What it's really like in dermatology—from 4 physicians who know

As a medical student, do you ever wonder what it’s like to specialize in dermatology? Over the years, four dermatologists from around the country and working in a variety of practice settings have taken the time to be featured doctors in the AMA’s “Shadow Me” Specialty Series, which offers advice directly from AMA member physicians about life in their specialties. Check out their insights to help determine whether a career in dermatology might be a good fit for you.

1. Shadowing Preetha Kamath, MD

   1. Dr. Kamath was going into her last year of residency in 2022 at a hospital and a private practice. She described the typical dermatologist as astute, insightful, meticulous, genuine and compassionate.
   2. One thing that typifies the specialty, she said, is being able to see entire families and build long-term relationships with patients. “I also love doing dermatologic surgery in the clinic,” she said. “Our patients are awake during Mohs surgery and excisions so we can develop rapport and really get to know them well. What I find extremely rewarding is being able to have such a huge impact on my patients’ lives.”

2. Shadowing Alexa B. Kimball, MD, MPH

   1. Dr. Kimball was 20 years into practice and employed by an academic medical center in Boston, but she spent most of her week as the CEO of a large academic physicians' organization. She said the remaining one afternoon per week, when she worked with patients, grounded her.
   2. “I never ask our physicians to do something that I have not tried myself or am not willing to do myself,” she said. “Additionally, seeing patients is an incredibly anchoring experience, reminding me why we do what we do and showing the impact that we as physicians can have. When I walk home from clinic, I always know that I have done my best to help people that day.”

3. Shadowing Klint Peebles, MD

   1. “Dermatology requires patience and innovation along with a thirst for lifelong learning and exploration,” Dr. Peebles noted in this 2019 profile. “There are a staggering number of possible diagnoses in the field of dermatology, and a large proportion of these are rare or otherwise lacking in substantial data to help guide a rigorous, evidence-based therapeutic approach.”
   2. Dermatologists must therefore be comfortable with the art of medicine, which means being at peace with interpreting the evidence. “Dermatologists, like most other physicians, must be comfortable with not necessarily knowing the answer or best treatment every time—and that’s OK! The practice of medicine is about lifelong learning, and dermatology is no exception,” he said.
   3. Dr. Peebles is a dermatologist at Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group, which is a member of the AMA Health System Program that provides enterprise solutions to equip leadership, physicians and care teams with resources to help drive the future of medicine.

4. Shadowing Evelyn Jones, MD

   1. At the time of this 2019 profile, Dr. Jones had been in private practice for 26 years, but she still encountered persistent challenges, including the demands of being a business owner and dealing with insurance companies.
   2. “Time management with a very busy practice and business development has to be the most challenging part of my life as a dermatologist. Even managing self-care in the midst of it presents its own difficulties,” she said. “But the most frustrating aspect is the continual challenge of trying to get medications that I know are best for my patients covered at an affordable price. In dermatology, the vehicle of a specific medication is very important to the outcome and a substitution based on an insurance or pharmaceutical company decision is extremely frustrating.”
   3. But even a typical day was enough to keep her excited about her work. “I love the opportunity to educate patients about lifestyle changes and choices they can make that will positively impact their skin health and overall well-being,” she said. “That is so very exciting to me. That can also be a frustration when patients are not motivated to make those changes. But that can become a wonderful opportunity for me to empower them and equip them to believe in themselves.”

The AMA Specialty Guide simplifies medical students’ specialty selection process, highlights major specialties, details training information, and provides access to related association information. It is produced by FREIDA™, the AMA Residency & Fellowship Database^®. 

Learn more with the AMA about the medical specialty of dermatology.