When it comes to skin care, a dermatologist is almost always sought after. Setting up an appointment with a skin doctor is often associated with facials, laser procedures, and chemical peels. Yet, you might be surprised to find out that dermatologists do more than just the aforementioned. Our goal is  to deliver the highest quality of skin care to clients through the most recent advances in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of a wide variety of skin problems.

So what exactly does a dermatologist do? How do they become one? Continue reading to get to know your skin care doctor better!

Roles and Responsibilities of a Dermatologist

By and large, a dermatologist is a doctor who focuses and specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions involving the skin, hair, nails, and mucous membranes (that lining inside your mouth, eyelids and nose). Dermatologists could also help you improve the appearance of your skin such as diminish wrinkles, acne scars, and age spots. A skin doctor could diagnose and treat roughly 3,000 skin diseases – ranging from acne to skin cancer to nail infections to psoriasis, and they could see patients of all ages — from newborns to the elderly.

Education and Training of a Dermatologist

A dermatologist is required to undergo the following:

• Bachelor’s degree in college
• Completed medical school
• Internship for a year – interns who aim to specialize in dermatology often focus in any of the following fields: family medicine, internal medicine, general surgery, emergency medicine, and pediatrics
• At least 3 years in dermatology residency – getting a spot as a resident may be tough. During residency, an aspiring dermatologist sees patients and receives hands-on surgical training on dermatological procedures, including complex ones such as skin and nail biopsies, cryotherapy, excisions of skin cancers, etc.
• Fellowships – after residency, some doctors continue their medical studies through fellowships. Extensive medical studies are done during fellowships in dermatology such as concentrating more on Mohs surgery, pediatric dermatology, skin research and cosmetics. After fellowship, a dermatologist could then choose to specialize in one area of expertise.

Getting to Know Your Miami Dermatologists

Dr. Judith Crowell is a board certified dermatologist. She graduated with honors from the University of Miami School of Medicine after completing her undergraduate study in Early Childhood and Elementary Education at Boston University. Her internship in Internal Medicine was at Stanford University Hospital and her residency in Dermatology was performed at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

Dr. Crowell and the rest of the team looks forward to providing you with the best medical and cosmetic care available in Miami and nearby areas. To schedule an appointment please call (305) 274-0221 ext. 100 or 125.