Medstars in their Eyes | Mr Mark Foster
Medstars caught up with Birmingham-based podiatrist, Mr Mark Foster, and luckily we didn’t get off on the wrong foot… (Cue tumbleweed moment.)
A matter of fact, knowledgeable and confident man, Mark has almost 20 years’ experience in podiatry. Providing a holistic approach to healthcare, Mark has aligned himself with physio, osteopathic and chiropractic therapists to gain as much experience in musculoskeletal pathology as possible. He is also held in high-esteem by foot and ankle surgeons in the region, with whom he collaborates.
Constantly striving for professional development, Mark has also trained in podiatric acupuncture and joint mobilisation, which he refined on a trip to Australia where he spent some time with a musculoskeletal doctor in Sydney – I guess you could say Mark is always one step ahead!
So, let’s hear from Mark himself before we make any more terrible podiatry puns…
My friends and family describe me as…
“I would hope, trustworthy, knowledgeable and humorous.”
If I wasn’t a podiatrist, I would be a…
“Researcher or a Sports Medicine Podiatrist. I was recently lucky enough to be involved in a piece of research at Staffordshire University run by their Sports Science Department testing a piece of equipment developed by another podiatrist. Research is ultimately the search for truth, it is painstaking and slow in parts but exciting in others and there is a nobility in that overall quest. So perhaps a researcher. On the other hand, the Sports Medicine lot have got some great looking toys that would give me the opportunity to look at the same things I do now but in a different way.”
I love my job because…
“There are so many things I love but I suppose it’s always about the people, either the aspect of helping them, getting to know them and having the opportunity meet unusual, interesting characters. It’s also a privilege to be entrusted with a part of their health.”
My greatest professional accomplishment is…
“I would say teaching back at the School of Podiatry and knowing that I have managed to instil some of my own enthusiasm in fellow travellers on the path.”
My greatest personal accomplishment is…
“I do a bit of volunteering at a horse and animal sanctuary locally. Honestly, horses frighten me and always have. I have grown up in the country with every opportunity to learn to ride but I never did. However, for all their power and size they are easily floored by any number of different things. They are widely mistreated and display signs of anxiety, stress, and even broken-heartedness – just like we do. It is worth tackling that fear to understand a creature better. I’m not sure if you’d call it “great” but I feel I can pat myself on the back.”
Someone that inspires me is…
“Most recently a patient of mine. He is about 10 years younger than me and was born with bilateral CTEV (Club foot). He’s a residential carer for adults with autism, gets paid little and works horrendous hours. But when you talk to him, nothing but gratitude shines through. He never complains, has time for everyone and is loved by everyone in his life. When I find myself mithering about the weather, the traffic or any of the myriad other things that just don’t matter, I think of him. That guy has got the important stuff right.”
The best advice I’ve been given is…
“Always do what is right for the patient.”
My favourite place to visit is…
“Widemouth Bay in Cornwall. There’s pretty much always a wave to surf, (although these days it’s more falling off), and it’s perfectly west-facing so the sun always sets over the sea.”
The song that makes me happy is… (or should we say what music gets a podiatrist’s foot tapping?!)
“Easy. Mr Blue Sky by ELO.”
I like Medstars because of…
“Their human approach, both with practitioners and patients.”
You can book a consultation with Mr Mark Foster, who has expertise in biomechanics and orthatics and an interest in acupuncture, corns and calluses, diabetic feet, wound care and ingrowing toenails, here.
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