Michael Cameron, MD, FAAD, Shares Challenges, Insights Into Opening a New Practice

Image courtesy of Cameron Dermatology

Opening a dermatology clinic is no small feat, and board-certified dermatologist Michael Cameron, MD, FAAD, has earned a much-deserved celebration for the opening of his clinic, Cameron Dermatology. Cameron, an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai in New York City, specializes in medical skin concerns such as eczema, psoriasis, and skin cancer, as well as cosmetic techniques such as microcannular tumescent liposuction, microneedling, and microcoring.

Dermatology Times® had the privilege of attending Cameron Dermatology’s opening celebration and spoke with Cameron in an exclusive interview to discuss the challenges of opening a new practice and what advice he has for dermatologists just starting their careers.

Dermatology Times: What is the hardest challenge of opening a new practice?

Cameron: I think the hardest part may be keeping track of all the different work-streams (ie, insurance credentialing/contracting, legal, real estate, HR [human resources], compliance, durable supplies, inventory supplies, staff recruitment, patient recruitment, marketing, EMR[electronic medical records], etc) both in terms of all the different boxes that need to be checked and also on what timelines they need to be completed by in order for other things to occur.

Dermatology Times: How do you balance career goals with your personal life?

Cameron: I don't really as a workaholic, but I try my very best! My partner and my family support me, and I try to block off time that is dedicated to them and my overall health and wellness. If I don’t block it off, it doesn’t happen, and work seeps into those times.

Image courtesy of Dermatology Times®

Dermatology Times: What advice do you have for early career physicians? What have you learned along the way that you wish you had known 5 years ago?

Cameron: I still kind of consider myself as early career, as I am only 4 years out of residency, but I would advise residency graduates to think hard about that first job and make sure it is the right fit. Too many people pick the wrong first job. Ask the right questions. I am very grateful for starting at Mount Sinai where I identified wonderful mentors who taught me so much and really helped me start my career right.

Dermatology Times: What excites you the most about practicing in the field of dermatology? What do you think dermatology will be like in 10 years?

Cameron: I’m probably most excited by all of the constant innovation—both in the medical and cosmetic spaces. There are always so many new things we can offer to our patients, and the field is always evolving and improving.

In 10 years, I hope to see the inflammatory skin disease space moving from not only increasingly efficacious therapies, but also, hopefully, to some therapies that are truly disease-modifying (ie, patients can maintain a long-term response after coming off of therapy).

Cameron Dermatology is located at 200 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY, 10023.