Dr. Garcia is in private practice in Oklahoma City, OK, where he resides with his wife, Andrea, who is a Mohs histotechnician, and 2 grown children. Dr. Garcia completed a 2-year fellowship in Dermatologic and Mohs surgery at Duke University, and was the director of surgical dermatology and Cutaneous Oncology at the Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center from 2000 until 2012.
Dr. Garcia is a nationally and internationally recognized speaker on Mohs surgery and cutaneous oncology, and has authored 8 book chapters and 34 papers in peer-reviewed journals.
He is a member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, current President of the Oklahoma State Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery Society and the President-elect of the American Society of Mohs Surgery.
Q. What part of your work gives you the most pleasure?
A. I find it very rewarding to provide a much-needed dermatologic service to south Oklahoma City. Although, there are many dermatologists in our city, most of them are concentrated in the central and northern neighborhoods. We are a group of 2 dermatologists and 1 physician assistant concentrating exclusively in non-cosmetic medical and surgical dermatology. Our clinic serves a large Hispanic population and many patients either lack insurance coverage or do not speak English fluently. Being able to provide dermatologic care in their native language and at affordable prices is extremely rewarding.
Q. Are an understanding and appreciation of the humanities important in dermatology and why?
A. The humanities are extremely important in dermatology. They help us develop and nurture compassion and tolerance. The humanities teach us about feelings, needs, charity and culture, all important factors to consider when caring for our patients. Reading about medical encounters and/or patients’ experiences and sufferings can teach us about our own shortcomings as physicians, and can help us improve our bedside manners and our understanding of human nature.
Q. What is the best piece of advice you have received and from whom?
A. The best advice I ever received was from June K. Robinson, MD. Many years ago, I attended one of her lectures and at the end of it I asked her how she managed to be so extremely productive in academic dermatology (papers, lectures, etc) and still have time to be successful as a department chair, Mohs surgeon, journal editor, family woman and wife. She responded that her secret was a little bit of talent and a lot of time management skills and discipline. Dr. Robinson told me that for many years she had woken up at 4 am to 5 am and devoted at least 2 hours a day to academic work, weekends included. Since then, I have tried to emulate her, and although I cannot compare my achievements to hers, her formula has worked wonders for me.
Q. Which medical figure in history would you like to have a drink with and why?
A. I would choose Abraham Flexner, an educator from the Carnegie Foundation. He was responsible of shaping medical education into what it is today. In 1910, Flexner surveyed all 115 medical and osteopathic schools in the United States and Canada and concluded that in general, their academic level was suboptimal. His report included recommendations that still resonate to this day: develop minimal admission standards for medical school and increase the duration of it to 4 years, 2 of basic and 2 of clinical education. As a result of the Flexner report, many deficient “medical schools” had to close and only the ones that elevated their level remained. I am convinced that Flexner is one of the most important figures responsible for making the United States medical education the best in the world.
Q. What is the greatest political danger in the field of dermatology?
A. The greatest political danger in dermatology is the attempts by some to limit the practice of Mohs surgery to only fellowship-trained dermatologists. Supporters of this point of view believe that Mohs surgery is such a complicated technique that it requires special training after residency; while opponents claim that Mohs surgery is only a surgical technique to treat skin cancer, and any dermatologist with good training in surgery and pathology should be able to perform it. This battle has been fought for many years now and is dividing the dermatology community. In my opinion, we should strive to keep and promote dermatology as a unified medical, surgical and cosmetic specialty, in which dermatologists should be able to perform ethically all and every technique according to their expertise and preferences. n
Dr. Barankin is a dermatologist in Toronto, Canada. He is author-editor of 6 books in dermatology and is widely published in the dermatology and humanities literature.
Dr. Garcia is in private practice in Oklahoma City, OK, where he resides with his wife, Andrea, who is a Mohs histotechnician, and 2 grown children. Dr. Garcia completed a 2-year fellowship in Dermatologic and Mohs surgery at Duke University, and was the director of surgical dermatology and Cutaneous Oncology at the Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center from 2000 until 2012.
Dr. Garcia is a nationally and internationally recognized speaker on Mohs surgery and cutaneous oncology, and has authored 8 book chapters and 34 papers in peer-reviewed journals.
He is a member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, current President of the Oklahoma State Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery Society and the President-elect of the American Society of Mohs Surgery.
Q. What part of your work gives you the most pleasure?
A. I find it very rewarding to provide a much-needed dermatologic service to south Oklahoma City. Although, there are many dermatologists in our city, most of them are concentrated in the central and northern neighborhoods. We are a group of 2 dermatologists and 1 physician assistant concentrating exclusively in non-cosmetic medical and surgical dermatology. Our clinic serves a large Hispanic population and many patients either lack insurance coverage or do not speak English fluently. Being able to provide dermatologic care in their native language and at affordable prices is extremely rewarding.
Q. Are an understanding and appreciation of the humanities important in dermatology and why?
A. The humanities are extremely important in dermatology. They help us develop and nurture compassion and tolerance. The humanities teach us about feelings, needs, charity and culture, all important factors to consider when caring for our patients. Reading about medical encounters and/or patients’ experiences and sufferings can teach us about our own shortcomings as physicians, and can help us improve our bedside manners and our understanding of human nature.
