Dean's Chat - All Things Podiatric Medicine

Dr. Jeffrey Jensen

Welcome to Dean's Chat, where we go inside the world of podiatric medicine. Your hosts, Drs. Jensen and Richey, highlight the organizations, leaders, and voices in the podiatry profession. Join me each week for discussions on all things podiatry including clinical, academic, research, administrative, and even politics within our great field. We will cover many topics in podiatry, raise some questions, find some answers, dive deep into some challenges, and shine a positive light on Podiatric Medicine's inner workings...and hopefully, get you involved in the podiatry field! Dean's Chat includes conversations with leaders in the podiatric profession including Deans, Residency Directors, Faculty, Researchers, and Entrepreneurs. The conversations include podiatric medical students, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd-year residents, and young practitioners. They convey the podiatry educational journey to students entering the field of podiatric medicine where they become physicians and surgeons treating the foot and ankle. So come along for the ride, follow us now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you enjoy your shows.

  1. FEB 13

    Ep. 300 - What We've Learned From the Podiatric Profession!

    300th episode "What we have learned from over 300 interviews!"Welcome to this special episode celebrating the 300th installment of Dean’s Chat! Join Drs. Jensen and Richey as they reflect on the insights, lessons, and recurring themes that have emerged from conversations with more than 300 individuals across the podiatric profession.This episode is sponsored by the American Podiatric Medical Association! Throughout these discussions, several powerful messages have consistently risen to the surface. One of the most common is that no career path is truly linear. While medical training often follows a structured and predictable framework, many guests emphasized the importance of recognizing opportunities, embracing change, and leaning into the aspects of practice that bring genuine joy. It has been especially inspiring to hear the wide range of ways podiatrists have found fulfillment—across medicine, surgery, education, leadership, and life beyond the clinic—by sharing their unique talents and expertise.Another clear theme has been the exceptional quality of our students. Today’s podiatric students are highly motivated, deeply engaged, and purpose driven, and they are helping to shape and advance the future of the profession.We are also continually reminded that our profession is rich with talent. From clinicians and educators to innovators and advocates, podiatry thrives because of the collective strength of its people. Our sponsors play a vital role in this ecosystem as well—supporting advocacy efforts, workshops, leadership development, and continuing medical education. No one succeeds alone, and together we are stronger.Finally, leadership has emerged as a central topic, defined by courage, integrity, and passion. We highlight the diverse ways our guests have demonstrated leadership and made meaningful contributions to the profession.We are grateful for this journey and deeply appreciative of you—our audience—for your time, enthusiasm, and thoughtful feedback. The future of podiatry is bright, and we’re excited for what lies ahead.

    20 min
  2. JAN 30

    Ep. 296 - Lawrence Oloff, DPM, FACFAS - CCPM Dean, Sports Medicine for Professional teams!

    Hello everyone! In this episode of Dean’s Chat Drs. Jensen and Richey have an in-depth conversation with Dr. Lawrence Oloff, a highly influential podiatric surgeon, educator, and sports medicine specialist. The interview spans Dr. Oloff’s career, the evolution of podiatry, and his experiences at the highest levels of academic medicine and professional sports.Join us as we discuss “All things podiatric medicine and surgery” including Dr. Oloff’s Career Path & Leadership. Dr. Oloff trained at Pennsylvania College of Podiatric Medicine, he served as faculty at multiple podiatric institutions, including the California College of Podiatric Medicine and was Dr. Jensen’s Dean when he graduated from Podiatric Medial School. Most recently, Dr. Oloff became full-time faculty at UCSF and remains the program director for St. Mary’s Hospital - podiatric residency program as part of the Department of Orthopedics. He now practices alongside orthopedic foot-and-ankle surgeons, operating equally within a top-tier academic medical center—an example of podiatry’s integration into mainstream medicine.He has chaired national academic boards and played a major role in advancing multi-year residency training and residency placement for graduates. A leader in the advancement of Podiatric Surgical Sports medicine, Dr. Oloff has served as team podiatrist for elite organizations including the San Francisco Giants (over 25 years), 49ers, Warriors, Stanford University, and others. He emphasizes: the importance of being a team player over asserting ego; Judicious decision-making, especially around return-to-play; Learning directly from trainers and real-world experience; The pressure, risk, and legal exposure involved in treating professional athletes.Throughout the interview, Dr. Oloff reflects on earlier decades when podiatrists had to “break down doors” to gain hospital privileges and professional respect. Compared to that era, today’s podiatry offers far greater opportunity, visibility, and integration, though challenges remain. He stresses that good surgery is not about technical skill alone, but about knowing when not to operate, understanding biomechanics, planning several steps ahead, and remaining humble.He credits mentors like Dr. Alan Jacobs and underscores the importance of rigorous academics, interdisciplinary collaboration, and lifelong learning. Overall, this episode is a rich oral history of modern podiatry—highlighting its struggles, growth, and future potential—through the lens of one of its most accomplished leaders.

    57 min

About

Welcome to Dean's Chat, where we go inside the world of podiatric medicine. Your hosts, Drs. Jensen and Richey, highlight the organizations, leaders, and voices in the podiatry profession. Join me each week for discussions on all things podiatry including clinical, academic, research, administrative, and even politics within our great field. We will cover many topics in podiatry, raise some questions, find some answers, dive deep into some challenges, and shine a positive light on Podiatric Medicine's inner workings...and hopefully, get you involved in the podiatry field! Dean's Chat includes conversations with leaders in the podiatric profession including Deans, Residency Directors, Faculty, Researchers, and Entrepreneurs. The conversations include podiatric medical students, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd-year residents, and young practitioners. They convey the podiatry educational journey to students entering the field of podiatric medicine where they become physicians and surgeons treating the foot and ankle. So come along for the ride, follow us now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you enjoy your shows.