Remembering your “why”
From the President
Dr. Kaufmann served as Academy president from March 2022 to March 2023.
By Mark Kaufmann, MD, FAAD, April 1, 2022
After having just returned from the 2022 AAD Annual Meeting, I am reflecting on how refreshing it was to hear about the latest research in clinical settings, to walk the floor of the Exhibit Hall, and to simply catch up with friends and colleagues over a cup of coffee. It felt almost “normal” again.
I spoke with many of you while in Boston. I heard about your ground-breaking research and the exciting new prospects that we are looking forward to in your careers. I also listened as you explained the challenges you’re experiencing on a day-to-day basis as a physician.
Undoubtedly, medicine has experienced many rapid and unsettling changes over the years beyond the COVID pandemic. For example, many of us are fed up with disruptive changes to regulatory programs and policies that have caused unacceptable access issues for our patients. Many of us are battling dangerous scope of practice expansions within our states. Some of us are fighting inappropriate payment strategies such as prior authorization and reducing payments when E/M services are reported with procedures. All of this is unbelievably frustrating, and the list goes on and on as we lose more precious time with what matters most…our patients.
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As we settle back into our routines after the Annual Meeting, I encourage all of us to take a breath, and think about our “why.” Why did you become a dermatologist in the first place? We all had a moment or experience that solidified our interest in pursuing dermatology. Maybe it was when you completed a dermatology rotation. Maybe you were inspired by a mentor. Maybe it was a patient whose skin cancer you caught just in time. Maybe it was simply an inspiring lecture from another dermatologist. Can you remember your moment?
It’s nearly impossible to not get bogged down by the administrative and political stresses of our day-to-day schedules. I assure you, however, that the Academy is here for you, and as a group we will continue to work tirelessly to address the issues that plague this great specialty.
I am honored to take the wheel as President of your Academy, and I would be remiss if I did not thank Ken Tomecki for his leadership and guidance as President. He, like his predecessors Bruce Thiers and George Hruza, had the difficult job of navigating the Academy through what may be the most challenging time of our collective careers. I have big shoes to fill, but I will hit the ground running. This year, I pledge to fight for dermatologists and our patients, so you can focus on your “why.” The Academy will focus on the rest.
