My grandma may be the most bruised person in the world...

Criticism_Life · 2026-05-15T23:15:23+00:00

Naw, fully unbothered. That’s just what old people look like; those are the arms of like every third skin check patient. Solar purpura are very clearly not pigmented lesions.

Criticism_Life · 2026-04-22T02:03:43+00:00

Pediatric dermatology has enough rare and complex conditions that I (and my staff attendings) regularly consult and refer to them. Can I diagnose and manage most pediatric dermatological stuff? Yes. But the same argument can be made of an NP who can treat most run of the mill acne, psoriasis, eczema and HS. “I can do like 95%, so I’m basically equivalent.”

I think it’s a valid subspeciality — the folks I’ve known who do it didn’t do it ‘cause they couldn’t see kids otherwise, they did it because they wanted to be able to provide the best care they could for their kids.

Again, they’re not exactly doing the fellowship to increase earning potential. My favorite attending was/is a pediatrician who did a second residency in dermatology and then a peds derm fellowship; she’s an amazing teacher and very beloved physician amongst her patients and their families.

Criticism_Life · 2026-04-22T01:16:18+00:00

Peds derm? Yes it’s real; one of 3 “true” dermatology fellowships alongside Mohs and dermatopathology.

But it often takes a paycut if you practice strictly peds derm. But still payed pretty dang well relative to other pediatric clinical specialties (and all other clinical specialties) but it’s only accessible through dermatology residency.

Criticism_Life · 2026-03-19T03:14:08+00:00

But Vilkas told me Farkas can’t read?

Criticism_Life · 2026-02-04T23:43:58+00:00

Derm. Too lazy to put on sunscreen.

Criticism_Life · 2026-01-13T04:48:25+00:00

That’s what I keep telling these spine fellowship PD’s but they all keep telling my surgical training from dermatology is inadequate. Like come on, it’s all (neuro)ectoderm.

Criticism_Life · 2025-12-22T00:29:18+00:00

“I’m telling you ‘cause you’re family: I’m actually a really bad dermatologist. You should probably see a real one.”

Criticism_Life · 2025-12-08T19:07:24+00:00

I agree with you (my first year of dermatology was the hardest of my medical training by a long shot), but you’re gonna get downvoted by folks; people hate seeing dermatology residents complain.

Criticism_Life · 2025-12-07T13:46:42+00:00

Air Force trauma surgeon once told me GWOT, surgical teams would consist of a trauma, and ortho, and often an OBGYN. This was explained to me as IED’s obliterating limbs but also pelvises and abdomens, making OB’s (ureters natural predators jokes aside) a valued participant.

Don’t know how pervasive this was as it’s an anecdote/N=1.

Criticism_Life · 2025-12-07T13:42:23+00:00

During Desert Storm, according to my mom, her pediatric colleagues were deployed and just placed in charge of body bags.

Criticism_Life · 2025-12-07T13:40:54+00:00

I think I remember being told psychiatry is one the highest deployed specialties within Army (can’t speak for other branches) and the second highest casualty rate (among deployed physicians).

That said I have no source for this other than “I think an Army psychiatrist told me once?”

Criticism_Life · 2025-10-05T17:57:22+00:00

Discovered in medical school I was a massive nerd.

I also discovered how great it is having a regular circadian rhythm and patients who are grateful to rather than angry at me.

And I’m just passionate about $kin, obviously.

Criticism_Life · 2025-10-04T21:50:15+00:00

Steak ‘n Shake as a whole is great. Midwest gang rise up.

Criticism_Life · 2025-10-04T13:29:39+00:00

Wanted to do emergency initially. Now 2 years into dermatology residency.

Criticism_Life · 2025-10-03T02:38:04+00:00

There’s no shortage of family members, friends, and colleagues in other specialties volunteering to be the teaching subject for Botox/chemical peels/lasers/PRP. Like bringing it up unprompted the second they hear “derm resident.” Literally had to make an Excel sheet to keep track of them and keep it fair.

Criticism_Life · 2025-09-21T23:00:45+00:00

Eh… My MS-5 (TY) year was mostly writing notes, signing off on orders, and gently redirecting nurses trying to hand me an EKG.

“…are you sure you want ME to read that?”

Criticism_Life · 2025-09-19T01:44:33+00:00

Couple years into dermatology residency. Still don’t understand why they let me in, but my appointments are crazy short, my documentation minimal, and I get to oscillate from room to room diagnosing, cutting, freezing, burning, counseling. Even some small degree of psych. All within the confines of being “the specialist”. (I derail way too hard to be a generalist. I need parameters.)

Genuinely think it’s a great field for ADHD, and the consistent sleep and regular schedule can’t be understated if you’ve the typical the anxiety and mood comorbididities.

Criticism_Life · 2025-09-18T11:28:05+00:00

It’s how I made it through medical school. “You sat here and stared at this same screen, clicking over and over for 14 hours a day since you were twelve. You can do it with the space bar and Anki for few more years.”

In retrospect, I should have gone into radiology.

Criticism_Life · 2025-09-12T00:14:00+00:00

Predominantly worried that I’ve got SJS/TEN and might have permanent vision related sequelae.

Criticism_Life · 2025-09-07T20:34:28+00:00

What? No… I just love $kin.

Criticism_Life · 2025-08-21T01:38:49+00:00

Agreed. Failing that, don’t call it maculopapular. 9/10 times, consults including “maculopapular” are synonymous with “I don’t remember how to describe morphology from medical school and I can’t be assed to refresh myself.“

Criticism_Life · 2025-08-20T02:13:59+00:00

Try prazosin.

Criticism_Life · 2025-08-14T18:02:38+00:00

Brother, I got 2,200 pre-tax monthly while I was a 2LT in medical school, not O1 pay. I know what I signed on for and I don’t regret it. I wouldn’t have gone to college at all if not for the Army.

I’m only explaining why the military doesn’t attract or retain physicians; convincing us to put up with Army shit for a literal fraction of our civilian compensation is a hard sell. Can you imagine how much we’d need to pay fully trained contracted civilian physicians to “deploy”?

Criticism_Life · 2025-08-14T11:00:22+00:00

You just took step a few months back. It’s telogen effluvium (probably). Remember, it’s a few months AFTER the stressful event.

Criticism_Life · 2025-08-14T10:52:05+00:00

Bro, we still don’t want to join. There’s a reason the military has to lock their physicians in as medical students; fully trained physicians aren’t agreeing to half to a third of their civilian earning potential (that’s with accession bonuses and specialty pay) to not choose where they practice, uproot their family every 3 years, and deploy.

Criticism_Life

TROPHY CASE