In dermatology, we are fortunate to have many insightful practitioners and great teachers and mentors. Some are bright stars in our special universe – others unsung heroes. All of these colleagues have much to share, from wisdom to humor to insights into dermatology and life. This column allows us to gain insight from these practitioners and learn more about them.
Dr. Schmults went to medical school at Yale University, followed by dermatology residency at Stanford University and New York University. She was on the faculty at the University of Pennsylvania from 2003 to 2007.
She is currently the director of the Mohs and Dermatologic Surgery Center and High Risk Skin Cancer Clinic at Dana Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center, as well as assistant professor of dermatology at Harvard Medical School. She is vice president of the International Transplant Skin Cancer Collaborative, and is also on the board of directors of the American College of Mohs Surgery.
Dr. Schmults developed the Brigham and Women’s Hospital tumor staging system for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and has provided dermatologic surgical training in South Africa, Malawi and Romania.
Q. What part of your work gives you the most pleasure?
A. I love being in academics because I get the best of both worlds — personal satisfaction derived from relationships with patients and being able to move the field forward via research to improve skin cancer care in general.
Q. Are an understanding and appreciation of the humanities important in dermatology and why?
A. My undergraduate humanities classes helped me to improve my writing, which has been a tremendous help in my career. I notice a great deal of variation among our students and residents in their ability to express themselves well in writing. I hope that going through our editing process helps them to improve future writing. On a broader level, I believe the humanities are a major means by which we learn about and develop sympathy for people and patients with whom we have little in common. This helps us to have empathy for more people and therefore deliver more compassionate care.
Q. Which patient had the most effect on your work and why?
A. There has not been a single patient but whenever I face a clinical dilemma, I try to envision a research study that could answer the question with which I am grappling. For example, my first couple of years after fellowship, I struggled to determine which SCC patients should have adjuvant radiation. A randomized trial would be great but we did not have enough prognostic information to determine who should be in such a trial. This got me thinking about tumor staging and led to our work in this area. Focusing on real-world patient care dilemmas helps to keep our research relevant.
Q. What is the best piece of advice you have received and from whom?
A. Professionally: My former chairman at the University of Pennsylvania Dr. John Stanley advised that I needed masters level training to carry out the research work I wanted to do. At first, I resisted as I was tired of training but ultimately realized he was right. The additional training has made all the difference in my research career. On all levels: My mother when she told me not to hedge my bets. Do not do only those things that you know will be a success. Take many calculated risks.
Q. What is the greatest political danger in the field of dermatology?
A. Not having a fair say. In the United States, as we go through healthcare reform that may reshape how and which care is delivered, dermatologists and each of its subspecialties must be at the table as decisions are made. This cannot be done in the spirit of protecting financial self-interest, but must be done to protect the high standards of care we have developed for patients. Much is being written these days in lay and professional press about dermatology without our involvement and such reports almost always contain important errors or omissions. Many such reports may have political intent and consequences. We need to ensure that policymakers at all levels (practice, hospital, insurer, state, national) have accurate information about dermatologic care and that we have a voice in shaping care that meets our patients’ needs.
Dr. Barankin is a dermatologist in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He is author-editor of 6 books in dermatology and is widely published in the dermatology and humanities literature.
In dermatology, we are fortunate to have many insightful practitioners and great teachers and mentors. Some are bright stars in our special universe – others unsung heroes. All of these colleagues have much to share, from wisdom to humor to insights into dermatology and life. This column allows us to gain insight from these practitioners and learn more about them.
Dr. Schmults went to medical school at Yale University, followed by dermatology residency at Stanford University and New York University. She was on the faculty at the University of Pennsylvania from 2003 to 2007.
She is currently the director of the Mohs and Dermatologic Surgery Center and High Risk Skin Cancer Clinic at Dana Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center, as well as assistant professor of dermatology at Harvard Medical School. She is vice president of the International Transplant Skin Cancer Collaborative, and is also on the board of directors of the American College of Mohs Surgery.
Dr. Schmults developed the Brigham and Women’s Hospital tumor staging system for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and has provided dermatologic surgical training in South Africa, Malawi and Romania.
Q. What part of your work gives you the most pleasure?
A. I love being in academics because I get the best of both worlds — personal satisfaction derived from relationships with patients and being able to move the field forward via research to improve skin cancer care in general.
Q. Are an understanding and appreciation of the humanities important in dermatology and why?
A. My undergraduate humanities classes helped me to improve my writing, which has been a tremendous help in my career. I notice a great deal of variation among our students and residents in their ability to express themselves well in writing. I hope that going through our editing process helps them to improve future writing. On a broader level, I believe the humanities are a major means by which we learn about and develop sympathy for people and patients with whom we have little in common. This helps us to have empathy for more people and therefore deliver more compassionate care.
