Dermatologist keeps it simple for educating patients about healthy skin habits

Dr. Gohara

Like many children, Mona Gohara, M.D., took lifelong cues from her parents. Her father a surgeon and her mother a pathologist, Gohara’s Egyptian parents came to the United States in 1969. Her mother, Amira Gohara, M.D., completed her residency at the Medical College of Ohio, Toledo, and went on to become the first foreign medical graduate, female dean in this country’s history.

“My mom is a brilliant woman, but it was really her personality that got her to where she was. She taught me early about the importance of camaraderie, collegiality and having strong, amicable interpersonal relationships,” Dr. Gohara says.

Mona Gohara, M.D., and her mother Amira Gohara, M.D., enjoy a visit to New York City. (Photo: Mona Gohara, M.D.)

Inspired by her parents’ careers, Dr. Gohara chose to be a physician and pursued dermatology; the specialty, she says, combines not only surgery and pathology, but also preventive health, primary care and psychology.

Healthy skin advocate

Dr. Gohara practices with a group of seven dermatologists in Danbury, Conn., and serves as an assistant clinical professor in dermatology at Yale School of Medicine. Although she is a young dermatologist, Dr. Gohara’s approach to medicine is quite traditional.

“My practice is 99 percent medical, with a smattering of cosmetic,” she says. “I’m a bread-and-butter dermatologist, with a little bit of a different mission. My goal is not to make everybody look younger; it’s really to educate people about how to make their skin healthier.”

To achieve this goal, Dr. Gohara not only educates the patients she treats, but she also reaches out to consumers, via community service and by writing for social and mainstream media. Her articles have appeared on People.com, Essence.com, Fitness.com and other consumer media outlets.

“My goal was to get reliable information to as many people as possible in a relatable way,” she says. “I write about topics in a way that a mom could relay to her kids or a person of color understands how their skin maybe unique compared to Caucasian skin. … I think it’s important for physicians to be educators, not just healthcare providers.” DT