In dermatology, we are fortunate to have many insightful practitioners and great teachers and mentors. Some are bright stars in our special universe – others unsung heroes. All of these colleagues have much to share from wisdom to humor to insights into dermatology and life. This column allows us to gain insight from these practitioners and learn more about them.
SPOTLIGHT ON: PHILIP R. COHEN, MD
Biography: Dr. Philip R. Cohen and his three younger sisters were raised in Monsey, NY. For nearly the last quarter century, he has lived in Bellaire, TX, with his wife of 27 years, Dr. Razelle Kurzrock (an oncologist and department chairperson at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center) and their four children, who range in age from 14 to 23 years old.
He attended Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, PA, and New York Medical College in Valhalla, NY. After 2 years of internal medicine training and 1 year of dermatology research fellowship, he completed a dermatology residency at Columbia University in New York, NY. Subsequently, he has also done fellowships in dermatopathology and Mohs surgery. He currently practices at the University of Houston Health Center and in the Dermatology Clinic at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, both in Houston, TX.
Dr. Cohen enjoys Scouting, music and running. He earned the rank of Eagle Scout and is proud that both of his sons are also Eagle Scouts. He played alto saxophone in the marching and concert bands in high school and college; all of his children play guitar and the younger three also play harp. He is a long-distance runner and competed as a Varsity athlete in high school and college; he has completed 17 Houston Marathons. Dr. Cohen’s family also enjoys running; his wife and older three children have each completed several half marathons in Houston.
His areas of interest in dermatology are diverse. He is a prolific author with more than 560 publications. He also mentors medical students who are considering a career in dermatology and shares his enthusiasm for contributing to the literature with them. He is proud of the many medical students who have written papers with him.
Q. What part of your work gives you the most pleasure?
A. Patient care. Yet, I am also passionate about medical writing. I relish the opportunity to incorporate the former into the latter.
Q. Are an understanding and appreciation of the humanities important in dermatology and why?
A. Yes. I have the privilege to be the Section Editor of ‘Dermatologic Disquisitions and Other Essays’ in Clinics in Dermatology; many of the published papers focus on the ‘heart and soul’ of medicine and other humanistic topics. Submissions are encouraged; please feel welcome to contact me at mitehead@gmail.com.
Q. Who are your heroes/mentors and why?
A. Drs. Jerome T. Cohen, Ronald P. Rapini, Marc E. Grossman and Paul I. Schneiderman. Dr. Cohen, my father, is a retired orthodontist; he was one of my first role models who provided compassionate, excellent care to his patients. Dr. Rapini was my first co-author and I subsequently had the opportunity to be his first dermatopathology fellow. Drs. Grossman and Schneiderman were my attendings during my residency and are now my colleagues and friends; they are both superlative clinicians and dedicated teachers who have devoted their time and effort to training several current dermatologists.
Q. What is the best piece of advice you would have liked to receive?
A. During your interaction with patients: (1) Hear what they tell you, but also listen to what they say, and (2) Do not only look, but also see what you are looking at.
Q. Which medical figure in history would you want to have a drink with and why?
A. The Scottish physician and writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. He is the prototype ‘doctor-author’ whose contributions included detective fiction (stories of Sherlock Holmes), science fiction, historical novels and non-fiction.
Dr. Barankin is a dermatologist based in Toronto, Canada. He is author-editor of six books in dermatology and is widely published in the dermatology and humanities literature.
He is also co-editor of Dermanities (dermanities.com), an online journal devoted to the humanities as they relate to dermatology.
In dermatology, we are fortunate to have many insightful practitioners and great teachers and mentors. Some are bright stars in our special universe – others unsung heroes. All of these colleagues have much to share from wisdom to humor to insights into dermatology and life. This column allows us to gain insight from these practitioners and learn more about them.
SPOTLIGHT ON: PHILIP R. COHEN, MD
Biography: Dr. Philip R. Cohen and his three younger sisters were raised in Monsey, NY. For nearly the last quarter century, he has lived in Bellaire, TX, with his wife of 27 years, Dr. Razelle Kurzrock (an oncologist and department chairperson at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center) and their four children, who range in age from 14 to 23 years old.
He attended Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, PA, and New York Medical College in Valhalla, NY. After 2 years of internal medicine training and 1 year of dermatology research fellowship, he completed a dermatology residency at Columbia University in New York, NY. Subsequently, he has also done fellowships in dermatopathology and Mohs surgery. He currently practices at the University of Houston Health Center and in the Dermatology Clinic at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, both in Houston, TX.
Dr. Cohen enjoys Scouting, music and running. He earned the rank of Eagle Scout and is proud that both of his sons are also Eagle Scouts. He played alto saxophone in the marching and concert bands in high school and college; all of his children play guitar and the younger three also play harp. He is a long-distance runner and competed as a Varsity athlete in high school and college; he has completed 17 Houston Marathons. Dr. Cohen’s family also enjoys running; his wife and older three children have each completed several half marathons in Houston.
