Generally aligns the position of podiatrists with that of physicians for pay and grade purposes within the Veterans Health Administration…

Section 7306 of title 38, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in subsection (a)—

(A) in paragraph (6), by striking a Director of Podiatric Service,;

(B) by redesignating paragraph (11) as paragraph (12); and

(C) by inserting after paragraph (10) the following new paragraph:

(11) A Podiatric Medical Director, who shall be a qualified doctor of podiatric medicine and who shall be responsible to the Under Secretary for Health for the operation of the Podiatric Service.;

(2) in subsection (b)(1), by inserting podiatric medicine, after doctors of medicine,; and

(3) in subsection (c), by striking and (8) and inserting (8), and (11).

Section 7404 of title 38, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in subsection (a)(2), by inserting, podiatrists, after physicians; and

(2) in subsection (b), in the first heading of the list following the colon, by striking PODIATRIST and inserting PODIATRIST (DPM).