Professional Profile

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Education

Dr. Brandon M. Brooks pursued a Bachelor of Science in Biology at Saint Leo University, where he distinguished himself as a scholar and leader, earning recognition as one of the youngest alumni to receive high professional honors. He then earned his Doctor of Podiatric Medicine from Barry University School of Podiatric Medicine, where he was recognized for his academic excellence, leadership qualities, and commitment to patient-centered care. He later completed a residency in podiatric medicine and surgery at the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, gaining extensive surgical experience and serving as chief resident. Building on this foundation, he completed a fellowship in podiatric public health at Dartmouth College and earned a Master of Public Health at the Geisel School of Medicine, focusing on epidemiology, biostatistics, and healthcare improvement.

Experience

Dr. Brooks has held key professional roles that reflect both clinical expertise and administrative leadership. As a podiatrist at the Columbia VA Health Care System, he provides advanced surgical and medical care for veterans, while also serving as Interim Chief of Podiatry where he restructured systems to improve access and quality of care. His earlier experience includes serving as an associate physician at Physicians Footcare, where he treated a wide range of complex foot and ankle conditions. He has also served as a teaching assistant at Dartmouth, supporting graduate-level instruction in epidemiology and health statistics. His leadership roles extend beyond clinical practice, including treasurer and board member of the American College of Podiatric Medicine, as well as contributions to national committees focused on education, advocacy, and clinical practice improvement.

Research Interest

Dr. Brooks’ research interests are centered on limb preservation, pain management, public health approaches in podiatry, and the integration of mental health in diabetic foot care. He has pioneered several innovative frameworks, such as the Saint Dymphna Modification to wound classification, which incorporates depression as a determinant of healing, and novel opioid prescribing guidelines tailored to foot and ankle surgery. His studies have addressed pressing issues including opioid misuse, postoperative pain outcomes, and patient-centered approaches to clinical decision-making. He is also passionate about bridging gaps between public health and podiatric medicine through large-scale studies, systematic reviews, and quality improvement projects. His work consistently emphasizes practical, evidence-based solutions that improve patient outcomes and influence national practice guidelines.

Awards and Honors

Dr. Brooks has received numerous awards that recognize his leadership, innovation, and academic contributions. At Dartmouth, he was honored with the Henry Masters Award for his lasting impact on healthcare and excellence in his Master of Public Health program. His research has earned multiple first-place poster awards at major conferences, including the American Podiatric Medical Association and the American Society of Podiatric Surgeons, for groundbreaking studies on opioid prescribing, limb preservation, and the intersection of depression with diabetic foot disease. He has also been recognized with distinguished alumni awards from Saint Leo University, as well as monetary awards for exceptional service at the Veterans Affairs Health System. These accolades reflect his ability to translate research into meaningful change in both clinical and community settings.

Research Skill

Dr. Brooks possesses advanced research skills that span quantitative and qualitative methodologies, including cross-sectional studies, systematic reviews, data analysis, and quality improvement initiatives. He is highly skilled in epidemiology and biostatistics, applying these competencies to investigate health disparities, prescribing practices, and patient-centered outcomes. His ability to design innovative frameworks, such as opioid prescribing models and novel classification systems, demonstrates creativity and scientific rigor. He has experience mentoring students in research design, statistical analysis, and academic writing, contributing to the development of future healthcare scholars. Additionally, his role as a peer reviewer for leading journals underscores his expertise in critically appraising scientific literature. These skills, combined with his clinical insight, enable him to conduct impactful research that directly informs practice and policy in podiatric medicine and public health.

Publication Top Notes

Title: Diagnostic accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) versus dynamic ultrasound for plantar plate injuries: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: RH Albright, BM Brooks, M Chingre, EE Klein, LS Weil Jr, AE Fleischer
Year: 2022
Citation: European Journal of Radiology, 152:110315

Title: Postoperative opioid-prescribing practice in foot and ankle surgery
Authors: BM Brooks, AE Fleischer, RG Smith, RH Albright
Year: 2023
Citation: Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association, 113(5)

Title: The Diabetic Foot–Pain–Depression Cycle: A Multidisciplinary Cohort Study
Authors: BM Brooks, CD Shih, DE Tower, TT Tran, JE Simon, et al.
Year: 2023
Citation: Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association, 113(3)

Title: Cognitive Bias in Postoperative Opioid-Prescribing Practice: A Novel Effect
Authors: BM Brooks, CD Shih, RWR Bratches, AS Arp, GJ Coughlin, KB Wolff, et al.
Year: 2023
Citation: Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association, 113(3)

Title: Postprocedural Opioid-Prescribing Practice in Nail Surgery: A National, Questionnaire-Based, Cross-Sectional Study with Recommendations
Authors: BM Brooks, Q Li, AE Fleischer, NA Anderson, AZ Handa, CD Shih
Year: 2023
Citation: Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association, 113(3)

