Where Are They Now: An Interview with Dr. Diana Rogers by Dr. Ksenja Llazar

Presented by the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery (ABFAS), the Michael L. Stone, DPM, Outstanding Professional Conduct Awards recognize graduating seniors from each podiatric medical college or school who exemplify the highest standards of professionalism, deportment, and ethics in their interactions with peers, patients, professors, and staff.

Selected by their college or school, each recipient receives recognition at the ABFAS Annual Meeting (in conjunction with the ACFAS Annual Scientific Conference), registration and travel cost reimbursement, an opportunity to meet with members of the ABFAS Board of Directors, and a $2,000 cash award. These exceptional students often go on to become acclaimed foot and ankle surgeons and leaders in the field.

Recently, 2024 Stone Award recipient Ksenja Llazar, DPM, sat down with 2008 Stone Award recipient Diana Rogers, DPM, FACFAS, on how the achievement shaped her career, her successes along the way, and setting the record straight on misconceptions about podiatry. Here’s what she had to say…

Ksenja Llazar, DPM (KL): Tell us a little about yourself and how you got involved with ABFAS.

Diana Rogers, DPM, FACFAS (DR): I am a native Floridian, born and raised in Miami, and an avid football fan of Florida State and the Miami Dolphins. My family has had season tickets since 1972, and even when I lived in Chicago for seven years, I flew down on the weekends for games. I have even traveled to London twice to watch them play. Rain or shine, win or lose, I am there when I can be.

When I am not at a sporting event, I can be found traveling, which is my true passion. I have been to 31 countries and all but two U.S. states (North and South Dakota). I also have three awesome step kids that keep us busy at home.

I got involved with ABFAS through my residency program, Westside Regional, as many of my attendings are active with the board or committees, including a past president.

KL: What made you choose podiatry as a career, and what do you love most about foot and ankle surgery?

DR: I was an athletic trainer in a previous life and loved kinesiology. In that role, I focused on evaluating and improving my athletes’ performance and getting them back to sport following injuries. I was always fascinated by gait, biomechanics, and how the foot and ankle function in multiple planes and moving toward a career in foot and ankle surgery was a natural segue. Ultimately, I wanted to be able to not just treat the athletes after surgery, but I wanted to be the one to do the surgery.

KL: How did being a Michael Stone Award winner shape your career?

DR: Being a Stone Award winner reaffirmed by commitment to education. It opened my eyes to the importance of the board certification process and really jumpstarted my interest and dedication to ABFAS. Their mission statement resonated with me in that they seek to "protect and improve the health and welfare of the public by advancing the art and science of foot and ankle surgery. " I have implemented this mission in everything I have done and continue to do—from teaching students, residents, and fellows, to patient care.

KL: What is a misconception you think people have on podiatry and what would you like to say about it?

DR: A common misconception about podiatry is that we are not "physicians " and that we just perform palliative care. The podiatric profession has grown immensely over the past 100 years—just as all other medical professions have. Through rigorous education and training, we have become what we are today: podiatric physicians and surgeons. Our curriculum mirrors our osteopathic and allopathic colleagues, and we are a necessary specialty in the medical profession.

KL: How has ABFAS Board Certification benefitted you in your career?

DR: Being ABFAS Board Certified has allowed higher compensation, surgical privileges, and consulting agreements. It has allowed patients to trust that the physician they chose has achieved the highest standards in surgical certification. Many patients say they chose me specifically because I am ABFAS Board Certified. Amongst our medical colleagues, I have earned a respect simply by being board certified by ABFAS.

KL: What has been the proudest moment in your career?

DR: The day I found out I passed ABFAS Board Certification!