Professor Goh came to the National Skin Centre in 1988 and was its Medical Director for 14 years, between January 1990 and March 2004. He has been a part-time clinical teacher since 1981 and was appointed an Associate Clinical Professor in 1992 at the Faculty of Medicine, National University of Singapore. Since January 2001, he has been Clinical Professor at the University.
Dr. Goh was Past President of the Society of Laser Medicine and Surgery of Singapore and also past president of the Environmental and Occupational Dermatology Society of Singapore. He has published more than 240 scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals and is a chapter contributor to numerous dermatology reference books and editor of several reference dermatology books including a recent atlas Asian Skin – A Reference Colour Atlas of Dermatology, published by McGraw Hill.
Q. What advice would you give to a newly qualified doctor?
A. Our medical dermatology patients now consult us for cosmetic disorders, too. Dermatologists are probably the most qualified physicians to treat these cosmetic dermatological disorders. However, I urge dermatologists not lose sight of medical dermatology because that forms the basis of everything (including cosmetic dermatology). It provides dermatologists with the scientific basis for how we apply treatments to our patients and their skin disorders. It is a very challenging and fascinating specialty that allows us to manage and visualize patients’ dermatological disorders together. I would advise, though, that we dermatologists not become too deeply involved in cosmetic dermatological procedures that are not substantiated with proper scientific evidence.
Q. What part of your work gives you most pleasure?
A. Nothing beats patient care. I look forward to going into my clinic and seeing my patients every day. The greatest pleasure is when you see a patient whom you have followed since infancy and who has now grown to be a working adult. This is especially so when you are managing patients with chronic skin disorders such as atopic dermatitis because you have “held their hand” through their disease exacerbations and helped them get through their life. What profession can offer you such pleasure and satisfaction! For patients with less severe dermatological disorders, I find great pleasure when a frustrated patient who had failed treatment many times before after having been diagnosed wrongly by their family physicians finally has a treatment that’s successful.
Q. Which patient has had the most effect on your work, and why?
A. Patients who have the most effect on me are those with chronic diseases — including children and adults with atopic dermatitis and various forms of endogenous eczema — generalized exfoliative dermatitis, and erythrodermic psoriasis. I am always perplexed by the severity of their disease, and often there seems little that we can do for them. I have always felt inadequate and ask myself: Have I missed something, is my diagnosis wrong, have I missed giving them the right treatment or something that I can do to help them get better?
On the positive side is the satisfaction I get when I manage patients with contact and occupational dermatitis, where my detective skills have helped many patients get better. This is especially satisfying when you solve the skin problems of workers with occupational contact dermatitis, solve their skin problems, and trace the culprit allergens of ladies with cosmetic contact dermatitis .
Q. What do you think is the greatest political danger to the field of dermatology?
A. The non-evidence-based components of cosmetic dermatology concern me most. I am afraid many dermatologists have joined the bandwagon for carrying out cosmetic procedures and worse — to promote procedures that have no scientific basis or evidence. Many perform such procedures based on anecdotal reports. Soon, many will behave like beauticians and charlatans.
Professor Goh came to the National Skin Centre in 1988 and was its Medical Director for 14 years, between January 1990 and March 2004. He has been a part-time clinical teacher since 1981 and was appointed an Associate Clinical Professor in 1992 at the Faculty of Medicine, National University of Singapore. Since January 2001, he has been Clinical Professor at the University.
Dr. Goh was Past President of the Society of Laser Medicine and Surgery of Singapore and also past president of the Environmental and Occupational Dermatology Society of Singapore. He has published more than 240 scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals and is a chapter contributor to numerous dermatology reference books and editor of several reference dermatology books including a recent atlas Asian Skin – A Reference Colour Atlas of Dermatology, published by McGraw Hill.
Q. What advice would you give to a newly qualified doctor?
A. Our medical dermatology patients now consult us for cosmetic disorders, too. Dermatologists are probably the most qualified physicians to treat these cosmetic dermatological disorders. However, I urge dermatologists not lose sight of medical dermatology because that forms the basis of everything (including cosmetic dermatology). It provides dermatologists with the scientific basis for how we apply treatments to our patients and their skin disorders. It is a very challenging and fascinating specialty that allows us to manage and visualize patients’ dermatological disorders together. I would advise, though, that we dermatologists not become too deeply involved in cosmetic dermatological procedures that are not substantiated with proper scientific evidence.
