Education and the Young and Not-So-Young Dermatologist

We all understand the importance of keeping up to date with our skillset and fund of knowledge when it comes to our own practice, but what is the best way and where is the best venue? In this spirit, I mention great options for education—especially for younger dermatologists—this year. YoungMD Connect (YMDC) is a new educational program that was envisioned by Bryn Mawr Communications, the owner of Practical Dermatology and Modern Aesthetics, among many other publications. They are familiar with the educational field as they have run many conferences in the ophthalmology as well as dermatology areas—including my own, Cosmetic Surgery Forum (CSF). They are focused on fostering mentorship with the next generation by integrating younger dermatologists with more experienced dermatologists in a collegial and fun environment. This will give younger dermatologists the opportunity to learn from the best while also advancing their careers.

Sessions so far have included expert panels discussing how to start a professional social media presence, “Ask Me Anything” workshops on creating a path to the podium, and mentorship sessions on specific topics in dermatology and cosmetic surgery. They have also included expert colleagues from other related specialties such as oculoplastic surgery and facial plastic surgery.

Surely, I am not alone in being able to attribute many of my best decisions to the mentorship of more experienced dermatologists early in my career. The ability to establish these relationships has always been a guiding principle when running CSF, with lectures and resident presentations designed to maximize faculty-resident engagement. My son, Daniel, who is soon to graduate as Chief Dermatology Resident at Washington University in St. Louis and then start his Mohs and cosmetic surgery fellowship at Northwestern University, is an early participant and ambassador for the YMDC program. He has joined several of the sessions as both a mentee (of established physicians) and a mentor (to medical students and young residents). It brings me joy to see him assisting the next generation in the same way he has been mentored throughout his educational journey.

Over the past 14 years, CSF has offered onsite training on cosmetic surgery and surgical topics for young and established dermatologists because I found the educational opportunities in this area either lacking or highly biased. This year, we will be taking a hiatus until 2024 as our conference site wasn’t available at the needed time—but we will be back with great content and fresh ideas in 2024. We deeply appreciate those physicians and corporate sponsors who contributed and attended the conference, as well as the stellar faculty who gave of their time and effort.

And on the topic of continued learning…

The weekend that I wrote this editorial, I also attended the Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting in Omaha, NE, where I live. Forty thousand shareholders of Berkshire Hathaway descend upon Omaha to listen to the 92-year-old Oracle of Omaha, Warren Buffett, and his 99-year-old and longtime business partner, Charlie Munger, discuss the business and their investments. During the session, they not only explain what has happened over the past year, but they also dispense a large dose of common sense and wisdom, ranging from business to life lessons. This session lasts 6 hours and throughout it, the same 40,000 people (many of whom bring their children—I have brought Daniel for the last 15 years) are riveted to learn from them. Other than the bias of owning their stock, which is now at a mere $500,000 a share (with “baby” B-class shares fetching upwards of $300), the meeting is the most interesting and educational financial event I have ever attended. Again, other than their own ventures, no other commercial bias seems to creep into the session, which is refreshing. This has gone on for nearly 60 years since they started, with the first sessions happening in a lunchroom. They now hold it in a large arena.

The good advice and information is why many people come to learn each year. I wish there were an equivalent in dermatology, but that hasn’t ever been the case in my career-span. I wish I could have seen more of Bernie Ackerman, Walter Shelley, and so many of the other greats. Although I was fortunate to have met many of them and hear them lecture, it always seemed like there wasn’t enough time or there were other competing lectures. Here’s to more education, better opportunities, and a blue horizon for learning in the future.