Skip to content.
California Podiatric Medical Association

Accomplishments of the CPMA

For over 95 years CPMA has blazed the way for virtually every step of progress made by California ’s podiatric medical profession. Its growth from a peripheral medical discipline to mainstream medicine is a history of progressive representation by CPMA. And, the enhanced stand in medicine today of California’s doctors of podiatric medicine can be traced to legislative victories by CPMA/APMA. These include:

  • The right to perform complete histories and physicals in Medicare/
  • Medi-Cal
  • The right to perform amputations
  • The right for DPMs to assist outside scope of practice
  • The right to perform surgery within scope of practice
  • The right to prescribe prescription medications
  • The right to administer local anesthetics
  • JCAHO recognition of podiatric physicians as qualified members of hospital staff
  • The right to perform, read and interpret x-rays
  • The Veterans Administration inclusion of podiatry in the division of medicine and surgery.
  • Establishment of Podiatric Residency programs
  • The availability of state funds for podiatric medical students
  • The right to perform complete histories and physicals in the State of California
  • Clarification of language guaranteeing DPMs ’ right to surgically treat ankles
  • Surgery center privileges for DPMs
  • The right to form MD/DPM partnerships
  • The right to supervise PAs within the scope of licensure
  • The right to allow DPMs to expand the names they may use for their practices
  • Establishment of a DPM seat on California ’s Industrial Medical Council (Workers’ Compensation)

.