The Year in Review — aka ‘That was the Year That Was’
From the President
Dr. Tomecki served as Academy president from March 2021 to March 2022.
By Kenneth Tomecki, MD, FAAD, February 1, 2022
2021…The first year of the third decade of the 21st century has ended. In retrospect, it was a year in limbo for many of us, but somewhat volatile as well, opening with the promise of vaccines and a return to ‘normalcy,’ then insurrection at the Capitol, an array of climate-related destruction, fallen governments and challenged democracies, continued pandemic casualties, and many notable deaths.
The derm arena was relatively quiet by comparison, but 2021 had appreciable activity within the specialty and within the Academy, which impacted many of us as derm citizens, namely:
In the first quarter…
Newly updated/revised E/M coding guidelines became available;
Campers joined an improvised winter weekend edition at Camp Discovery in virtual mode, filled with games and a scavenger hunt;
The AAD began its three-year DEI initiative to enhance derm care for patients, linked to AAD programs and governance structure;
The AAD announced its Hair Loss and Alopecia Initiative in Research (HAIR) grant, which yielded seven recipients later in the year;
The Board approved a new fellow designation, iFAAD, for international members;
The 2021 AAD election occurred, with Dr. Terry Cronin prevailing as President-elect, Dr. Robert Kirsner as VP-elect, and four new Board members, but voter turnout was weak once again;
The Board selected Dr. Keyvan Nouri as the new AAD assistant secretary-treasurer, effective at the Boston meeting.
In the second quarter…
The second VMX meeting was a success with 7k+ attendees, 75+ educational sessions, and 65 hours of content, coupled with a one-day virtual career fair that provided an opportunity for members to connect with recruiters and potential employers;
Melanoma Monday was the opening bell for May as ‘Skin Cancer Awareness Month,’ a long-standing Academy program driven by members emphasizing education, sun safety, and SPOT Skin Cancer campaign, all of which generated more than 1,200 media stories and almost 900 million viewings, coupled with more than 2 million impressions on social media;
The AADA and AMA voiced strong opposition to a move by the Academy of Physician Assistants to change its member designation to ‘physician associate,’ followed by a public stance that was echoed by more than 25 national and state medical societies;
The AADA Health Policy Retreat, a two-day event in June that attracted more than 100 participants, tackled a variety of issues
Academy Annual Meeting
Register for the 2022 AAD Annual Meeting at staging.aad.org/AM22.
In the third quarter….
Breaking news that JAAD ranks #1 among derm journals as determined by impact factor;
The AAD Summer Meeting in Tampa attracted 2,000+ attendees, including 640+ physicians and 150 exhibitors. The plenary session was exceptional with keynote speaker, Dr. Julie Gerberding, former CDC director, who covered the pandemic and vaccine developments and use;
Another successful virtual AADA Legislative Conference attracted more than 300 members and focused on the medical/derm political issues of the day;
Breaking news from the AMA — Jack Resneck Jr., MD, is the newly elected AMA president-elect, the first time a dermatologist has held that position.
In the fourth quarter…
AAD instituted a new campaign, Choose A Dermatologist, where members can share messages on social media on the value of a board-certified dermatologist;
November was National Healthy Skin Month during which the AAD shared an array of information with the public and the media via aad.org and social media;
Diversity Champion workshop, a one-day event in November, addressed diversity in derm education and training;
There was a promise of better Medicare fee schedules for 2022, truly an early Xmas gift;
AAD announced a new program, DocMatter, which would provide a haven for collaboration and shared information.
RE: New Year…we begin optimistically and hope for the best. Upcoming events include the 2022 annual meeting in Boston with Doris Kearns Goodwin, the presidential historian, as the keynote speaker at the plenary session.; do try to attend. Also, the 2022 AAD elections; do vote and encourage others to do so as well.
