Reflections of a happy dermatologist

Abstract

How to be a happy dermatologist?” Françoise Poot asked from Brussels in an article I read at a conference more than 20 years ago. In times when professional responsibility and long working hours are overwhelming, our personal satisfaction may be overlooked, and yet it is inextricably linked in a virtuous circle to the satisfaction of the patients we treat.

They seek diagnosis, prognosis, and care from the professional with whom they establish a relationship. And when they improve thanks to our care, our level of satisfaction increases, and in this situation, the difficulty their condition may represent (often chronic and affecting their quality of life) is less noticeable. And since the patients of satisfied doctors are usually happy with the care they receive, the happier we are, the happier our patients are. Teaching provides another source of satisfaction: to teach, one must understand the subject matter, something that is not achieved without effort, thus becoming a pedagogical mediator who teaches critical thinking, fosters constructive criticism, aims to address challenges through innovation and creativity, and enables solutions adapted to the specific context of care. Students, like children, are an opportunity for personal growth. And this is another reason to be happy.

Patient education (therapeutic education) is also fundamental in clinical dermatology; each educational strategy has its own advantages and disadvantages, so their combined use encourages repetition and optimizes individual learning, although the risk of contradictory information sources and information overload must be considered. Treatment adherence depends largely on this exchange.

Without prejudice to the fact that all assistance and teaching activities deserve fair compensation, the pleasure of a job well done alleviates the biblical burden of work and is a source of joy and communion with all those who altruistically were our teachers and remain alive in our hearts and actions.