L.A.'s Sunny Weather Promotes A Need For Dermatologists
Los Angles is 73 percent sunny, amounting to more than 3,100 hours of radiant sky conditions each year. Although the sun helps the skin produce needed vitamin D for bone health, its ultraviolet rays can be harmful. Sun overexposure causes all sorts of complications, including sunburn, premature age spots and skin cancer.
Spending too much time basking in the soothing glow this powerful star can certainly aggravate such chronic skin disorders as eczema and psoriasis. These maladies represent a mere fraction of the more than 3,000 different afflictions dermatologists diagnose and treat.
Skin repair is not the only area of concern in which dermatologists specialize. They are also trained to remedy problems associated with hair, nails and the mucous membranes. Doctors utilize the most up-to-date products and effective techniques available on the market to diminish signs of aging and acne scars, in addition to helping skin cancer survivors look more like themselves. They see patients in all age groups, from newborns to those who have entered their 10th decade of life.
By the time dermatologists are able to practice their craft, they have already earned a useful bachelor's degree, graduated from medical school, devoted a full year in an internship arrangement and a minimum of three years in a residency program. The payoff is huge.
In greater L.A., dermatologists earn an average annual salary of more than $339,000, with top specialists bringing home yearly paychecks in excess of $452,000, according to current employment data.
Some doctors take their medical studies to an even higher level by participating in a fellowship, which enables them to practice exclusively in such fast-developing disciplines as cosmetic or pediatric dermatology, chemosurgery and research.
The leading schools in L.A. that offer the most comprehensive academic programs for endeavoring dermatologists include Keck School of Medicine of USC and UCLA.
Experts say ambitious students that are interested in pursuing a future in this in-demand field should start paving the road to success while in high school by excelling in chemistry, physics, calculus and biology.
To learn more about this lucrative occupation, visit the American Academy of Dermatology.
Sharon Raiford Bush is an award-winning journalist who covers topics of social interest in greater Los Angeles. Some news articles she has authored have been archived by the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. Sharon also contributes to Examiner.com.
