Specialist in dermatologyA specialist in skin and venereal diseases diagnoses and treats diseases of the skin, subcutaneous tie and their appendages. Dermatologists are also responsible for the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases (venereology) and vascular diseases (phlebology). The training to become a specialist in dermatology requires a completed medical degree and lasts five years. This article explains the training and the activity and gives insight into the possible earnings as a specialist.
Table of contents
Specialist for skin and venereal diseases: Tasks and fields of work
As a dermatologist or. Dermatologists are very often confronted with clinical pictures that can be assigned by looking at them closely. Typical symptoms include redness, pustules, wheals, vesicles, nodules and efflorescences. A clear determination is usually made by means of diagnostic techniques such as smear preparations, microscopy, skin tests or spectral analyses. Skin diseases are often caused by infectious diseases. Inflammatory processes triggered. Allergies and autoimmune diseases are also possible culprits. Among the clinical pictures that patients often present in dermatological practice, for example:
– Acne, acne inversa and acne scars – Psoriasis – Atopic eczema (neurodermatitis) – Tumor diseases of the skin such as benign and malignant melanoma, basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma and various skin cancer precursors – Herpes simplex infections – Warts – Rosacea – Persistent fungal diseases
The appendages of the skin – nails, hair, sebaceous glands, apocrine and eccrine glands – can also have diseases that, although in most cases do not lead to serious damage to health, are annoying and unpleasant for those affected and sometimes lead to psychological distress. Examples include excessive sweating, clogged sebaceous glands, or discolored and deformed nails.
Some systemic diseases lead to a variety of clinical pictures, which also or mainly manifest themselves on the skin. This includes, for example, lupus erythematosus. Patients suffering from the systemic form of lupus require special attention from dermatologists to manage their chronic disease. Above all, a good interdisciplinary cooperation with other specialists is important.
Therapeutic methods in dermatology
For therapy, dermatologists have a variety of conservative and surgical procedures at their disposal. A special feature of the specialty is the focus area of dermato-pharmacology, which provides knowledge of skin-drug relationships and the absorption and bioavailability of active ingredients in ointments, creams and lotions.
Pharmacological control of autoimmune diseases and inflammatory processes of various origins also plays an important role in dermatological therapy: Glucocorticosteroids, immunosuppressants, biologics, cytokines and systemic immunomodulators, among others, are used here.
Last but not least, dermatology is also a surgical specialty. Phlebological procedures on the lower leg in particular are very common in the everyday working lives of dermatologists, but the surgical removal of tumors from the skin also falls within the dermatologists' area of expertise.
Common therapeutic procedures, that are used in dermatology include:
– Laser therapies such as photothermolysis, ablation, vaporization – cryotherapeutic procedures – microneedling – treatments with Botox – chemical peeling – immunotherapies – hyposensitization – excisions of tumor tie and nevi – non-ionizing radiation treatment – transplants in the context of wound care – sclerotherapy of hemorrhoids
Diagnostic methods in dermatology
The most important diagnostic tool of the dermatologist is the eye. Many dermatological clinical pictures can already be determined by means of eye diagnostics or at least well delimited. As a modern scientific discipline, dermatology does not, of course, dispense with the numerous Instruments of high-tech diagnostics, which are at their disposal, such as
– laboratory-based diagnostics/tests such as Elisa, RAST, CAP, CAST – photobiological testing – laser microscopy – Doppler/sonography – chromametry – sweat secretion measurement with gravimetry – trichogram and digital phototrichogram – biopsies
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Where do specialists in skin and venereal diseases work??
Specialists in skin and venereal diseases have numerous job opportunities after completing their training. Those who wish to continue their work in dermatology departments and/or specialized outpatient skin clinics can, as a fully trained dermatologist, attend the Training center to continue working or to apply to specialist departments in other clinics. An employed position is also available in Medical care centers (MVZ), Health spas or rehabilitation clinics and after specialization also to centers for aesthetic medicine possible.
The alternative to employment is Own practice. Different forms of organization are possible here – in addition to the individual practice, there are the cooperative legal forms of the Joint practice and the joint practice, where the practice infrastructure is used jointly. The advantage of these practices is the possibility of collaboration with other specialists, from which patients also benefit. For dermatologists, for example, cooperation with specialists in surgery, allergology or immunology is an option.
If you like to do basic research and want to pursue a scientific career, you are best off at a university clinic or in a public or private research institution.
Training, specializations and continuing education
In order to work as a doctor for skin and venereal diseases, one must first complete a medical degree and then five years of further training at an authorized training center. Twelve months of training can be spent in other specialties to acquire skills.
In terms of content, further training includes the following Focus:
– Prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment of tumors of the skin and its appendages – area-related allergic and pseudoallergic diseases – autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases, inflammations – infectious diseases and infection-associated diseases of the skin and mucous membranes – detection and treatment of inflammatory and non-inflammatory diseases of the blood and lymph vessels – prevention, Diagnosis and therapy of sexually transmitted diseases – Manifestations of systemic diseases of the skin and subcutaneous ties and their complications – Dermato-pharmacology – Diseases caused by chemical and physical influences, environmental dermatoses – Skin manifestations of nutritional deficiencies – Endocrine disorders of the skin and skin adnexa – Hereditary and multifactorial disease patterns – Intervention in emergencies such as allergic shock, toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN)
The field of dermatology offers numerous specializations: Especially aesthetic-cosmetic and surgical dermatology are popular additional qualifications, which are also in high demand by patients. More detailed information on specialization opportunities and training and continuing education programs can be found on the websites of professional associations and specialty societies. In Germany, for example, the German Dermatological Society (DDG) or the German Society for Dermatosurgery (DGDC).
Salary for specialists in skin and venereal diseases
Dermatologists in Germany are among the above-average paid professional groups. Among specialists in private practice, their income puts them in the upper midfield. Even as employees, they earn very well after a few years of professional activity. Residents usually start with a starting salary of average 4.600 Euro into the profession. After five years of practice, the monthly gross salary can be as low as 5.700 euros lie. In the course of the professional career, regular increases take place if the employed physician is remunerated according to a collective agreement or house contract and the latter provides for this. The exact amount of earnings is therefore dependent on the applicable collective agreement. Here there are differences according to the supporting institution and the federal state in which one works. Those who take on shift and alternating duties also receive the allowances provided for this purpose.
Dermatologists in own practice generally achieve an average net income of 227.000 euros per year. Those who specialize and offer particular services – such as those in aesthetic dermatology and surgery – can also earn a much higher income.
The information and further statistical data on the income of medical specialists in Germany can be found on Statista.
Pay scale and compensation practices change regularly and are highly dependent on individual cases.
Further information on the income of physicians is provided by statistical services such as statista or destatis, professional or specialist associations such as z.B. the Marburger Bund or pay tables for the individual collective agreements.
Job description specialist for skin and venereal diseases
More information about the job description of a specialist in skin and venereal diseases
Continuing education specialist in skin and venereal diseases
All information on residency training in skin and venereal diseases
Salary specialist skin and venereal diseases
Specialist in skin and venereal diseases: Earnings of dermatologists
Overview of all specialties
Everything you need to know about the specialties
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All data without guarantee. In particular, the pay scale situation and remuneration practices change regularly and are highly dependent on individual cases.