Getting involved

Part of the duty of dermatologists who want to be involved in emergency work is to educate themselves, says Boris Lushniak, M.D., M.P.H., assistant commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for counterterrorism policy, and assistant surgeon general in the U.S. Public Health Service

The other part involves a spirit of volunteerism, he says. However, he cautions, "The middle of an emergency is not the prime time for people who want to get involved."

Rather, experts recommend joining groups such as the following before disaster strikes:

For more information: http://www.medicalreservecorps.gov/ http://www.oep-ndms.dhhs.gov/