A panel of experienced dermatology PAs and NPs shares practical pearls on advancing your career — from getting published to building your CV, partnering with national organizations, and mentoring the next generation.

In this video

The panel opens with Douglas on getting published, arguing that after nearly 60 years of practice PAs and NPs "should be publishing more" given how many cases and patients they've seen. His themes recur throughout: find a mentor, select a timely and truly novel topic, start with a case report, keep a running notes list of interesting patients, target the right journal, watch out for article processing charges (APCs), and "be ready to be rejected." He points to the Collaboratory for Interprofessional Authors in Dermatology as a free way to pair first-time authors with prolific writers, urges authors to stay as corresponding author, and to drop everything to turn around revisions quickly — noting you never know where writing leads, as it did to co-founding a journal with his daughter.

Carrie frames the CV as a living document — best kept updated on LinkedIn — that gives your career intention, using Alex Honnold's deliberate, visualized ascent of El Capitan as a model for being intentional rather than "lucky." She highlights professional development and volunteer leadership, from precepting and CME to humanitarian trips, and (with agreement) advises against putting your photo on a CV. Veronica shares her path into the National Psoriasis Foundation and other roles, encouraging clinicians to identify their focus, cold call, be persistent, and "say yes" despite imposter syndrome. The group closes with practical preceptor and mentor pearls, including the one-minute preceptor tool, .EDU perks, and the value of goal-setting and a "growth mindset."

  • Get published by finding a mentor, choosing a timely and never-before-reported topic, starting with a case report, following each journal's instructions exactly, and developing thick skin against rejection.
  • Watch for article processing charges (APCs) — some journals charge thousands; when writing on your own, target journals without fees, and stay listed as the corresponding author.
  • Build your CV with intention like a deliberate climber; keep it current on LinkedIn, emphasize professional development and volunteer leadership, verify exact employment dates, and don't put your photo on it.
  • Don't wait to be invited into national organizations or industry roles — identify your area of focus, cold call, be persistent, understand the ask and time commitment, and say yes even when self-doubt says otherwise.
  • Precept and mentor efficiently: use existing modules and the one-minute preceptor tool, share students with colleagues, leverage .EDU access and case reports for publishing, set written goals, and adopt a "not yet" growth mindset.