Community, Mentorship, and Scope: What Clinicians Gain From Conferences

The argument for attending dermatology conferences often gets reduced to CME credits and pipeline updates. Valerie Stern, DMSc, MPAS, PA-C, thinks that undersells what's actually at stake, especially for APPs working in practices where a supervising physician may be across town — or across several practices.

“These conferences teach you you're not alone. It helps to bond and share so you know this is how it is in other places too. You feel a sense of security.”

That sense of security isn't just psychological. For APPs navigating the day-to-day realities of a role that generates revenue but doesn't hold the lease, conferences offer something that Zoom can't replicate: a community of people who understand the same specific professional tension.

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“We're truly staff just like everybody else is, but we're a little bit different because we're generating income as opposed to being ancillary staff. That can be challenging, and truly advanced practice providers get this in a way that not everybody else does.”

A Message for Supervising Physicians

Stern's argument for conference attendance doesn't stop with APPs. She makes a pointed case for supervising physicians and preceptors to come too — and to pay attention to what they learn when they do.

“If they've got happy PAs and NPs, then they need to know why too. I think it's also good for them to see that when we went through school, we didn't learn 30% or 50% of the education just because our program was different. We had to cram it all into 2 1/2 or 3 years.”

That context, she argues, should inform how supervising physicians approach mentorship and delegation. Understanding what APPs actually know — and where their gaps might be — is a prerequisite for supporting them effectively.

“These people are not an echelon below anybody. They are amazing human beings that are out there doing the work so very carefully and in a dedicated manner.”

Want to hear more? Check out parts 1 and 2.

Valerie Stern, DMSc, MPAS, PA-C, is a dermatology PA in private practice in Los Angeles, CA. She serves on faculty at the Keck USC School of Medicine PA program, co-chairs the SDPA Diplomate Fellowship Program, and is affiliated with LearnSkin, an integrative dermatology education platform.