In dermatology, we are fortunate to have many insightful practitioners and great teachers and mentors. Some are bright stars in our special universe – others unsung heroes. All of these colleagues have much to share, from wisdom to humor to insights into dermatology and life. This column allows us to gain insight from these practitioners and learn more about them.
Dr. Drosou is a board certified dermatologist with fellowship training in procedural dermatology. She works at Pearland Dermatology, Pearland, TX. She is married to Konstantinos Boukas, MD, a pediatric intensivist, and they have 3 children.
Originally from Greece, Dr. Drosou received her medical degree from the University of Athens, Greece. She received several scholastic achievement awards and graduated summa cum laude. Upon graduation, she completed a research fellowship in wound healing, followed by internship and residency in dermatology and cutaneous surgery at University of Miami’s School of Medicine.
She furthered her skills with an additional year of intensive training as a procedural dermatology fellow under the direction of Leonard Goldberg, MD, FRCP, DermSurgery Associates and Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX. Prior to her relocation to Texas, she worked for several years at a private practice at Pembroke Pines in Florida.
Dr. Drosou has received numerous awards for her research and clinical skills, including several “Patient’s Choice” awards and “Best Doctors in Dermatology” award. She has participated in several research trials and authored several book chapters, abstracts and articles in dermatologic peer-reviewed journals. She enjoys reading, music and spending time with her family.
Q. What part of your work gives you the most pleasure?
A. “Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.” — Aristotle. I enjoy numerous aspects of my work. I get pleasure of the immediate results of treatment after skin cancer surgery, of the challenges of the reconstruction and of the relief that the patients feel once their skin problem has resolved. But the part that gives me the most pleasure is the connection that develops between the physician and some of the patients. Dr. Goldberg, with whom I trained, has the privilege to be called “a friend” by a large number of his patients, and his approach has been very inspiring for me. It feels very fulfilling when, especially during surgery, I have the opportunity to talk more with my patients and they trust me with details of their lives, their interests, their expectations and concerns. This way, medicine becomes much more than just healing someone’s disease.
Q. What is your greatest regret?
A. I stand behind most of my life choices. When I read the question, I was unsuccessfully trying to find a really great regret. Retrospectively, there might be a few things that I should have done a little differently, but still under the same circumstances, I would probably have made the same decisions. I believe that, eventually, the difference is not made by a specific choice, but by the determination you have to make your choice work. There is more than one correct way that leads to success and fulfilment.
Q. Who was your hero/mentor and why?
A. I was blessed to have the late George Ioannides, MD, as my mentor. I met him when I first came to the United States, about 15 years ago. Dr. Ioannides was a University of Miami professor, previous friend and coworker of George Papanicolaou, MD. He founded and directed the University of Miami dermatopathology lab and served as a past president of the American Society of Dermatopathology. He was a unique and noble man who touched many lives, professionally and personally. His love and passion for his work, his devotion to teaching and his work ethic were inspirational for me. His advice was irreplaceable. His love for excellence was motivating. He definitely influenced deeply not only my education and training but also my life choices.
Q. Which patient had the most effect on your work and why?
A. In one of my first calls, during my mandatory rural service in Greece, a half-drowned 8-year-old child was brought to me, non-responsive, in a comatose condition. I called my attending who told me not to accept the patient and to refer him to the closest hospital to “avoid any responsibility.” Knowing that the closest hospital had no means of treating a case like this, and that 1 year earlier another patient had died while he was transferred from hospital to hospital in this area, I was troubled. As I was less than 6 months out of medical school, I was ready to follow his instructions, when I had a second look at the comatose boy and his already grieving parents. So, ignoring my attending’s instructions, I coordinated to air-transfer the patient to the pediatric intensive care unit of the university pediatric hospital. He survived without consequences. It was after that patient and the irresponsible approach of this attending, that I decided that I would have my training done in the United States. I committed to treating each patient without avoiding responsibilities as if he/she is a member of my family. This little boy deeply affected my approach to my patients.
Dr. Barankin is a dermatologist in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He is author-editor of 7 books in dermatology and is widely published in the dermatology and humanities literature.
