A Career Research of The Field of Dermatology

Career Research Essay

Understanding how to maintain healthy skin and learning about different skin diseases has always been a passion of mine. For many years, I have been intrigued by the field of dermatology and have often envisioned myself having a career in this industry. Ranked after Neurology and Cardiology, Dermatology is the third most difficult field to become a physician. Since the field is so competitive, I have interest in becoming a physician’s assistant working in a dermatology clinic. In order to learn more about the role of a physician’s assistant with an emphasis in dermatology, I have conducted my research in the field of Dermatology, Physician Assistants and then focused on Dermatology PA.

To begin my research, I studied the website www.aad.org, which explained the general information about dermatology as the science of caring for the skin, hair and nails. Furthermore, the site provided a detailed description of a Dermatologist and their role in the care and treatment of patients with health issues. It referenced over 3,000 diseases that Dermatologist try to assist and find ways to improve their appearance. One area of the website revealed that the field is broader than just Dermatologist. Additional information regarding Cosmetic Dermatologist, Dermatopathologist and Pediatric Dermatologist were also reviewed. This shows the reader that there are options for one to consider when deciding on the field of their interest. The next topic discussed on this website was how to become a Dermatologist. The requirements to become a Dermatologist, internships and residency programs were listed in this section. Furthermore, the site provided detail about dermatology residency and the surgical procedures learned during this process. The last topic covered on this website was regarding fellowship in dermatology. If doctors continue their medical studies after completing their residency, a list of possible fellowship areas in dermatology were provided and information about each area. The structure of the website was easy to navigate and contained very useful information. The information was relevant for my interest in pursing a career in dermatology.

Since becoming a Dermatologist is beyond my personal goals, I then conducted research on how to become a Physician Assistant (PA). My online research of www.howtobecomeapa.com thoroughly covered the definition of a PA and how they support the physician. Furthermore, the site offered comparisons and contrasts between a physician and a PA by stating facts about each role and the differences of education required. This lead me to explore the area of requirements on the website where an explanation of courses and experience requirements were offered. The course requirements provided general information about applying through a centralized application system called CASPA (Central Application Service for Physician Assistants) and some good insight about specific course selections. The site informs the reader to make sure they are taking the right course that their program requires. In addition, the site offers guidance regarding experience requirements that can vary from program to program. Some PA programs will not consider an application unless the applicant has extensive clinical experience. The service requirements provided some general recommendations about getting some exposure by shadowing a PA or working an in environment that has PA employed. It is my hope to shadow a PA in a clinic setting in the very near future. Another tool available on the site is the PA Program Directory which requires logging into a portal to gain access to over 100 PA programs across the country. I was able to learn about application deadlines, entrance requirements and costs. The area of costs was further outlined under the Financial Aid section which indicated that the average PA student incurs $55,000 debt while in their program. For this reason, the site offered extensive information on earn cash, scholarships, grants, loans and repayments. After reviewing the Financial Aid information, then I was able to learn of the Certification criteria. This material provided guidance about the national exam, annual continuing medical education that is required of all PAs to maintain their license. Once a license is obtained, the PA is recommended to be a part of various groups. The Groups section of the website shows the connectivity of all PAs as a community which allows them to link by the main society of the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) or by their medical specialty and/or geographic area. After reviewing this website, I find that is does contain very good information about how to become a PA. The site does also contain a blog and a forum, so you can discuss the information presented with others.

While the above reviewed website contained valuable information regarding educational requirements, I wanted to further research the educational requirements to become a PA. The site referenced that prospective physician assistants must have formal training that is approved by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) and one must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited school. I really found the review of identified skills to be a PA beneficial. Those listed include: computer skills, technical skills, and key skills. Definitions of these skills were also provided. Information was also reviewed about the curriculum and the length of the average program to complete the course work. I was able to review how the focus of class instruction in year one transitions to more clinical applications and rotations as the program progresses. For those interested in pursuing an online education, there are numerous links that offered course overviews and the types of classes that can be taken via distant learning. Some of these courses include: Anatomy and Physiology, History of Art and Principles of Chemistry Courses. By reviewing the online site, http://education-portal.com, I felt it was very beneficial and provided some detail that was not found in other sites. The review of online courses within the website gave me some new insights about possible class options, but at this time I am interested in taking traditional classes to advance my knowledge of becoming a PA.

As I concluded my research, I wanted to focus on learning about Dermatology PA. The Society of Dermatology Physician Assistant (SDPA) offers information that is specific to my field of interest and has a short video that provides the linkage between the Dermatologist and the PA. The video reveals that a PA offers an increase in manpower and allows the Dermatologist to care for more patients. It explains that the PA is an extension of the physician and the scope of practice can vary between PAs based upon experience and comfort of the supervising Dermatologist. The site shares resources that are available to further the PA’s education in the area of dermatology. These include: Dermatology Journals, Dermatology texts, and Dermatology Continuing Medical education. The site www.dermpa.org explains that the Dermatologist will advise and train the PA to further their education after their formal educational program. The exposure to various clinical treatments, procedures, and medical interventions occur as the physician and PA formulate a team like relationship. In addition to the physician providing guidance, the SDPA offers many educational and training options including conferences and seminars, so the PA can stay abreast of the latest information in the field of dermatology. Of all the sites I have researched, this site contained the most pertinent information and was of great interest in light of my career direction. I surely will want to seek membership within the SDPA organization.

As indicated above, the PA supports the Dermatologist in their work and the PA does not have as extensive training and education as the physician. In the medical field they are referenced as “physician extenders” or “mid-level.” For this reason, the salary of the PA is significantly less than the physician. There are numerous sites that discuss the income of PAs, but www.healthcareers.about.com reviews the variation in PA salaries based upon specialty. While Urgent Care PAs earn an average salary of $132,727, Dermatology PAs earn and average of $129,466.

While this amount is slightly less, PAs in dermatology are documented to earn the second-highest average annual salary. In addition, this site offers compensation data, salary calculators, and compensation by geographic areas including an option to review Baton Rouge salaries. This site was very easy to navigate and offered multiple links to further explore various aspects of compensation for PAs.

While researching this area of interest that I plan on pursuing as my career,

I have learned about the educational requirements and the lengthy process of becoming a PA. This was the first time that I reviewed online information and read about the field of my interest. Much of the content I learned while reviewing the websites was very informative and I found some consistency in the material presented. I truly felt the video, which I viewed towards the end of my research, reassured me that Dermatology PA is truly my passion. The good news is that I love caring for others and I have desire for the field of dermatology. The challenge will be to tackle the educational courses going forward and preparing for the national exam.