Who knew?
From the Editor
Dr. Schwarzenberger is the former physician editor of DermWorld.
By Kathryn Schwarzenberger, MD, FAAD, November 1, 2023
When it comes to skin health, we all know that a board-certified dermatologist knows best. In years past, we were comfortable being known and respected for our expertise. Our opinions were sought out and listened to. This all changed with the advent of social media, which saw a proliferation of self-proclaimed “skin experts” and non-medical skin influencers who managed with seemingly little effort to push us off our figurative thrones. What changed, and why? The AAD has recently taken a serious look at our public perception and found that while our expertise is still largely recognized by older adults, the younger generations are less convinced and are more willing to engage with others to obtain advice through social media and other communication channels. The AAD listened carefully and one year ago launched the “Your Dermatologist Knows” campaign. With the cooperation and participation of some of our most media-savvy members, our talented staff has created an impressive multi-pronged media campaign primarily targeting younger women. We now have our own high-quality social media that we hope will be relatable and help convince our followers that yes, dermatologists know and know best. Read about this great initiative in this month’s DermWorld; better yet, follow us (and like us!) on Facebook and Instagram at @aadskin or @aadskin1. The early results have been incredible, generating over 50 million views and over 16 million engagements by the end of summer. We always knew that we “know best” and with this investment from our organization, we can be reassured that many others now do too.
As a paleoderm, it is very easy to lament the “good old days.” You may know those days, when we still had paper charts, hand wrote prescriptions, and actually talked to colleagues on the phone. Oh, and I had a secretary. My own secretary, who answered patient calls, did transcription, wrote and mailed letters, and helped me get through my day. Unfortunately, that didn’t last long. Once we all had a computer at our desks, our administrative help started to vanish, and I, like many of you, became one of the most expensive typists my organization would ever hire. The erosion of administrative support in medicine is real, and, unfortunately, coincided with the same time the number of administrative demands started to climb. To further add salt to our wounds, the “great resignation” has made it difficult to find help even when offered. If this resonates with you, I think you will enjoy our feature article on the erosion of administrative support in medicine. There are no easy answers, but we do offer some suggestions, including services available through the AAD, that might allow you to share some of these responsibilities so we can all get back to that which we love most: caring for our patients.
I’d like to sign off this month with a note of thanks to all of the members who contribute to the success of our specialty and our organization. Our Donor Spotlight this month highlights the generous contributions of two loyal members, Drs. Bruce Thiers and Bruce Glassman. Both of these gentlemen (and they are, indeed, deserving of the term) have contributed time and money in support of one of our most valued initiatives, Camp Discovery. Please read about their inspiring acts of kindness and join me in giving them thanks. November is a wonderful month to share your appreciation with those who make the world a better place. I wish all of you a very happy Thanksgiving.
