With 26 bones, 30 joints and dozens of muscles, tendons and ligaments, the foot is a delicate and complex appendage that requires a specialist like Dr. Jascha Teibel ’16. The SUNY Potsdam alumnus is just four years removed from SUNY Potsdam and is already practicing medicine, and following in his father’s footsteps to be a podiatrist.
After receiving his biochemistry degree from SUNY Potsdam, Teibel hit the ground running and immediately entered podiatry school where he just received his DPM (Doctor of Podiatric Medicine) from Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine at Rosalind Franklin University. In July, he started a three-year residency at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in Chicago, beginning this summer with medical work at Stroger Cook County Hospital.
“Since I started, I've been on call many times, often to the emergency department, where we assist in treatment of foot fractures and infections,” he said. “We also spend four or five days in our clinic seeing patients with a variety of pedal pathologies. Most Mondays I'm in the operating room performing surgeries, oftentimes including amputations at various levels of the foot.”
When he finishes his residency, Teibel plans to join his father, Dr. Jeff Teibel, at his podiatry practice in Rochester, N.Y.—working alongside him to help patients dealing with everything from foot fractures to infections. Eventually, Teibel will take over the family business when his dad retires. The move will bring him full circle. Back when he was still a student at SUNY Potsdam, he knew that he wanted to be a doctor, but he wasn’t sure which field of medicine. So, he shadowed his father for a few weeks to see if it was a good fit. “I realized that this is something I could see myself doing for the rest my life—it was a significant experience for me,” he recalled.
That opportunity inspired him to launch a career as a podiatrist, but it was his professors at SUNY Potsdam that helped pave the way. “I had a lot of support from the chemistry department at SUNY Potsdam. They helped me prepare for my podiatry school interviews, and always had their offices open for any questions I may have,” he said.
He took all the prerequisites for podiatry school inside the walls of SUNY Potsdam’s Stowell Hall, working closely with Dr. Martin Walker, a professor in the department who guided him through the complexities of organic chemistry. After taking three different organic chemistry classes with Walker, Teibel went on to join his organic chemistry research group, and then worked as a teaching assistant in his organic chemistry lab. “Dr. Walker was always very patient and kind. He really helped mold me into the doctor I am today. I couldn’t have done it without him and his support,” he said.
As he transitions from student to doctor, he’s facing new challenges—both the responsibility of treating patients for the first time, and the stress of working in the medical field during the global pandemic. Despite the hurdles, he continues to put his education to the test in Chicago where he’s developing real-world skills, and building the framework for a career with his father.
Article by Jason Hunter