Dean's Chat hosts, Dr. Jeffrey Jensen and Dr. Johanna Richey, are joined by Dr. John Ruch to discuss his distinguished career in podiatric medicine. Dr. Ruch is currently a member of the Emory Decatur Hospital Residency Training Committee. He's also in private practice in Tucker, Georgia.
Dr. Ruch is the son of Stuart J. Ruch, DPM, class of 1950 of the Illinois College of Podiatric Medicine. Dr. John Ruch is a 1973 graduate of the California College of Podiatric Medicine. His podiatry school mentors included many esteemed individuals in podiatric education including Thomas Sgarlato, Phillip Gardner, Merton Root, Bill O'Rien, John Weed, Roy Kroecker, Robert Rutherford, Josh Gerbert, Chris Horine and David Sharp.
He served his first year of surgical residency at Northlake Community Hospital in Northlake, Illinois under historic and innovative podiatric surgeons including Steven Smith and Lowell Weil, Sr.. His 2nd and 3rd years of residency were performed under the auspices of E. Dalton McGlamry in Tucker, GA.
Dr. Ruch was fortunate to mentor under an AO trained orthopedic surgeon, W. Donovan Secrest, DO who introduced him to the AO philosophy and techniques. He completed his podiatric surgical residency training in 1976. He attended both basic and advanced AO courses in Davos, Switzerland in 1976 and 1978. He also mentored with Hans Willenegger and presented how AO techniques were being applied to modern podiatric surgery in America. Dr. Ruch performed the first procedures utilizing AO technique for subtalar joint fusion in 1976 and triple arthrodesis in 1977. The AO method and techniques have now become the fundamental basis for many applications of internal fixation in current foot and ankle surgery.
He has served various duties with the Podiatry Institute and residency training including the Emory Podiatric Medicine and Surgical Residency in Decatur, GA. Dr. Ruch was a co-founder and co-chairman of the AO Podiatric Courses from 1993-2013 along with Kieran Mahan, Charles Gudas and Jack Schuberth. He was co-director of the AAFAO podiatric internal fixation courses from 2014-2019.
Dr. Ruch is currently an adjunct clinical professor of the Emory University School of Medicine, Podiatric Medicine and Surgical Residency. He is honored to rejoin the AO faculty for the current podiatric courses under the guidance of Michael Dujela, Johanna Richey and Graham Hamilton. "Please remember all of those who have come before us."
Enjoy this interview with a true pioneer in our great profession!
