From the editor
From the Editor
Dr. Schwarzenberger is the former physician editor of DermWorld.
By Kathryn Schwarzenberger, MD, April 2, 2018
I hope you enjoyed the AAD Annual Meeting in San Diego. I certainly did. I came home yet again feeling renewed, returning to the clinic armed with new knowledge that will enable me to better care for my patients. I knew when I signed up for this job that medicine was a going to be a career involving “life-long learning” — I’m just not sure I realized how much things would change in 20 years and how much “learning” there would be! Wow. If you missed the plenary sessions this year, well, you blew it. The speakers were amazing. My thanks to Eric Stratman, MD, and the entire AAD Scientific Assembly Committee for putting on a great show.
On a more philosophical note, I was struck this year by how much the Annual Meeting reminds me of a big family reunion. Every year, we get together with people we love, eat well, laugh a lot, and talk about the state of things big and small. We celebrate the successes of many, the losses of others. We cheerfully welcome new members, while wiping away a few tears during the memorial moment (this year accompanied by Tor Shwayder, MD’s hauntingly beautiful violin tribute). Animated conversations abounded, and neither politics or religion were off-limits. I even had the opportunity to help one of my fellow senior colleagues navigate his iPhone settings...and doesn’t that always happen at your family reunions? (Although in full disclosure, it is usually my teenage son helping me...) Like all families, we agree on some topics, while disagreeing on others. One thing seemed clear, however — that the members of the AAD family share a common passion for the practice of dermatology and the commitment to providing the best possible care for our patients. I hope we can keep the spirit of “family” in mind as we move forward in protection of our specialty and realize that we are stronger if we work together to achieve our common goals.
This month’s Dermatology World has a wide variety of articles to entertain any member of the AAD family. Those of you who might not yet have expertise in using fillers may enjoy our feature on the newest and hottest fillers available. We offer advice about how to best get started in the cosmetic world. Fed up dealing with prior authorizations? Are you intrigued by “cash-only” medical practices? Hear about the experiences of some of our colleagues who have chosen that route. We discuss factors that may help determine if this practice model is likely to be successful in your setting; we also consider the impact this move might have on your patients. Of course, we could not discuss such a huge paradigm shift without at least starting the conversation about the ethical implications of such a move. This is a discussion I hope to continue in future editions of DW.
Monday, May 7, 2018, is Melanoma Monday. This is the perfect opportunity to contact your local media station and ask if you can talk to them about skin cancer detection or prevention. Not sure how to do this? Our feature on handling media relations will practically make you a pro. You have a great opportunity to do some good for your community and, who knows, you might even enjoy it. And who’s to say the next “Dr. Oz” won’t come from our very own ranks?
Do some good this spring. Make your “family” proud!
