Women's Dermatologic Society

  Recognizing and Reducing Implicit Bias: Strategies to Improve Equity in Dermatology By Susan Massick, MD Implicit Bias in Dermatology The Merriam-Webster definition of “bias” is “an inclination of temperament or outlook.” By itself, bias is a neutral term, but one can harbor biases that are positive or negative aimed toward a person, an object, or a concept. “Explicit bias” pertains to our beliefs on a conscious level—we are aware of them; however, “implicit bias” refers to our unconscious beliefs and attitudes outside of our conscious awareness that may positively or negatively impact our behavior, our actions, and our decisions. What are examples of common implicit biases? ·          Gender ·          Race/Ethnicity ·          Age ·          Religion ·          Sexual orientation ·          Socioeconomic ·          Disability It may be helpful to try to identify your personal implicit biases. Consider taking an implicit bias test, such as the Implicit A

  Applying for Cosmetic Dermatologic Surgery Fellowship Special thanks to Dr. Murad Alam for providing tips and guidance on the best way to prepare and apply for a cosmetics fellowship! Dr. Alam currently serves as the Vice-Chair of Dermatology and Chief of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. He has also been elected American Academy of Dermatology president for 2026. 1. How can an applicant best demonstrate their interest in a cosmetic fellowship? To demonstrate interest in a cosmetic fellowship, an applicant should reach out to the director of cosmetic dermatology at their residency program as early as they can in training.  This allows the director to take special interest in the potential applicant and work with them to develop their skills. There may be increased exposure to cosmetic procedures, opportunity to participate in related clinical research, and other enrichment opportunities like attendance at regional or natio

  WDS Young Physician Spotlight Interview - Jennifer Adams, MD Interviewed by Brianna Olamiju, MD and Amaris Geisler, MD 1.)        How did you become involved in the WDS and what benefits do you think WDS membership provides for residents/young physicians? I learned about the free resident membership for WDS and signed up to stay in the loop during my first-year of dermatology training at University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital. I was later chosen for the WDS mentorship award during my senior year which supported a rotation with the National Hansen’s Disease Program- reinforcing my career foundation for infectious disease dermatology.   Although WDS mentorship, networking with colleagues, scholarships and service opportunities have long been available to support residents/young physicians, I have also loved to direct our current residents to their fantastic recent resident lecture series (the repository of prior recorded lectures are available on-demand)!   2.)       A