In dermatology, we are fortunate to have many insightful practitioners and great teachers and mentors. Some are bright stars in our special universe – others unsung heroes. All of these colleagues have much to share, from wisdom to humor to insights into dermatology and life. This column allows us to gain insight from these practitioners and learn more about them.
Dr. Drosou is a board certified dermatologist with fellowship training in procedural dermatology. She works at Pearland Dermatology, Pearland, TX. She is married to Konstantinos Boukas, MD, a pediatric intensivist, and they have 3 children.
Originally from Greece, Dr. Drosou received her medical degree from the University of Athens, Greece. She received several scholastic achievement awards and graduated summa cum laude. Upon graduation, she completed a research fellowship in wound healing, followed by internship and residency in dermatology and cutaneous surgery at University of Miami’s School of Medicine.
She furthered her skills with an additional year of intensive training as a procedural dermatology fellow under the direction of Leonard Goldberg, MD, FRCP, DermSurgery Associates and Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX. Prior to her relocation to Texas, she worked for several years at a private practice at Pembroke Pines in Florida.
Dr. Drosou has received numerous awards for her research and clinical skills, including several “Patient’s Choice” awards and “Best Doctors in Dermatology” award. She has participated in several research trials and authored several book chapters, abstracts and articles in dermatologic peer-reviewed journals. She enjoys reading, music and spending time with her family.
Q. What part of your work gives you the most pleasure?
A. “Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.” — Aristotle. I enjoy numerous aspects of my work. I get pleasure of the immediate results of treatment after skin cancer surgery, of the challenges of the reconstruction and of the relief that the patients feel once their skin problem has resolved. But the part that gives me the most pleasure is the connection that develops between the physician and some of the patients. Dr. Goldberg, with whom I trained, has the privilege to be called “a friend” by a large number of his patients, and his approach has been very inspiring for me. It feels very fulfilling when, especially during surgery, I have the opportunity to talk more with my patients and they trust me with details of their lives, their interests, their expectations and concerns. This way, medicine becomes much more than just healing someone’s disease.
Q. What is your greatest regret?
A. I stand behind most of my life choices. When I read the question, I was unsuccessfully trying to find a really great regret. Retrospectively, there might be a few things that I should have done a little differently, but still under the same circumstances, I would probably have made the same decisions. I believe that, eventually, the difference is not made by a specific choice, but by the determination you have to make your choice work. There is more than one correct way that leads to success and fulfilment.
Q. Who was your hero/mentor and why?
A. I was blessed to have the late George Ioannides, MD, as my mentor. I met him when I first came to the United States, about 15 years ago. Dr. Ioannides was a University of Miami professor, previous friend and coworker of George Papanicolaou, MD. He founded and directed the University of Miami dermatopathology lab and served as a past president of the American Society of Dermatopathology. He was a unique and noble man who touched many lives, professionally and personally. His love and passion for his work, his devotion to teaching and his work ethic were inspirational for me. His advice was irreplaceable. His love for excellence was motivating. He definitely influenced deeply not only my education and training but also my life choices.
Q. Which patient had the most effect on your work and why?
A. In one of my first calls, during my mandatory rural service in Greece, a half-drowned 8-year-old child was brought to me, non-responsive, in a comatose condition. I called my attending who told me not to accept the patient and to refer him to the closest hospital to “avoid any responsibility.” Knowing that the closest hospital had no means of treating a case like this, and that 1 year earlier another patient had died while he was transferred from hospital to hospital in this area, I was troubled. As I was less than 6 months out of medical school, I was ready to follow his instructions, when I had a second look at the comatose boy and his already grieving parents. So, ignoring my attending’s instructions, I coordinated to air-transfer the patient to the pediatric intensive care unit of the university pediatric hospital. He survived without consequences. It was after that patient and the irresponsible approach of this attending, that I decided that I would have my training done in the United States. I committed to treating each patient without avoiding responsibilities as if he/she is a member of my family. This little boy deeply affected my approach to my patients.
Dr. Barankin is a dermatologist in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He is author-editor of 7 books in dermatology and is widely published in the dermatology and humanities literature.
