Dermatologists are specialized physicians who help people resolve problems with the largest organ of their bodies, the skin. They also care for hair, nails and wet skin such as the mouth. They are able to diagnose and treat the smallest of skin conditions such as rashes or they can help treat bigger problems such as skin cancer. Dermatologists also have the ability to treat cosmetic conditions such as acne, hair loss or scars though this field is still being greatly developed. Dermatology is a wide spread field that is not easy to comprehend, many years of preparation is needed. Dermatologists have good working conditions and their jobs contain many benefits overshadowing the miniscule flaws, if someone enjoys helping people’s health, dermatology could be a field to investigate. With extensive training to enhance clinical and technical skills and much knowledge earned from years of education dermatologists have developed a very important place for themselves in today’s society.
Becoming a dermatologist is not an easy process. To be able to venture into this field one must have great patience and determination. To become a practicing dermatologist it will take about 13 years of hard work after high school. A bachelor’s degree must be obtained from a university which takes about 3 to 4 years depending on how one allocates their courses within the year. After getting a bachelor’s degree it is crucial that medical school is attended. The requirement to get into medical school is to have bachelor’s degree but it doesn’t have to be biology related degree, as long as the required courses are obtained to attend medical. Medical is another 4 years, usually the ones with the highest grades from the undergraduate major get accepted. Some medical schools require an entrance exam called the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) to be able to get accepted. Recommendations from teachers or advisors and interviews may also be required. After successful completion of medical school, one year of internship is to be attended to be able to be placed in a residence. In residence a certified dermatologist or another type physician will train and supervise to ensure their students are on the right path to become successful. Residence will take about 4 years with an excellent starting yearly salary. Though the path to becoming a practicing dermatologist is long and strenuous in the end it is very rewarding.
Dermatologists become very knowledgeable with competence in many different aspects of the field of human health with those many years of education and training. A few general things dermatologists learn how to do are biopsies, cryosurgery, and surgeries with lasers and lights. They also must have knowledge in basic sciences including microbiology, pathology, biochemistry, physics, physiology, and endocrinology. With their endless knowledge they are able to diagnose many diseases and provide treatments or cures for it. Some specific fields to dermatology are cosmetic dermatology, dermatopatholgy, immundermatology and many different types of therapy. Cosmetic dermatology deals with more of the physical aspects of the skin to enhance parts of the body to the patient’s desires. Dermatopathology deals with the microscopic aspects of the skin, studying the disease and the pathogenesis at a cellular level. Some therapies can include treatment for skin cancer or removal of certain imperfections such as removing growths, discolourations, or damage caused by aging, or sunlight. With many different options of work a dermatologist can undertake they also have many options as to where they’d work since dermatology is such a wide spread field.
Trained dermatologists may work in many different places depending on their preferences. Dermatologist can choose to work with patients in a public hospital clinical usually within a team environment in that is preferred or open a private practice. A private practice will allow the dermatologist to work independently and be more in control of what is going on within their workplace. They can also decide to act as a consultant for other specialists or teach other aspiring students and patients who need reassurance and help dealing with their disease emotionally. Unlike other medical specialists, dermatologists very rarely deal with emergency situations such as life-or-death. They usually have 5 day weeks, about 40 to 50 hours. The hours are fairly reasonable with occasional overtime to accommodate some patients’ schedules. Dermatologists also get to work with patients of all different ages and backgrounds which gives every day of work something different to look forward to. Dermatologists that work as professors also have great working conditions, their schedules are fairly similar to students with the same annual holidays and teaching within a classroom may be better if someone prefers not work with patients directly. The working conditions and the type of environment a dermatologist may work in are fairly pleasing. The only possible risks of working as any type of medical doctor generally is the amount of stress developed when there is too much work or the different emotions associated with treating patients or teaching students. Having a job that contributes to health of a human can be very emotional at times whether it being able to see patients recover successfully or not. With this in mind possibilities for developing new skills and knowledge are endless.
To continue to keep up with new advances and techniques within the field of dermatology practicing dermatologists still have to continue their medical education. This is done through special courses or lectures and seminars. It helps them develop more skills and knowledge in areas of clinical education, practice management, ethical decision making, evidence -based care and managed care principles. As dermatologists gain more experience within their practice they build up a good reputation within their community and they also earn a greater salary. In the beginning of their career during internship dermatologist earn about $35 000 to $45 000and then after getting accepted into residence they earn about $40 000 to $60 000 a year. This is a very salary to begin and then all debts from school can start to be paid off, if any. After completion of residency they are now a practicing dermatologist with the ability to earn about $100 000 to $350 000 a year, some can even earn more depending if they open up their own practice or see more patients. One of the largest expenses a dermatologist must pay for is the insurance fees in case anything was to happen to a patient. Earnings may vary from province to province or they type of facility they choose to work in.
With the many different types of work dermatologists could do there are many possibilities for advancement also such as becoming head of a department in a hospital or school, or expanding the private practice or making crucial discoveries in a research lab. The field of dermatology is constantly expanding and adapting to meet the changing medical challenges of the world today. New discoveries are always being made and new technology is always in development. Most of the advancements are due to the lifestyles of the people in society now. The process of becoming a dermatologist is very time consuming and requires hard work and determination but in the end leads to a wealthy and fulfilling career and future. As the career comes to end moving into retirement, most dermatologists can safely say they are satisfied with the life they’ve chosen with the great amount of money and knowledge earned and the contributions they’ve made to society’s health.
