RESEARCH & ACADEMIC CONTRIBUTIONS
Podiatric Medicine Advances Because Our Surgeons Contribute to It.
Rimrock Podiatry's surgeons don't just practice podiatric medicine. They help shape it. Through research, peer review, teaching, and leadership in state and national organizations.
DR. MERRELL KAUWE
Peer Reviewer & Clinical Research
Dr. Kauwe's academic contributions sit at the intersection of evidence-based medicine and advanced surgical technique. His peer-review work puts him on the leading edge of foot and ankle research, and that currency is reflected in the care his patients receive.
Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery Peer Reviewer
Dr. Kauwe reviews research submissions for the leading peer-reviewed journal in podiatric surgery. Peer reviewers are invited based on demonstrated expertise, and they see the newest research in the field before it reaches publication.
Conference Lecturer
Dr. Kauwe and Dr. Lubek have both presented at the Montana State Podiatric Surgeon conference on surgical technique. Teaching colleagues requires synthesizing current research with clinical outcomes, and keeps a practice current.
Ongoing Education
Dr. Kauwe and Dr. Lubek both continually update their surgical approach based on emerging research. Techniques that are obsolete get retired. Techniques with better evidence get adopted. Patient care doesn't stay static. It improves as the field improves.
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Selected publications indexed in PubMed, co-authored with the Paul Dayton and Mindi Feilmeier hallux valgus research group at Des Moines University.
Acute Achilles Tendon Rupture: Clinical Evaluation, Conservative Management, and Early Active Rehabilitation. Clinics in Podiatric Medicine and Surgery, 34(2):229-243. Clinical review supporting physical exam for diagnosis and early weight bearing for improved outcomes.
Progression of Healing on Serial Radiographs Following First Ray Arthrodesis in the Foot Using a Biplanar Plating Technique Without Compression. Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery, 58(3):427-433. Radiographic study of first ray arthrodesis healing using biplanar plating.
Quantitative Analysis of the Degree of Frontal Rotation Required to Anatomically Align the First Metatarsal Phalangeal Joint During Modified Tarsal-Metatarsal Arthrodesis Without Capsular Balancing. Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery, 55(2):220-225. Part of the triplanar bunion deformity research line that informs current evidence-based bunion correction.
Relationship of frontal plane rotation of first metatarsal to proximal articular set angle and hallux alignment in patients undergoing tarsometatarsal arthrodesis for hallux abducto valgus. Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery, 52(3):348-354. Case series and critical review establishing the frontal plane rotation framework.
DR. ZACHARY LUBEK
Dual Board Certification & Advanced Techniques
Dr. Lubek brings specialized training in advanced surgical techniques, including minimally invasive approaches and complex rearfoot and ankle reconstruction.
Board certified in both Forefoot Surgery and Reconstructive Rearfoot/Ankle Surgery by the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery (ABFAS), a dual credential that reflects surgical competency across the full anatomic range of the foot and ankle, from the toes to the ankle joint.
Advanced training in minimally invasive foot and ankle procedures, which reduce incision size, scarring, and recovery time for appropriate patients, while maintaining the precision of traditional open technique.
Specialized expertise in ankle arthroscopy for the evaluation and treatment of intra-articular pathology, including osteochondral lesions, impingement, and chronic ankle instability.
Focused training in diabetic limb salvage, one of the most technically demanding and time-sensitive areas of podiatric surgery. Successful limb salvage requires coordinated vascular, infectious-disease, and reconstructive expertise.
Scientific Literature Reviews
Structured reviews of published research, contributed to the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS).
Timing of Early Complications Following Open Reduction and Internal Fixation of Closed Ankle Fractures. ACFAS Scientific Literature Review. A structured review of Bohl et al., Foot and Ankle Specialist, March 2020.
The Role of Biologic in Foot and Ankle Trauma: A Review of the Literature. ACFAS Scientific Literature Review. A structured review of Zhao E. et al., Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine, 2018.
DR. SCOTT DeMARS
Past President, Montana Podiatric Medical Association
Leadership in organized medicine is how a specialty advances at the policy and practice level. Dr. DeMars has spent more than three decades shaping podiatric medicine across Montana.
Served as past president of the Montana Podiatric Medical Association, the state-level body responsible for advancing the standard of podiatric care, advocating for the profession, and coordinating continuing education across Montana.
More than 35 years of foot and ankle surgical experience, with thousands of procedures performed across the full scope of podiatric surgery, from common forefoot corrections to complex rearfoot reconstruction.
Fellow of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, a designation reflecting sustained surgical volume, outcomes, and professional contribution at the national level.
Board certified by the American Board of Podiatric Surgery (now the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery), the gold-standard credential for podiatric surgical practice, requiring rigorous case review and examination.
Professional Service and Advocacy
Leadership contributions that shaped the modern foot and ankle surgical scope in Montana.
As sitting President of the Montana Podiatric Medical Association, Dr. DeMars provided formal testimony before the Montana Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare and Safety on March 3, 1995, in support of House Bill 121. The bill expanded podiatrists' scope of practice in Montana to include ankle surgery, codified at Mont. Code §37-6-107 and §37-6-102. This legislation established the legal foundation for the foot and ankle surgical scope that Montana podiatrists practice under today.
Research isn't just academic. It's safer surgery.
Surgeons who stay engaged with current research perform better surgeries. They know what techniques are obsolete, what the evidence actually supports, and what's on the horizon. When your surgeon reviews journal submissions, they see the field evolving in real time, and your care reflects that.
At Rimrock Podiatry, continued academic engagement isn't a side project. It's built into how we practice. Peer review, lectures, continuing education, and leadership in state podiatric medicine all feed back into what happens in the operating room and the recovery plan that follows.
Are you a physician or referring provider?
We welcome inquiries about specific research interests, unusual cases, or collaborative care. Contact our office to connect directly with our surgeons. We appreciate the chance to discuss cases across specialties and share what we're seeing in foot and ankle surgery today.
Frequently Asked Questions
About Research & Surgeon Credentials
Why does research matter when choosing a surgeon?
Does Dr. Kauwe publish original research?
What does it mean that Dr. Kauwe reviews for the Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery?
Where have Rimrock's surgeons lectured?
Questions? Call us at (406) 256-0077.