The AMA is calling for a ban on podiatrists calling themselves a ‘surgeon’ — warning patients could be misled into believing they are being operated on by an orthopaedic surgeon.

Podiatric surgeons are podiatrists who are allowed to perform procedures such as hallux valgus corrections and reconstructive surgery of the foot and ankle, despite not having a medical degree

They have completed a fellowship through the Australasian College of Podiatric Surgeons, with training typically taking six years, but the AMA argues this is not to the standard accepted by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS).

“Podiatric surgery is the only form of human medical treatment where a person other than a doctor can take a scalpel and cut into a patient,” an AMA submission to an independent review on the regulation of podiatrists said.