Title: Opioid-Prescribing Approaches—One-Size-Fits-All versus Patient-Centric and Procedure-Focused—Among Podiatric Physicians: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: BM Brooks, RWR Bratches, KB Wolff, MD Stapp, KW Bruce, DE Tower
Year: 2023
Citation: Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association, 113(4)

Title: The opioid use agreement in foot and ankle surgery: an addition to your informed consent
Authors: BM Brooks, NL Salvo, JM Robbins
Year: 2023
Citation: Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association, 113(4)

Title: Evidence-based opioid education that reduces prescribing: The 10 principles of opioid prescribing in foot and ankle surgery
Authors: CP Ryans, BM Brooks, DE Tower, JM Robbins, ML Butterworth, MD Stapp, et al.
Year: 2024
Citation: The Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery, 63(2):214–219

Title: Podiatry and the opioid epidemic: a call to action
Authors: BM Brooks
Year: 2023
Citation: Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association, 113(4)

Title: American podiatric surgeons’ postoperative multimodal analgesic-prescribing practice: A 2019–2020 national survey
Authors: BM Brooks, RWR Bratches, AM Nettles, AE Fleischer, et al.
Year: 2023
Citation: Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association, 113(4)

Title: The anesthetic effects of lidocaine with epinephrine in digital nerve blocks: a systematic review
Authors: AS Arp, JK Multani, RW Yen, BM Brooks
Year: 2023
Citation: Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association, 113(4)

Title: Depression: the fourth pillar of classifying risk of diabetes-related amputation in veterans
Authors: BM Brooks, J Banks, AS Arp, V Saysoukha, et al.
Year: 2023
Citation: Journal of Psychiatry and Psychiatric Disorders, 7:201

Title: Diabetes-Related Extremity Amputation Depression and Distress (DREADD): A Multimethod Study
Authors: LM Brooks, BM Brooks, AS Arp, CR Dove, LC Rogers, R Michel, V Clinton, et al.
Year: 2025
Citation: Seminars in Vascular Surgery, 38(1):94–100

Title: Social pain: A systematic review on interventions
Authors: BM Brooks, FJ Cordero, SL Alchermes
Year: 2025
Citation: F1000Research, 14:58

Title: Concomitant Use of Spasmolytics and Opioids for Postoperative Pain After Foot and Ankle Surgery: Fair or Foul?
Authors: BM Brooks, RG Smith
Year: 2023
Citation: Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association, 113(5)

Title: Diabetes Psychiatry: The Missing Piece of the Puzzle to Prevent Complications of the Diabetes Pandemic
Authors: BM Brooks, AM Nettles
Year: 2025
Citation: Psychoactives, 4(2):13

Title: Social Pain and Opioid Misuse: A Synergistic Epidemic (Syndemic)
Authors: BM Brooks, MI Brown, V Clinton, FJ Cordero, ML Butterworth
Year: 2025
Citation: IntechOpen

Title: Baseline Knowledge of Peripheral Arterial Disease and Factors Influencing Learning Material Preferences in the San Francisco Chinese-Speaking Community: A Survey Analysis
Authors: CD Shih, T Lee, S Hassan, H Chau, BM Brooks, B Zhang, ER Rosario
Year: 2024
Citation: Journal of Vascular Diseases, 4(1):1

Title: Postoperative Opioid-Prescribing Practice in Limb Preservation Surgery
Authors: BM Brooks, CD Shih, RWR Bratches, KT Pham, L Hooshivar, et al.
Year: 2024
Citation: Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association, 114(2)

Title: Misdiagnosis or Missed Diagnosis-Hallux Sesamoid Fractures among Active-Duty Females in the United States Air Force: A Case Series
Authors: BM Brooks, KB Wolff
Year: 2024
Citation: Unpublished / Case Series Report

Title: A Book Review of Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company that Addicted America by Beth Macy
Authors: BM Brooks
Year: 2023
Citation: Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association, 113(5)

Title: Winners of the Student/Resident Poster Contest 2018
Authors: B Brooks, K Pham, S Saeedi
Year: 2019
Citation: Linacre Quarterly, 86(2–3):254–257

Conclusion

Dr. Brooks exemplifies a professional who bridges the worlds of clinical practice, research innovation, and leadership with distinction. His strong educational foundation, extensive clinical experience, and groundbreaking research have contributed to redefining approaches in limb preservation, pain management, and podiatric public health. His numerous awards highlight his influence as both a practitioner and innovator, while his professional memberships and leadership positions reflect his commitment to advancing the field at national and international levels. With his unique ability to integrate patient care, academic excellence, and health systems improvement, he continues to inspire peers and trainees. Dr. Brooks stands out as a forward-thinking leader whose contributions will shape the future of podiatric medicine and public health, positioning him as a role model and trailblazer.