In our previous posts about skin care tips, like Summer skin care, fighting acne and living in the big city, we mentioned different tips, tricks and advice from dermatologists. And rightfully so, since dermatologists are doctors who specialize in skin, hair, nails and all the little things that can go wrong with them. Their advice is basically rule of law in the beauty industry.
And dermatology has risen in recent years not only in its popularity, but also in its development and advancement in research. With new skin treatment tools and methods being developed and improved on such a large scale, dermatologists begin to play a bigger and bigger role in our healthy lifestyles. And with the wide accessibility of all the goodies the beauty industry has to offer, they have their work cut out for them.
But as with most doctors, not a lot is known by common clients. I bet you’d be interested in hearing more about these miracle-performing doctors and the details of their profession. But before we talk about what everyone wants to know about doctors (their salary), we should learn at the justifications of why doctors, especially dermatologists generally earn so much.
Busy, Busy, Busy
As previously stated, nowadays, skin and beauty treatments are widely available to individuals of different age groups and other characteristics. This is thanks to skin and beauty treatments becoming more accessible both financially and in functionality. Basically, more people can pay for it and there is a treatment for most of the conditions.
So, as excepted, most dermatologists have a very busy schedule, whether they work in a hospital, a beauty clinic or an academic environment. While you can never predict when one particular patient will make an appointment, you can still be sure that there is a lot of work that needs to be done.
Also, simply consider the massive responsibility that dermatologists have on their backs. A quick summary of their line of work is that they must maintain the skin healthy, prevent any diseases from forming and to treat the diseases that have already begun. And with the wide range of diseases in all the different parts of the skin that can form, you realize how much work is being done by them.
And all of these responsibilities are being performed on the biggest organ on your body, the first line of protection from a world of danger: your skin.
In fact, most dermatologists report up to 40 hours of patient treatment on average weekly. That’s how much time they spent treating their patients. So, long story short, dermatologists have a huge load on their shoulders.
The Reward
Which is also why their some of the highest paid professionals in the medical field. While it’s obvious, that in different areas of the world, and even of a country, the salaries are going to vary, as does the number of patients. However, there is an average rate per state.
In the New York area, for example, a dermatologist of medium experience can expect to around 150k a year. While this number may vary from city to city, this is the state-wide average.
On the other hand, a dermatologist with far less experience can expect to earn a salary around 50 to 60k, whereas an well-seasoned veteran of the profession can expect to see over 180k in income.
But of course, this number is dependent on many different factors and to say that all or even most dermatologists can be grouped into these categories would be inaccurate. You must also take into consideration the number of patients and what treatments they require and in what quantity or area. Some treatments are far more affordable than others, and there are some which are very expensive, due to all the intricacies, the technology and the knowledge required from the dermatologist.
Also, take into consideration that not all clinics in the New York area have a generally large influx of patients. Some, being more specialized in specific treatments, don’t expect to have too many clients and don’t really prioritize numbers, but rather, their speciality.
The Path
As with any 6 digit salary, it’s not easy getting there, especially in the risky field of medicine. Dermatologists have to study. They have to study a lot. Well, as with any other doctor, education is a long and arduous process.
Dermatologists are expected to have their 4 years of Bachelor’s, another 4 in medical school, and only then can they move on to 4 years of dermatology work. But not even then.
Following medical school, students must work for 4 years under the supervision of a fully qualified dermatologists, treating patients and diagnosing illnesses. Think of it as practice before the big game. And after 4 more years of this supervised training, they can then be qualified as dermatologists.
Set of Skills
And there are a set of very important skills they must develop in this decade of studying. Since dermatology requires a direct form of communication with the patients, dermatologists must be verbally strong. Whether it is present the results of a diagnosis or interviewing patients, dermatologists must understand their patients and speak in such a way, that their clients can understand them too.
Also, considering all the unpleasant sights that can come with different skin conditions, dermatologists also should have a gut of steel. We’re all human and sometimes, we don’t look our best. A dermatologist should understand this better than anyone else and should have the nerve that will allow them to work with even the toughest of skin conditions.
A Little Talk
But hey, if you’re interested in the life of a dermatologist, you can ask your own dermatologist about their profession. Considering their career choice, they’re probably quite sociable and will be happy to talk to you and give you the smaller details that only they can understand.
Next time you go over to your clinic, feel free to ask and see what they say. Just don’t ask during a procedure.