Academic medicine, and dermatology in particular, is facing a critical inflection point, one that mirrors the broader social and political landscape. As financial pressures intensify, institutions across the country are seeking ways to continue to fulfill their missions in research, education, and clinical care. At Johns Hopkins University, we have undergone multiple rounds of deliberations to define the financial transformation required — and many changes are already underway. At the heart of these changes, however, lies a hard truth: revenue that previously supported our research and education efforts has eroded. And this is not unique to Johns Hopkins; it’s playing out across the country.
Consequently, investigators face intensifying pressure to do more in the clinic — more half-days, more patients, more revenue — while also trying to carve out time for meaningful research. They have to earn their keep.
“Revenue that previously supported our research and education efforts has eroded. And this is not unique to Johns Hopkins; it’s playing out across the country.”
The result is that many talented dermatologists, despite entering one of the most competitive specialties in medicine, ultimately step away from academic work. For many early-career dermatologists, that raises a hard question: Why stay in academic medicine at all? They could work in the community, treat simpler cases, and take home a much larger paycheck. That’s the ugly reality many of us in academic medicine are grappling with.
Yet despite these challenges, dermatology continues to attract incredibly bright and driven medical students.
Providing timely financial support
That’s where the Dermatology Foundation comes in, offering talented, bright young minds who want to stay in academics, time and funding to support their research. Protection from clinical pressure.
In my role as chair of the dermatology department at Johns Hopkins, I work to ensure there is support and mentorship for residents and junior faculty who want to pursue an investigative career in our field. These individuals need help to prepare strong, scientifically meritorious research proposals; something worthy of the Foundation’s rigorous review process, not something composed over a weekend. Our reviewers are experts and know what strong science and individual potential look like. And when someone earns a DF research award, they receive a boost of confidence and a powerful stepping stone toward bigger grants.
The Foundation may not fund research for an entire career, but it offers essential financial support at a critical time. That was certainly true in my case. In 1994, two years after completing residency and fellowship, I received a DF Career Development Award (CDA) that gave me the most valuable resource in academic medicine: time. I was able to step back from full-time clinical duties and focus on my research. That opportunity launched my career and led to NIH and industry funding, and eventually, training grants that supported investigators across multiple schools at my institution.
“When someone earns a DF research award, they receive a boost of confidence and a powerful stepping stone toward bigger grants.”
One of our junior faculty at Johns Hopkins had a nearly identical trajectory. DF support enabled him to later secure NIH funding and commit to a serious research career. None of that would have been possible without that initial support. Indeed, several faculty members in my department and many others in our field can trace their academic progression back to that early, transformative support.
DF CDA provides protected time and funding just as young faculty are transitioning from training to independent careers. And that investment pays off. Many DF awardees go on to secure NIH K awards, R01s, and even lead major training programs. Others ascend to department chairs and national leadership positions.
I often remind my residents that what truly sets dermatologists apart from generalists — whether they are family physicians, pediatricians, or internists — is our depth of knowledge. We are the experts in the full range of skin diseases and issues.
The only way to maintain that distinction for the benefit of patients is by continuing to expand our understanding of the skin, and that takes time and support for research. That’s why nurturing and supporting those who want to pursue academic dermatology is essential. The future of our field depends on people who are not only passionate about caring for patients but also committed to pushing the science of dermatology forward.
Sustainable funding alternatives for universities
In academic dermatology, we need to think critically about how we protect and invest in young faculty, not only residents, but early-career dermatologists who want to explore research, education, or innovation beyond the clinic. Unlike PhD researchers who are wholly dependent on external grants, physician investigators have the potential to generate income for their institution through clinical work. But relying on clinical productivity alone to fund academic pursuits is ultimately unsustainable.
Universities, then, including Johns Hopkins, must look for ways to ease the burden on early-career faculty who want to engage in academic work.
Like many academic leaders, my dean consistently evaluates return on investment. The system doesn’t work on goodwill alone. They’re willing to support faculty when there’s a likelihood of success. Even a modest early-career grant from the Foundation signals to your institution that your work has value. It’s a stamp of credibility that would often unlock the door for start-up funding support.
Investing in people
Dermatology has evolved from a field known for naming conditions in Latin and prescribing topical steroids to a science-based specialty grounded in rigorous research. That progress wasn’t accidental — it happened because people chose to invest in dermatology, in its knowledge base, and in its future leaders.
And that’s why I, not just as a past awardee, but as someone committed to the current health and future of our specialty, believe so strongly in supporting the Foundation. If you work in dermatology, you benefit from this ecosystem of knowledge. Supporting it isn’t charity — it’s investing in the very skillset that makes us valuable to our patients. We need to continually hone to help our patients.
“Supporting the Foundation isn’t charity, it’s investing in the very skillset that makes us valuable to our patients.”
I became a member of the Foundation because it was important to me to give back. So, when Dr. Bruce Wintroub, former chair of the DF board of trustees, invited me to serve on the Board, I accepted without hesitation. I saw it as my responsibility to support the organization that played such a pivotal role in launching my academic career and the careers of academic thought leaders working at many institutions across the country.
For anyone involved in dermatology, you have every reason to be a DF member. Our work directly finances and enhances the research work of those in our field — it’s as straightforward as that.
Our field will only thrive if we intentionally support the next generation of leaders.
Take a stand and invest in dermatology’s future