Unity and inspiration: A new year of advancing dermatology
From the President
By Seemal R. Desai, MD, FAAD, April 1, 2024
I’d like to begin my first column by sincerely thanking everyone for trusting me to serve as your president. This is the honor of a lifetime, and I am both humbled by and thankful for your support. As the youngest person ever elected as AAD President, I feel an even greater obligation of wanting to achieve for you, wanting to serve you, and most of all, wanting to prove to you that I am committed to fighting for what is best for you, for the Academy, and for the specialty.
I also want to pay tribute to my predecessor, Terry Cronin Jr., MD, FAAD, for his loyal and steadfast service to the Academy. I am honored to step into the role that he filled so effectively. Thank you, Terry.
But now, we are in a new year with a new start and a renewed approach to leadership. As president, I plan to offer personal leadership with a personal touch, and I want you to see me in action and see that I am always working on your behalf.
My key focus for the year will be unity: uniting our members, regardless of subspecialty, practice model, stage of their career, or any of the countless differences that make our specialty a unique and thrilling one. I want to bring everyone together for the betterment of dermatology. In essence, once my term is complete, I hope to be remembered as a connector, a linker, and a uniter. I intend to pay particular attention to residents and young physicians this year, because their engagement as a united contingent is what the survival and success of our specialty truly depends on.
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Read more about the AADA’s advocacy priorities.
I also plan to continue the Academy’s extensive focus on advocacy and continue to push hard for Medicare physician payment reform, so that we can preserve access for our patients who need the expertise of dermatologists. Although we all may have different opinions and ideas, we all must remain united in the fact that as dermatologists, we represent the best and brightest in all of medicine, and no one else has more expertise, more knowledge, and more passion for our patients than we do.
Therefore, when I say, “unity in advocacy,” I specifically mean unity in the advocacy issues that have united all dermatologists, including payment reform, scope of practice, and access to treatments, therapies, and care for all who need our knowledge and expertise.
We will continue to bridge gaps in care that exist for various patient populations, continue our incredible efforts to make sure our workforce and specialty represents the patients we serve, and always educate the public through Your Dermatologist Knows that we, as board-certified dermatologists and as FAAD members, are the only medical professionals who are the true experts in diseases of the skin, hair, and nails.
My role as president is to lead and inspire, not to impart my own personal agenda or own personal beliefs into decisions and actions. It’s important to me that you feel heard, listened to, and understood, so that I know I am making the best decision possible for the direction of our Academy and our specialty.
I may not always get it right, and you may not always agree with me, but know this: anything I do during my presidency will be out of dedication to advancing our beloved specialty with our patients and with you, the member, the most important asset of our AAD, always at top of mind and heart.
I am truly here in service to you, and I always will be. Please follow me on Instagram @seemalrdesaimd to see how I am working for you in action. I am always available at president@aad.org and ready to listen to your ideas, concerns, and questions.
I look forward to what is sure to be an exciting and productive year with the Academy. Long live our beloved dermatology specialty and long live our amazing AAD!
Cheers to each of you, your families, your friends, and the patients you serve!
With my best wishes and thanks.
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