What Do Dermatologists Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

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Job Description, Daily Responsibilities, and Work Life

Dermatologists

Dermatologists diagnose, treat, and help prevent diseases or other conditions of the skin.

Salary
$218850
Becoming One
Very Hard
Education
Doctoral degree
Job Satisfaction
Job Growth

Personality



Job Description

Job Description

Dermatologists diagnose, treat, and help prevent diseases or other conditions of the skin. They also diagnose and treat pigmented lesions such as common acquired nevi, congenital nevi, dysplastic nevi, Spitz nevi, blue nevi, or melanoma.

Other tasks include:

  • Conduct complete skin examinations.
  • Counsel patients on topics such as the need for annual dermatologic screenings, sun protection, skin cancer awareness, or skin and lymph node self-examinations.
  • Record patients’ health histories.
  • Diagnose and treat skin conditions such as acne, dandruff, athlete’s foot, moles, psoriasis, or skin cancer.
  • Perform incisional biopsies to diagnose melanoma.
  • Perform skin surgery to improve appearance, make early diagnoses, or control diseases such as skin cancer.

We asked Dermatologists how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

Job satisfaction

74%

How meaningful is this job

82%


74% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 82% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.



Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Dermatologists record patients’ health histories. They diagnose and treat skin conditions such as acne, dandruff, athlete’s foot, moles, psoriasis, or skin cancer.

A typical day for a Dermatologist will also include:

  • Conduct complete skin examinations.
  • Diagnose and treat pigmented lesions such as common acquired nevi, congenital nevi, dysplastic nevi, Spitz nevi, blue nevi, or melanoma.
  • Counsel patients on topics such as the need for annual dermatologic screenings, sun protection, skin cancer awareness, or skin and lymph node self-examinations.
  • Prescribe hormonal agents or topical treatments such as contraceptives, spironolactone, antiandrogens, oral corticosteroids, retinoids, benzoyl peroxide, or antibiotics.
  • Provide dermabrasion or laser abrasion to treat atrophic scars, elevated scars, or other skin conditions.

We asked some Dermatologists a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job? 93% said yes
How important is it to work in a team in this job? 85% said very important
Do you have group discussions everyday in this job? 91% said yes
Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job? 72% said yes
Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job? 0% said yes
Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job? 99% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Dermatologists also provide liposuction treatment to patients. They may also refer patients to other specialists, as needed.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Dermatologists Evaluate patients to determine eligibility for cosmetic procedures such as liposuction, laser resurfacing, or microdermabrasion. They might also Provide dermatologic consultation to other health professionals.

In addition, they Read current literature, talk with colleagues, and participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in dermatology.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Conduct or order diagnostic tests such as chest radiographs (x-rays), microbiologic tests, or endocrinologic tests.

To some Dermatologists, it is also their responsibility to Provide therapies such as intralesional steroids, chemical peels, or comodo removal to treat age spots, sun damage, rough skin, discolored skin, or oily skin.


Working life

Working hours

More than 40 hours per week

Working schedule

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as a Dermatologist, you can expect to work more than 40 hours per week.

Do Dermatologists work in an office-style work environment?

Every day
84%


Never
15%


Do Dermatologists work outdoors?

Never
90%


Once a month
11%



Is this right for me

Best personality for this career

The Thinkers and The Helpers

People who are suitable for this job tends to like working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. They like searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally..

They also like working with, communicating with, and teaching people. They like helping or providing service to others.

You can read more about these career personality types here.



Learn more about Dermatologists

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Related to Dermatologists Job Description

Dermatologists job description, what do Dermatologists do, typical day for Dermatologists, what is it like to work as a Dermatologist, how many hours do Dermatologists work, day to day work of a Dermatologist

Additional resources

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/healthcare/physicians-and-surgeons.htm
http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home.html
http://www.ama-assn.org/
http://www.abms.org/


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