Podiatry Unfiltered

The Medi-Pedi Comeback: Foot Wellness, Athlete Recovery & the Private Practice Advantage Michele McGowan records from an RV trip to Myrtle Beach and Virginia Beach, reflecting on how private practice independence lets her build a schedule around family and avoid asking permission. She shares a decade-long lesson from opening a separate “Natural Nail Spa” in 2012, running it alongside her podia...

Dr. Michele McGowan explains why small and independent podiatry practices should add in-house 3D printed custom orthotics as a profitable, patient-benefiting service with faster turnaround than traditional lab-made devices. She contrasts the old model—casting/scanning, paying labs $80–$150+ per pair, and waiting 4+ weeks—with her OLT-based workflow: a 2-minute iPhone scan, cloud prescription, quic...

I explains how I redesigned office staffing by hiring motivated gap year students (future med, PA, and NP applicants) for front office, back office, and billing roles to address rising costs while staying profitable. I share the uncomfortable reality of balancing being a good employer with financial sustainability, and compares her model to McDonald’s: young workers guided by one experienced manag...

Podiatrist Michele McGowan reflects on how private practices across specialties are facing the same pressures—lower reimbursement, higher overhead, rising payroll and supply costs, growing administrative burden, private equity acquisitions, and hospital systems absorbing independent medicine—despite independent practices being profitable and valuable. She explains how she and her husband transform...

Why I Quit Podiatric Surgery After 20 Years (And My Practice Got Better) Michele McGowan of Podiatry Unfiltered reflects on Muhammad Ali’s late-career fights to introduce the uncomfortable idea that quitting can be a win, then explains why she stopped doing surgery after 20 years in private practice. Trained in a strong surgical residency at West Penn Hospital, she built her own Florida practice a...

Podiatry Unfiltered: Ethical “Selling” That Builds Trust (Shockwave, Laser & Real Treatment Plans) Dr. Michele McGowan and Dr. Tim Henne discuss how podiatrists can confidently and ethically present non-surgical treatments by building trust, focusing on patient “discovery,” and recommending plans with conviction rather than apologizing for costs or options. Using a chronic plantar fasciitis ca...

How to Implement Extracorporeal Shockwave (SoftWave TRT) in a Podiatry Practice | Webinar Replay (April 2026) Michelle McGowan (Podiatry Unfiltered/Independent Podiatrist Network) shares an April 2026 webinar on implementing extracorporeal shockwave therapy—especially SoftWave TRT—in a podiatry office, joined by Dr. Tim Henny and SoftWave specialist Liz Keener. She explains the three commonly disc...

In episode 12 of Podiatry Unfiltered, Dr. Michele McGowan shares how the book “10X Is Easier Than 2X” reshaped her mindset and improved her hybrid podiatry practice by shifting from chasing volume to delivering higher-value care. She argues that “2x” thinking leads doctors to add more low-reimbursement visits, longer days, and more staff while increasing burnout without doubling profit, calling th...

Podiatry Unfiltered: Real Talk. Real Practice. No Filters. Skip the sugarcoating and get the honest truth about what it takes to survive and thrive as an independent podiatrist. Hosted by Dr. Michele McGowan, a practice owner with 25+ years of experience, this podcast tackles the real challenges of building and running your own podiatry practice—from the business side nobody teaches you in school...

Dr. Michele McGowan shares a case of a patient with plantar fasciitis and peroneal tendonitis who couldn’t take steroids or anti-inflammatories, leading to a discussion of conservative care and a continuum of options including SoftWave (shockwave) therapy, possible laser, and custom orthotics, with surgery as a last resort. After a brief orthopedic visit where surgery was recommended and regenerat...

We all know insurance companies are the evil ones constantly trying to destroy the doctor patient relationship. This last podcast was an attempted walk and talk that turned into clips in my backyard.(walking and filming is hard if you are a one man show ) more clips to come but if you are a student or podiatry resident private practice is not dead. You need to practice intentionally and provide be...

Remember that conference booth you avoided because the technology seemed too expensive? That might be costing you more than you think. In this episode, I share the story of how I almost missed one of the best investments I ever made for my practice—all because I was too skeptical to even make eye contact with the vendor at a regenerative medicine conference. I talk about my journey from walking pa...

In this episode, Dr. Michele McGowan gets real about the state of modern podiatry and shares why independent practitioners have a massive advantage right now. Michele breaks down: Why regenerative medicine certifications (like ACPPS) are essential for staying competitive The harsh reality of reimbursement changes since the "golden era" of podiatry How 3D printing custom orthotics transformed her p...

In episode six of Podiatry Unfiltered, Michele McGowan discusses the challenges and misconceptions around starting and running an independent podiatry practice. She emphasizes the importance of taking action despite imperfections and argues against waiting for the perfect time or having everything perfectly organized. Drawing from her experiences at the FPMA SAM conference, Michele shares insights...

In this episode of Podiatry Unfiltered, the Dr. McGowan discusses the benefits and implementation of regenerative medicine in podiatric practice, specifically focusing on fat pad restoration. The episode covers why regenerative medicine is a viable option for patients suffering from conditions like IPKs, metatarsal pain, and plantar fasciitis, emphasizing its effectiveness and patient satisfaction...

In this episode of Podiatry Unfiltered, Michele McGowan opens up about personal challenges including a tragic family loss and the fast-paced events surrounding her sister's cancer diagnosis. Reflecting on these experiences, she emphasizes the importance of not delaying personal and professional goals. Michele discusses an unexpected offer from a private equity group to buy her practice and the sub...

The primary focus of our discussion today centers on the implementation and advantages of Class 4 laser therapy within podiatric practice. I have received numerous correspondences from both younger and more seasoned podiatrists expressing feelings of disillusionment and uncertainty regarding their professional trajectories. It is imperative to acknowledge that we are not alone in grappling with th...

Welcome to Podiatry Unfiltered — the podcast for private practice podiatrists who are done with burnout, low reimbursements, and hamster-wheel medicine. 👋 I’m Dr. Michele McGowan… and today we’re ripping off the Band-Aid. In this episode, I ask one uncomfortable—but necessary—question: 👉 What would happen to your practice if you stopped doing the lowest reimbursing services completely? Yep. I sa...

In this first episode of Podiatry Unfiltered, I’m opening the doors wide and letting you into the part of my career most doctors would never talk about — the messy middle. No filters. No polished success story. Just the truth. I’m sharing how I started my practice back in 2002 with more drive than experience… how we grew into three busy offices… how I had three kids while building a business… and...

A quick preview of what's coming on Podiatry Unfiltered . In this short trailer, Dr. Michele McGowan explains the mission of the show and why honesty matters now more than ever in independent podiatry. Subscribe for conversations about private practice growth, innovation, AI, new treatments, leadership, and the real challenges podiatrists face every day.