Q. What part of your work gives you most pleasure?
A. Nothing beats patient care. I look forward to going into my clinic and seeing my patients every day. The greatest pleasure is when you see a patient whom you have followed since infancy and who has now grown to be a working adult. This is especially so when you are managing patients with chronic skin disorders such as atopic dermatitis because you have “held their hand” through their disease exacerbations and helped them get through their life. What profession can offer you such pleasure and satisfaction! For patients with less severe dermatological disorders, I find great pleasure when a frustrated patient who had failed treatment many times before after having been diagnosed wrongly by their family physicians finally has a treatment that’s successful.
Q. Which patient has had the most effect on your work, and why?
A. Patients who have the most effect on me are those with chronic diseases — including children and adults with atopic dermatitis and various forms of endogenous eczema — generalized exfoliative dermatitis, and erythrodermic psoriasis. I am always perplexed by the severity of their disease, and often there seems little that we can do for them. I have always felt inadequate and ask myself: Have I missed something, is my diagnosis wrong, have I missed giving them the right treatment or something that I can do to help them get better?
On the positive side is the satisfaction I get when I manage patients with contact and occupational dermatitis, where my detective skills have helped many patients get better. This is especially satisfying when you solve the skin problems of workers with occupational contact dermatitis, solve their skin problems, and trace the culprit allergens of ladies with cosmetic contact dermatitis .
Q. What do you think is the greatest political danger to the field of dermatology?
A. The non-evidence-based components of cosmetic dermatology concern me most. I am afraid many dermatologists have joined the bandwagon for carrying out cosmetic procedures and worse — to promote procedures that have no scientific basis or evidence. Many perform such procedures based on anecdotal reports. Soon, many will behave like beauticians and charlatans.
Professor Goh came to the National Skin Centre in 1988 and was its Medical Director for 14 years, between January 1990 and March 2004. He has been a part-time clinical teacher since 1981 and was appointed an Associate Clinical Professor in 1992 at the Faculty of Medicine, National University of Singapore. Since January 2001, he has been Clinical Professor at the University.
Dr. Goh was Past President of the Society of Laser Medicine and Surgery of Singapore and also past president of the Environmental and Occupational Dermatology Society of Singapore. He has published more than 240 scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals and is a chapter contributor to numerous dermatology reference books and editor of several reference dermatology books including a recent atlas Asian Skin – A Reference Colour Atlas of Dermatology, published by McGraw Hill.
Q. What advice would you give to a newly qualified doctor?
A. Our medical dermatology patients now consult us for cosmetic disorders, too. Dermatologists are probably the most qualified physicians to treat these cosmetic dermatological disorders. However, I urge dermatologists not lose sight of medical dermatology because that forms the basis of everything (including cosmetic dermatology). It provides dermatologists with the scientific basis for how we apply treatments to our patients and their skin disorders. It is a very challenging and fascinating specialty that allows us to manage and visualize patients’ dermatological disorders together. I would advise, though, that we dermatologists not become too deeply involved in cosmetic dermatological procedures that are not substantiated with proper scientific evidence.
Q. What part of your work gives you most pleasure?
A. Nothing beats patient care. I look forward to going into my clinic and seeing my patients every day. The greatest pleasure is when you see a patient whom you have followed since infancy and who has now grown to be a working adult. This is especially so when you are managing patients with chronic skin disorders such as atopic dermatitis because you have “held their hand” through their disease exacerbations and helped them get through their life. What profession can offer you such pleasure and satisfaction! For patients with less severe dermatological disorders, I find great pleasure when a frustrated patient who had failed treatment many times before after having been diagnosed wrongly by their family physicians finally has a treatment that’s successful.
Q. Which patient has had the most effect on your work, and why?
A. Patients who have the most effect on me are those with chronic diseases — including children and adults with atopic dermatitis and various forms of endogenous eczema — generalized exfoliative dermatitis, and erythrodermic psoriasis. I am always perplexed by the severity of their disease, and often there seems little that we can do for them. I have always felt inadequate and ask myself: Have I missed something, is my diagnosis wrong, have I missed giving them the right treatment or something that I can do to help them get better?
On the positive side is the satisfaction I get when I manage patients with contact and occupational dermatitis, where my detective skills have helped many patients get better. This is especially satisfying when you solve the skin problems of workers with occupational contact dermatitis, solve their skin problems, and trace the culprit allergens of ladies with cosmetic contact dermatitis .
Q. What do you think is the greatest political danger to the field of dermatology?
A. The non-evidence-based components of cosmetic dermatology concern me most. I am afraid many dermatologists have joined the bandwagon for carrying out cosmetic procedures and worse — to promote procedures that have no scientific basis or evidence. Many perform such procedures based on anecdotal reports. Soon, many will behave like beauticians and charlatans.