Q. Which patient had the most effect on your work and why?
A. There has not been a single patient but whenever I face a clinical dilemma, I try to envision a research study that could answer the question with which I am grappling. For example, my first couple of years after fellowship, I struggled to determine which SCC patients should have adjuvant radiation. A randomized trial would be great but we did not have enough prognostic information to determine who should be in such a trial. This got me thinking about tumor staging and led to our work in this area. Focusing on real-world patient care dilemmas helps to keep our research relevant.
Q. What is the best piece of advice you have received and from whom?
A. Professionally: My former chairman at the University of Pennsylvania Dr. John Stanley advised that I needed masters level training to carry out the research work I wanted to do. At first, I resisted as I was tired of training but ultimately realized he was right. The additional training has made all the difference in my research career. On all levels: My mother when she told me not to hedge my bets. Do not do only those things that you know will be a success. Take many calculated risks.
Q. What is the greatest political danger in the field of dermatology?
A. Not having a fair say. In the United States, as we go through healthcare reform that may reshape how and which care is delivered, dermatologists and each of its subspecialties must be at the table as decisions are made. This cannot be done in the spirit of protecting financial self-interest, but must be done to protect the high standards of care we have developed for patients. Much is being written these days in lay and professional press about dermatology without our involvement and such reports almost always contain important errors or omissions. Many such reports may have political intent and consequences. We need to ensure that policymakers at all levels (practice, hospital, insurer, state, national) have accurate information about dermatologic care and that we have a voice in shaping care that meets our patients’ needs.
Dr. Barankin is a dermatologist in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He is author-editor of 6 books in dermatology and is widely published in the dermatology and humanities literature.
In dermatology, we are fortunate to have many insightful practitioners and great teachers and mentors. Some are bright stars in our special universe – others unsung heroes. All of these colleagues have much to share, from wisdom to humor to insights into dermatology and life. This column allows us to gain insight from these practitioners and learn more about them.
Dr. Schmults went to medical school at Yale University, followed by dermatology residency at Stanford University and New York University. She was on the faculty at the University of Pennsylvania from 2003 to 2007.
She is currently the director of the Mohs and Dermatologic Surgery Center and High Risk Skin Cancer Clinic at Dana Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center, as well as assistant professor of dermatology at Harvard Medical School. She is vice president of the International Transplant Skin Cancer Collaborative, and is also on the board of directors of the American College of Mohs Surgery.
Dr. Schmults developed the Brigham and Women’s Hospital tumor staging system for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and has provided dermatologic surgical training in South Africa, Malawi and Romania.
Q. What part of your work gives you the most pleasure?
A. I love being in academics because I get the best of both worlds — personal satisfaction derived from relationships with patients and being able to move the field forward via research to improve skin cancer care in general.
Q. Are an understanding and appreciation of the humanities important in dermatology and why?
A. My undergraduate humanities classes helped me to improve my writing, which has been a tremendous help in my career. I notice a great deal of variation among our students and residents in their ability to express themselves well in writing. I hope that going through our editing process helps them to improve future writing. On a broader level, I believe the humanities are a major means by which we learn about and develop sympathy for people and patients with whom we have little in common. This helps us to have empathy for more people and therefore deliver more compassionate care.
Q. Which patient had the most effect on your work and why?
A. There has not been a single patient but whenever I face a clinical dilemma, I try to envision a research study that could answer the question with which I am grappling. For example, my first couple of years after fellowship, I struggled to determine which SCC patients should have adjuvant radiation. A randomized trial would be great but we did not have enough prognostic information to determine who should be in such a trial. This got me thinking about tumor staging and led to our work in this area. Focusing on real-world patient care dilemmas helps to keep our research relevant.
Q. What is the best piece of advice you have received and from whom?
A. Professionally: My former chairman at the University of Pennsylvania Dr. John Stanley advised that I needed masters level training to carry out the research work I wanted to do. At first, I resisted as I was tired of training but ultimately realized he was right. The additional training has made all the difference in my research career. On all levels: My mother when she told me not to hedge my bets. Do not do only those things that you know will be a success. Take many calculated risks.
Q. What is the greatest political danger in the field of dermatology?
A. Not having a fair say. In the United States, as we go through healthcare reform that may reshape how and which care is delivered, dermatologists and each of its subspecialties must be at the table as decisions are made. This cannot be done in the spirit of protecting financial self-interest, but must be done to protect the high standards of care we have developed for patients. Much is being written these days in lay and professional press about dermatology without our involvement and such reports almost always contain important errors or omissions. Many such reports may have political intent and consequences. We need to ensure that policymakers at all levels (practice, hospital, insurer, state, national) have accurate information about dermatologic care and that we have a voice in shaping care that meets our patients’ needs.
Dr. Barankin is a dermatologist in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He is author-editor of 6 books in dermatology and is widely published in the dermatology and humanities literature.
