In challenging times, civility wins
From the President
Dr. Thiers served as Academy president from March 2020 to March 2021.
By Bruce Thiers, MD, October 1, 2020
Since the onset of COVID-19, the world has been turned upside down. As AAD President, I have been hearing first-hand accounts of how this pandemic has affected our specialty. Of course, it hasn’t been good. In fact, the results of an AAD survey sent to members in mid-May show that at the height of state COVID-19 stay-at-home orders, almost all dermatology practices in the United States had reduced their hours significantly and were seeing only emergency patients. Many of you were forced to furlough staff, take pay cuts, and reduce hours. Many spent tireless hours on the front lines with our emergency medicine colleagues to fight the pandemic. It has not been an easy year. As we traverse these rough waters, I want to encourage all dermatologists to continue to come together and support one another.
Last year, the Board of Directors initiated a retreat to discuss cyberbullying within the profession and to refine our policies on the topic. Now that we are spending more time online and less time face-to-face, it is important to reiterate the Academy’s guidance regarding online etiquette. When it comes to social media, the Academy’s position statement on medical professionalism in the use of social media encourages physicians to refrain from engaging in closed- or open-group meetings, forums, or platforms in which personal attacks, unprofessionalism, and bullying are prevalent and tolerated.
The Academy has also developed a governance policy on conduct at Academy meetings and other activities for when it is safe to meet in person once again. The Academy prohibits bullying, defined as “repeated inappropriate behavior, either direct or indirect, whether verbal, physical, cyber, or otherwise, conducted by one or more persons against another or others that is hurtful, harmful, or humiliating; exhibits coercion; or abuse of power as well as any other unreasonably disruptive behavior such as sustained disruption of talks, events, or meetings.” Learn more about the Academy’s position statements and governance policies.
Dermatologists are a collegial bunch. The amount of support and camaraderie that I have seen among the specialty, particularly this past year, has been remarkably heartening. While there’s no denying that the pandemic has tested our patience and drained our energy stores, I am encouraged by our collective resolve to stand up and move forward. Let’s continue to support one another and our patients. We will get through this together.
