“Dermatology, especially the surgical aspects of dermatology, offered me the opportunity to see the effect of my work and the difference that I can make in the lives of our patients.” – June Robinson, MD
I decided while I was a resident in internal medicine to make dermatology my career. Dermatology is a specialty that allows me the opportunity to help active patients who have long lives ahead of them. At the time I was in internal medicine, most of our patients were not making it out of the intensive care unit. So dermatology, especially the surgical aspects of dermatology, offered me the opportunity to see the effect of my work and the difference that I can make in the lives of our patients.
Surgery of the Skin is a very unique text. It’s really a living text in that the editors carefully select authors from around the world to present the best and finest techniques in dermatologic surgery. In addition, we supplement the text with videos of the experts as they actually perform surgery. We cover the gamut, from basic dermatologic surgery, to cutaneous oncology, to cosmetic indications for dermatologic surgery. Surgeons learn by watching others, by looking at minor differences in techniques performed by experts, and then by trying it out for themselves.
In the next edition of Surgery of the Skin, we hope to provide commentaries in different languages. Dermatologic surgery is practiced differently in different parts of the world, and patient populations have different beliefs and needs. For example, in some countries, patients have more concerns about androgyny than we do in the United States. So those kinds of needs and issues would become part of our focus as we go forward into our next edition. We want to encompass aspects of dermatologic surgery that have unique relevance in certain parts of the world. Another example is vitiligo, which is a worldwide problem. We now have emerging surgical techniques to begin to treat this disease that don’t produce scars. Vitiligo is much more important in certain populations that in others. For example, if you have a white spot on your face and you’re a Caucasian with pale skin, it may not matter very much. But if you have a white spot on your face and you’re Indian, it can be devastating. To be able to provide a surgical treatment for that kind of a problem that can be so psychologically significant is really important in certain populations. We hope to address those unique opportunities as we go forward.
June Robinson, MD is Research Professor of Dermatology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, and a research member of the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center. Her body of health research explores skin cancer prevention and early detection of melanoma by skin self-examination, as well as skin cancer treatment.
Dr. Robinson is noted in Who’s Who in America (1996 to current) and was recognized in Top Doctors: Chicago Metro Area. In 2002, she received the Women’s Dermatologic Society Wilma Bergfeld, MD Visionary and Leadership Award, and in 2004, she received the St. George Medal, the American Cancer Society National Service Award.
Dr. Robinson has served as the Secretary Treasurer of the American Academy of Dermatology, and was the past President of the American Cancer Society, Illinois Division, the Women’s Dermatological Society, and the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery. She has authored of over 150 peer-reviewed publications and numerous textbook chapters.
Related Author: Daniel Mark Siegel, MD, MS
