At least Superwoman had a cape
From the Editor
Dr. Schwarzenberger is the former physician editor of DermWorld.
By Kathryn Schwarzenberger, MD, FAAD, January 1, 2023
Being a physician is tough. While our work is incredibly rewarding, it is physically and emotionally demanding, often throwing unexpected obstacles our way. If only our white coats conferred upon us superpowers to make it easier. And that’s just the day job; for many of us, the real work starts when we get home. This month in DermWorld, we address the many challenges faced by working physician parents, starting with the decision of when and if to have children, navigating and surviving maternity/paternity leave, childcare (always a nightmare), juggling schedules, paying for it all, and, frankly, trying to do it all. It makes being a physician seem easy. I am lucky enough to be a mother, and it took me only a few weeks of caring for an infant to realize my “day job” was far easier. For many of our colleagues, this journey starts during residency. I am constantly amazed — and a bit awed — by how well our residents with families grow as both young physicians and parents. But again, it’s not easy, and learning to juggle the many competing demands of parenthood and work is a necessary survival skill. Some of our fellow members were kind enough to share their dual role experiences, and I suspect that any of you who have raised children will find their comments resonate with you. I will admit, thinking about finding childcare does bring back a bit of PTSD. But I also look back on those early childhood years and know I wouldn’t trade them for anything.
The practice of dermatology has changed over the years. When I trained, we still had an active inpatient service, where we admitted patients with skin conditions needing care provided in the hospital setting. Advances in pharmaceuticals and technology have largely eliminated the need for this intensive in-hospital care, and our specialty has quietly given up the desire (and likely the necessary skills) to care for inpatients. A similar shift happened in the past century with sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Dermatology once reigned as experts in the diagnosis and treatment of STIs, whose manifestations often involved the skin. Today, while dermatology still frequently participates in the care of individuals with these disorders, we often rely on our infectious disease colleagues for guidance and expertise. Unfortunately, in this transition, many of us have lost (or never acquired) the important skills of acquiring a complete sexual history. I will be the first to admit that it can be difficult to talk with our patients about sex. However, if we don’t ask, we risk missing important elements in their history that may indicate risk factors for an STI. I encourage everyone to read our very informative article in which some of our colleagues share their techniques for obtaining a sexual history. I certainly learned a few pointers, and I suspect that many of you will, too.
There’s lots going on at the AAD this time of year, and this month’s DermWorld will hopefully reassure you that our staff and involved member colleagues are working on our behalf. Whether addressing the lidocaine shortage, supporting teledermatology through licensure advocacy, working to enhance our public image through Your Dermatologist Knows, or actively challenging CMS measures that make our work more onerous, the Academy powers on. Thanks, all, for your hard work. It is much appreciated! You may not wear capes, but I’m quite sure you have superpowers among you!
