Rearfoot / Ankle · Reconstructive · Advanced
Rideshare Ankles
Podiatric surgery residency interview case. Work through it the way you would at an interview: take the history, ask for the exam and imaging, then commit to a diagnosis and plan.
Chief complaint
"Both my feet and ankles hurt, mostly on the inside."
51-year-old woman who drives for a rideshare service, seen in the podiatry clinic.
History of present illness
Bilateral foot and ankle pain centered on the medial arch and medial ankle, left worse than right. The pain is intense.
- Onset, duration, course, aggravating and relieving factors and prior treatment were not recorded in the source
- No recent trauma reported; no fever or constitutional symptoms
Questions a strong candidate asks at this step
- Onset, duration and course; one side first or both together?
- Location: medial arch, medial ankle, lateral sinus tarsi
- Aggravating and relieving factors; walking tolerance; stairs
- Prior treatment: orthoses, bracing, injections, physical therapy
- Trauma; change in arch shape or heel position
- Numbness, tingling, burning (diabetic neuropathy)
Present the rest of the case
Past history, exam, imaging, assessment, plan and discussion questions, with model answers, are in the interactive trainer. The diagnosis is kept there on purpose so you can practice committing to one.