In memoriam: Noah Simeon Scheinfeld, M.D., J.D.

Dr. Scheinfeld

One of the specialty’s own, New York City dermatologist Noah Simeon Scheinfeld, M.D., J.D., died unexpectedly in his sleep June 3, 2019. He was 55, according to a New York Times obituary published two days later.

Dr. Scheinfeld was a scholar who loved ideas and knowledge, according to the obituary. He graduated with his medical degree from Yale University and completed a dermatology residency at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. But before he pursued medicine, he pursued law, earning a law degree from Harvard Law School.

An assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Weill Cornell Medical College, Dr. Scheinfeld was an editor for Journal Drugs & Dermatology, SKINmed, Cutis, Skin & Aging, Dermatology Online Journal and the American Journal of
Clinical Dermatology.

One of Dr. Scheinfeld ’s colleagues, Perry Robins, M.D., professor emeritus of dermatology, New York University Medical Center, and editor-in-chief of the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, wrote in an email to Dermatology
Times: “[Dr. Scheinfeld ] was a wonderful person who helped a lot of patients, and he was always very active in educating other doctors.”

A prolific writer, Dr. Scheinfeld was published extensively in peer-reviewed journals. A PubMed search brings up more than 200 such articles.

He was editor or co-editor of medical textbooks, including Atopic Dermatitis and Eczematous Disorders. And he spoke regularly at dermatology conferences.

Not only was he intelligent, but the husband and father of two was compassionate and willing to invest his time for the good of others.

“Noah had great compassion for the underserved, accepted all patients who came to him looking for help…,” according to the New York Times. “He was a recognized leader in the treatment of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), and had HS patients from all over the world visit his office in midtown…. He proudly served as the vice president of the Hidradenitis Suppurativa Foundation. Noah was also an active member of the Noah Worcester Dermatological Society, the Dermatologic Society of Greater New York and the Manhattan-Metropolitan Dermatology Society.”

On June 14, dermatologist Neal Bhatia, M.D., wrote this on behalf of the Noah Worcester Dermatological
Society:¹

“Many of us knew Noah as a presence, a true individual, and one of the nicest guys around. We all knew him as a dermatologist, but he also had a law degree with a sparkling CV and more publications and accolades than we can count. Noah was a real doctor. He took care of patients who needed real help, took on serious medical dermatology diseases, and in many ways made it look easy. He was benevolent as a teacher, masterful as a speaker, and prolific as a writer, just to scratch the surface. His legacy in dermatology will be connected to his work in Hidradenitis Suppurativa, but he was one of the earliest pioneers in the cyber age of dermatology as well. The next time you prescribe any biologic agents for HS, you can thank Noah for opening that door for us because he helped patients this way before we even knew it would be an option. 

I always liked Noah, he was kind, he was bubbly, and you always knew he was with us. He was a little quirky, but aren’t we all? And aren’t we going to be worse off without our friend? He came up to me at one of the meetings I was running and said “Neal I want to speak,” and without hesitation I told him “Anything you want my man,” because I knew despite his sometimes off-the-wall behavior, he always brought his best. And we will miss that about him, as well as his innocent smile and kind soul. 

When I heard the news of his death, I sat in my office for a few minutes numb - not just because he meant a lot to the society and to dermatology, not just because he was only three years older than me, and not because it was sudden and we may never know the true cause of his passing - but because we lost our friend, and we won’t get to see him again...which is really sad. Please say a few prayers for our lost friend Noah and his family, and for all of us.”

Dr. Bhatia tells Dermatology Times that to honor Dr. Scheinfeld’s contributions to the specialty, Dr. Bhatia is dedicating the session he’s directing, “Advanced Systemic Therapeutics,”² July 26, during the American Academy of Dermatology
Summer Meeting in New York City to Dr. Scheinfeld.

Contributions in Dr. Scheinfeld ’s memory may be made to the Hidradenitis Suppurativa Foundation, according to the New York Times.^{3 ƒ}
 

Disclosures:

1. Noah Scheinfeld. Guest Book website. https://www.legacy.com/guestbooks/nytimes/noah-scheinfeld-condolences/193064557?cid=full. Updated July 2, 2019. Accessed June 14, 2019.

2. Bhatia N (director). S008 Advanced Systemic Therapeutics. Symposium at: American Academy of Dermatology Summer meeting 2019; July 26, 2019; ew York, NY.

3. Obituary: Scheinfeld, Noah. New York Times website. https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/NYTimes/obituary.aspx?pid=193064557. Accessed June 14, 2019.