Pediatrics
    • Some foot and ankle trauma

    A typical surgical caseload is:

    • 700–1,000 cases (about 2,000 procedures) a year
    • 65–75 cases (about 165 procedures) per month
    • About 30–35% hindfoot/ankle cases
    • Well-rounded in quality, diversity and primary and revision surgery
    OR
  • A typical annual caseload includes:

    Ankle arthrodesis: 20
    Total ankle replacement: 15
    ORIF ankle/calc/talus: 15
    ORIF LisFranc/5th met/etc.: 15
    Double/triple arthrodesis: 25
    Achilles rupture repair: 15
    Peripheral nerve surgery: 30
    Isolated hindfoot arthrodesis: 40
    Charcot reconstruction: 10
    Pediatric flatfoot surgery: 20
    Midfoot arthrodesis: 30
    Lateral ankle stab: 30
    Lapidus bunionectomy: 100
    Flatfoot reconstruction: 50
    Ankle arthroscopy: 20
    1st MPJ arthrodesis: 40

    OR
  • To facilitate the move to an independent practice, our program includes exposure to:

    • Staff clinics that see 40–60 patients per day — a combined population that approximates 700 patients a week
    • Wide variety of patient pathologies
    • The opportunity to observe or participate in staff clinics based on individual interest
    • Pre- and post-operative patient visits
    • Fellow clinic one half-day each week; the fellow independently manages patients
    • Practice management training, including office efficiency and clinical and surgical billing
    • Monthly AHN podiatry practice management meeting
    OR
  • Academic highlights of the fellowship include:

    • Monthly fellow-driven case conferences and grand rounds for AHN and area podiatrists
    • Opportunities to take part in journal clubs and other academic sessions with local residency programs
    • Opportunities to visit the practices of other foot and ankle surgeons throughout the country

    Research requirements include:

    • Completing two publishable papers during the fellowship year
    • Participating in ongoing long-term study projects
    • Obtaining IRB approval for new research from any of three different local hospital systems
    • Submitting one or more projects to the annual ACFAS National Conference for manuscript or poster presentation

    All fellows will be given access to the Indiana University School of Medicine Library.

    OR
  • Requirements include:

    • Completion of a three-year, CPME-approved podiatric surgical residency program
    • Current CV
    • Current photo
    • Three letters of recommendation
    • Candidates must be self-directed; this is a fellow-first, fellow-motivated program
    • Committed to advancing your education and the fellowship program at large
    • Able to commute 200–250 miles a week; a reliable vehicle is necessary
    OR
  • Benefits for the fellowship year include:

    • $60,000 stipend 
    • All credentials, including hospital privileges and insurance, are paid for by AHN
    • Malpractice insurance, health insurance and 401k 
    • CME stipend 
    • Attendance at scientific meetings and instructional courses 
    • Invitations to industry-sponsored courses for fellows and young physicians
    • Required attendance at the annual ACFAS National Conference
    OR
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Want to learn more?

Contact:
J. Michael Miller, DPM, FACFAS
American Health Network of Indiana, LLC
8607 E. US 36
Avon, IN 46123
1-317-208-3890

jmm@jmichaelmiller.com

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About American Health Network (AHN)

AHN is a multispecialty group of physicians. We provide services and financial support to medical practices in Indianapolis, central Indiana and Ohio. Our foot and ankle group sees patients referred by AHN doctors and those outside our network.