Q. What is the best piece of advice you have received and from whom?
A. The best advice I ever received was from June K. Robinson, MD. Many years ago, I attended one of her lectures and at the end of it I asked her how she managed to be so extremely productive in academic dermatology (papers, lectures, etc) and still have time to be successful as a department chair, Mohs surgeon, journal editor, family woman and wife. She responded that her secret was a little bit of talent and a lot of time management skills and discipline. Dr. Robinson told me that for many years she had woken up at 4 am to 5 am and devoted at least 2 hours a day to academic work, weekends included. Since then, I have tried to emulate her, and although I cannot compare my achievements to hers, her formula has worked wonders for me.
Q. Which medical figure in history would you like to have a drink with and why?
A. I would choose Abraham Flexner, an educator from the Carnegie Foundation. He was responsible of shaping medical education into what it is today. In 1910, Flexner surveyed all 115 medical and osteopathic schools in the United States and Canada and concluded that in general, their academic level was suboptimal. His report included recommendations that still resonate to this day: develop minimal admission standards for medical school and increase the duration of it to 4 years, 2 of basic and 2 of clinical education. As a result of the Flexner report, many deficient “medical schools” had to close and only the ones that elevated their level remained. I am convinced that Flexner is one of the most important figures responsible for making the United States medical education the best in the world.
Q. What is the greatest political danger in the field of dermatology?
A. The greatest political danger in dermatology is the attempts by some to limit the practice of Mohs surgery to only fellowship-trained dermatologists. Supporters of this point of view believe that Mohs surgery is such a complicated technique that it requires special training after residency; while opponents claim that Mohs surgery is only a surgical technique to treat skin cancer, and any dermatologist with good training in surgery and pathology should be able to perform it. This battle has been fought for many years now and is dividing the dermatology community. In my opinion, we should strive to keep and promote dermatology as a unified medical, surgical and cosmetic specialty, in which dermatologists should be able to perform ethically all and every technique according to their expertise and preferences. n
Dr. Barankin is a dermatologist in Toronto, Canada. He is author-editor of 6 books in dermatology and is widely published in the dermatology and humanities literature.
Dr. Garcia is in private practice in Oklahoma City, OK, where he resides with his wife, Andrea, who is a Mohs histotechnician, and 2 grown children. Dr. Garcia completed a 2-year fellowship in Dermatologic and Mohs surgery at Duke University, and was the director of surgical dermatology and Cutaneous Oncology at the Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center from 2000 until 2012.
Dr. Garcia is a nationally and internationally recognized speaker on Mohs surgery and cutaneous oncology, and has authored 8 book chapters and 34 papers in peer-reviewed journals.
He is a member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, current President of the Oklahoma State Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery Society and the President-elect of the American Society of Mohs Surgery.
Q. What part of your work gives you the most pleasure?
A. I find it very rewarding to provide a much-needed dermatologic service to south Oklahoma City. Although, there are many dermatologists in our city, most of them are concentrated in the central and northern neighborhoods. We are a group of 2 dermatologists and 1 physician assistant concentrating exclusively in non-cosmetic medical and surgical dermatology. Our clinic serves a large Hispanic population and many patients either lack insurance coverage or do not speak English fluently. Being able to provide dermatologic care in their native language and at affordable prices is extremely rewarding.
Q. Are an understanding and appreciation of the humanities important in dermatology and why?
A. The humanities are extremely important in dermatology. They help us develop and nurture compassion and tolerance. The humanities teach us about feelings, needs, charity and culture, all important factors to consider when caring for our patients. Reading about medical encounters and/or patients’ experiences and sufferings can teach us about our own shortcomings as physicians, and can help us improve our bedside manners and our understanding of human nature.
Q. What is the best piece of advice you have received and from whom?
A. The best advice I ever received was from June K. Robinson, MD. Many years ago, I attended one of her lectures and at the end of it I asked her how she managed to be so extremely productive in academic dermatology (papers, lectures, etc) and still have time to be successful as a department chair, Mohs surgeon, journal editor, family woman and wife. She responded that her secret was a little bit of talent and a lot of time management skills and discipline. Dr. Robinson told me that for many years she had woken up at 4 am to 5 am and devoted at least 2 hours a day to academic work, weekends included. Since then, I have tried to emulate her, and although I cannot compare my achievements to hers, her formula has worked wonders for me.
Q. Which medical figure in history would you like to have a drink with and why?
A. I would choose Abraham Flexner, an educator from the Carnegie Foundation. He was responsible of shaping medical education into what it is today. In 1910, Flexner surveyed all 115 medical and osteopathic schools in the United States and Canada and concluded that in general, their academic level was suboptimal. His report included recommendations that still resonate to this day: develop minimal admission standards for medical school and increase the duration of it to 4 years, 2 of basic and 2 of clinical education. As a result of the Flexner report, many deficient “medical schools” had to close and only the ones that elevated their level remained. I am convinced that Flexner is one of the most important figures responsible for making the United States medical education the best in the world.
Q. What is the greatest political danger in the field of dermatology?
A. The greatest political danger in dermatology is the attempts by some to limit the practice of Mohs surgery to only fellowship-trained dermatologists. Supporters of this point of view believe that Mohs surgery is such a complicated technique that it requires special training after residency; while opponents claim that Mohs surgery is only a surgical technique to treat skin cancer, and any dermatologist with good training in surgery and pathology should be able to perform it. This battle has been fought for many years now and is dividing the dermatology community. In my opinion, we should strive to keep and promote dermatology as a unified medical, surgical and cosmetic specialty, in which dermatologists should be able to perform ethically all and every technique according to their expertise and preferences. n
Dr. Barankin is a dermatologist in Toronto, Canada. He is author-editor of 6 books in dermatology and is widely published in the dermatology and humanities literature.
