Dedicated dermatologist devotes time to patients, speciality groups

Key Points

Ronald L. Moy, M.D., has always cared about dermatology, but he never intended to join the specialty.

The fomer co-chief of the division of dermatology at University of California, Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine jokes about how he has shunned the political limelight, but ended up at the specialty's helm. He recalls how fellow dermatologist Marc D. Brown, M.D., of Rochester, N.Y., wrote a letter recommending Dr. Moy for professor, saying he thought Dr. Moy would one day become AAD president.

Big plans; little funding

"When we, as the academy, go to lobby to Congress, we could hardly find room in the hallways ... because every other group is there trying to influence Congress. The more we donate, the more they listen," Dr. Moy says. "As dermatologists, we have not contributed to the degree of other political action committees, including those for trial lawyers, dentists and orthopedic surgeons."

Top issues on the academy's agenda, according to Dr. Moy, include educating members about electronic medical record acquisition and use, maintaining some control over decreasing reimbursements, increasing practice management resources, increasing public/patient awareness of dermatology, and improving dermatology's advocacy agenda.