The National APMA Annual Scientific Meeting Highlights

Podiatry Looks Ahead

The 2026 APMA Annual Scientific Meeting was held in Nashville August 6-9 and offered a broad look at where podiatric practice is headed, with emerging treatments and evolving surgical techniques prominent throughout the program. Minimally invasive surgery received significant attention, alongside sessions on regenerative medicine, new drug and therapeutic trends, and advances in diabetic limb preservation and wound care.

The meeting also reflected the increasingly multidisciplinary nature of podiatric care, with discussions spanning painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy, vascular disease, wound healing, pain management and perioperative considerations–including the impact of GLP-1 medications. Overall, the program underscored a specialty balancing technological and therapeutic innovation with practical strategies aimed at improving outcomes for increasingly complex patients.

LER publisher and CEO was in attendance at this year’s meeting and noted that the future of podiatric education appears to be evolving beyond clinical excellence.

“It’s exciting to see the vision taking shape. One of the biggest takeaways from this year’s APMA National Meeting is a renewed commitment to helping physicians succeed beyond clinical excellence. The focus is expanding to include the core competencies that drive long-term success, including leadership, practice management, advocacy, reimbursement, coding, and the business side of medicine.

It’s also encouraging to see APMA reimagining the traditional conference model. Rather than simply hosting another trade show, the goal is to create a more engaging, collaborative experience that strengthens connections with members and delivers education that has a meaningful impact long after the meeting ends.”

Looking ahead, APMA is preparing to launch a new conference in Washington, D.C., in September 2027, centered around leadership, advocacy, reimbursement, coding, and the skills physicians need to thrive in today’s healthcare environment.

“The profession continues to evolve, and so should the way we learn, connect, and lead. I’m looking forward to seeing this next chapter unfold and applaud the leadership for thinking differently about what the future of education can be.” Rich Dubin