By Allison Sit
A study published in Pediatric Dermatology found variances in the Medicaid acceptance status of board-certified pediatric dermatologists. The cross-sectional study looked at the Medicaid acceptance rate of 352 actively practicing board-certified pediatric dermatologists. While 78% of pediatric dermatologists in the study accepted Medicaid, acceptance varied greatly based on practice type, region, median household income in the practice county and density of pediatric dermatologists. Academic practices and practices in the Midwest were more likely to accept Medicaid as were practices in counties with lower median household income and in areas with a greater density of pediatric dermatologists.
“Most Medicaid-accepting pediatric dermatologists work at academic practices, which may result in prolonged appointment wait times if the majority of the pediatric population is seeking care from a scarce number of in-network physicians,” wrote Madeline Tessier-Kay, MPH, and colleagues from the University of Connecticut Health Center. “Given about 40 million children in the United States are Medicaid beneficiaries, academic practices alone are unable to meet the demand for care in this population.”
The authors recommend recruiting pediatric dermatologists as teaching faculty and prioritizing residency applications from those with an interest in pediatric dermatology.
A dermatology practice in the Minneapolis area is celebrating the success of its gap year program for future physicians and physician assistants. Eighteen students who completed the Tareen Dermatology Gap Year Program will be attending medical and physician assistant schools. The program provides comprehensive experience in dermatology, along with mentorship, and skills and knowledge for a successful medical career.
“The hands-on experiences they have gained, from assisting in surgeries to mastering assisting with cosmetic procedures, have prepared them well for their future pursuits in medical and physician assistant schools,” said Tareen Dermatology founder Mohiba Tareen, MD. “Our program aims to cultivate well-rounded healthcare professionals, and these students exemplify the excellence and commitment we strive for at Tareen Dermatology – always putting patients first. We are so proud to support these gap year students and mentor them as they work towards becoming amazing medical professionals.”
CeraVe called on dermatologists to become a “Derm Changemaker” and offer free skin checks in their local communities. CeraVe and the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (NAFC) partnered to offer dermatologic care on July 8 – World Skin Day — in select clinics nationwide.
“When I was in medical school, I treated a patient experiencing homelessness, and I knew in that moment that I wanted to provide free care to people who needed it,” said dermatologist Dustin Portela, DO. “My goal as a doctor has always been to give care to those who need it most. Volunteering with NAFC and CeraVe on World Skin Health Day is one way I’m living that commitment to make sure that I’m offering care beyond those who see me in the office so that I can give back to my community and make a lasting impact on skin health, and hopefully, inspiring other dermatologists to become changemakers alongside us.”