In dermatology, we are fortunate to have many insightful practitioners and great teachers and mentors. Some are bright stars in our special universe – others unsung heroes. All of these colleagues have much to share, from wisdom to humor to insights into dermatology and life. This column allows us to gain insight from these practitioners and learn more about them.
Dr. Drosou is a board certified dermatologist with fellowship training in procedural dermatology. She works at Pearland Dermatology, Pearland, TX. She is married to Konstantinos Boukas, MD, a pediatric intensivist, and they have 3 children.
Originally from Greece, Dr. Drosou received her medical degree from the University of Athens, Greece. She received several scholastic achievement awards and graduated summa cum laude. Upon graduation, she completed a research fellowship in wound healing, followed by internship and residency in dermatology and cutaneous surgery at University of Miami’s School of Medicine.
She furthered her skills with an additional year of intensive training as a procedural dermatology fellow under the direction of Leonard Goldberg, MD, FRCP, DermSurgery Associates and Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX. Prior to her relocation to Texas, she worked for several years at a private practice at Pembroke Pines in Florida.
Dr. Drosou has received numerous awards for her research and clinical skills, including several “Patient’s Choice” awards and “Best Doctors in Dermatology” award. She has participated in several research trials and authored several book chapters, abstracts and articles in dermatologic peer-reviewed journals. She enjoys reading, music and spending time with her family.
Q. What part of your work gives you the most pleasure?
A. “Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.” — Aristotle. I enjoy numerous aspects of my work. I get pleasure of the immediate results of treatment after skin cancer surgery, of the challenges of the reconstruction and of the relief that the patients feel once their skin problem has resolved. But the part that gives me the most pleasure is the connection that develops between the physician and some of the patients. Dr. Goldberg, with whom I trained, has the privilege to be called “a friend” by a large number of his patients, and his approach has been very inspiring for me. It feels very fulfilling when, especially during surgery, I have the opportunity to talk more with my patients and they trust me with details of their lives, their interests, their expectations and concerns. This way, medicine becomes much more than just healing someone’s disease.
Q. What is your greatest regret?
A. I stand behind most of my life choices. When I read the question, I was unsuccessfully trying to find a really great regret. Retrospectively, there might be a few things that I should have done a little differently, but still under the same circumstances, I would probably have made the same decisions. I believe that, eventually, the difference is not made by a specific choice, but by the determination you have to make your choice work. There is more than one correct way that leads to success and fulfilment.
Q. Who was your hero/mentor and why?
A. I was blessed to have the late George Ioannides, MD, as my mentor. I met him when I first came to the United States, about 15 years ago. Dr. Ioannides was a University of Miami professor, previous friend and coworker of George Papanicolaou, MD. He founded and directed the University of Miami dermatopathology lab and served as a past president of the American Society of Dermatopathology. He was a unique and noble man who touched many lives, professionally and personally. His love and passion for his work, his devotion to teaching and his work ethic were inspirational for me. His advice was irreplaceable. His love for excellence was motivating. He definitely influenced deeply not only my education and training but also my life choices.
Q. Which patient had the most effect on your work and why?
A. In one of my first calls, during my mandatory rural service in Greece, a half-drowned 8-year-old child was brought to me, non-responsive, in a comatose condition. I called my attending who told me not to accept the patient and to refer him to the closest hospital to “avoid any responsibility.” Knowing that the closest hospital had no means of treating a case like this, and that 1 year earlier another patient had died while he was transferred from hospital to hospital in this area, I was troubled. As I was less than 6 months out of medical school, I was ready to follow his instructions, when I had a second look at the comatose boy and his already grieving parents. So, ignoring my attending’s instructions, I coordinated to air-transfer the patient to the pediatric intensive care unit of the university pediatric hospital. He survived without consequences. It was after that patient and the irresponsible approach of this attending, that I decided that I would have my training done in the United States. I committed to treating each patient without avoiding responsibilities as if he/she is a member of my family. This little boy deeply affected my approach to my patients.
Dr. Barankin is a dermatologist in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He is author-editor of 7 books in dermatology and is widely published in the dermatology and humanities literature.