His areas of interest in dermatology are diverse. He is a prolific author with more than 560 publications. He also mentors medical students who are considering a career in dermatology and shares his enthusiasm for contributing to the literature with them. He is proud of the many medical students who have written papers with him.
Q. What part of your work gives you the most pleasure?
A. Patient care. Yet, I am also passionate about medical writing. I relish the opportunity to incorporate the former into the latter.
Q. Are an understanding and appreciation of the humanities important in dermatology and why?
A. Yes. I have the privilege to be the Section Editor of ‘Dermatologic Disquisitions and Other Essays’ in Clinics in Dermatology; many of the published papers focus on the ‘heart and soul’ of medicine and other humanistic topics. Submissions are encouraged; please feel welcome to contact me at mitehead@gmail.com.
Q. Who are your heroes/mentors and why?
A. Drs. Jerome T. Cohen, Ronald P. Rapini, Marc E. Grossman and Paul I. Schneiderman. Dr. Cohen, my father, is a retired orthodontist; he was one of my first role models who provided compassionate, excellent care to his patients. Dr. Rapini was my first co-author and I subsequently had the opportunity to be his first dermatopathology fellow. Drs. Grossman and Schneiderman were my attendings during my residency and are now my colleagues and friends; they are both superlative clinicians and dedicated teachers who have devoted their time and effort to training several current dermatologists.
Q. What is the best piece of advice you would have liked to receive?
A. During your interaction with patients: (1) Hear what they tell you, but also listen to what they say, and (2) Do not only look, but also see what you are looking at.
Q. Which medical figure in history would you want to have a drink with and why?
A. The Scottish physician and writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. He is the prototype ‘doctor-author’ whose contributions included detective fiction (stories of Sherlock Holmes), science fiction, historical novels and non-fiction.
Dr. Barankin is a dermatologist based in Toronto, Canada. He is author-editor of six books in dermatology and is widely published in the dermatology and humanities literature.
He is also co-editor of Dermanities (dermanities.com), an online journal devoted to the humanities as they relate to dermatology.
In dermatology, we are fortunate to have many insightful practitioners and great teachers and mentors. Some are bright stars in our special universe – others unsung heroes. All of these colleagues have much to share from wisdom to humor to insights into dermatology and life. This column allows us to gain insight from these practitioners and learn more about them.
SPOTLIGHT ON: PHILIP R. COHEN, MD
Biography: Dr. Philip R. Cohen and his three younger sisters were raised in Monsey, NY. For nearly the last quarter century, he has lived in Bellaire, TX, with his wife of 27 years, Dr. Razelle Kurzrock (an oncologist and department chairperson at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center) and their four children, who range in age from 14 to 23 years old.
He attended Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, PA, and New York Medical College in Valhalla, NY. After 2 years of internal medicine training and 1 year of dermatology research fellowship, he completed a dermatology residency at Columbia University in New York, NY. Subsequently, he has also done fellowships in dermatopathology and Mohs surgery. He currently practices at the University of Houston Health Center and in the Dermatology Clinic at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, both in Houston, TX.
Dr. Cohen enjoys Scouting, music and running. He earned the rank of Eagle Scout and is proud that both of his sons are also Eagle Scouts. He played alto saxophone in the marching and concert bands in high school and college; all of his children play guitar and the younger three also play harp. He is a long-distance runner and competed as a Varsity athlete in high school and college; he has completed 17 Houston Marathons. Dr. Cohen’s family also enjoys running; his wife and older three children have each completed several half marathons in Houston.
His areas of interest in dermatology are diverse. He is a prolific author with more than 560 publications. He also mentors medical students who are considering a career in dermatology and shares his enthusiasm for contributing to the literature with them. He is proud of the many medical students who have written papers with him.
Q. What part of your work gives you the most pleasure?
A. Patient care. Yet, I am also passionate about medical writing. I relish the opportunity to incorporate the former into the latter.
Q. Are an understanding and appreciation of the humanities important in dermatology and why?
A. Yes. I have the privilege to be the Section Editor of ‘Dermatologic Disquisitions and Other Essays’ in Clinics in Dermatology; many of the published papers focus on the ‘heart and soul’ of medicine and other humanistic topics. Submissions are encouraged; please feel welcome to contact me at mitehead@gmail.com.
Q. Who are your heroes/mentors and why?
A. Drs. Jerome T. Cohen, Ronald P. Rapini, Marc E. Grossman and Paul I. Schneiderman. Dr. Cohen, my father, is a retired orthodontist; he was one of my first role models who provided compassionate, excellent care to his patients. Dr. Rapini was my first co-author and I subsequently had the opportunity to be his first dermatopathology fellow. Drs. Grossman and Schneiderman were my attendings during my residency and are now my colleagues and friends; they are both superlative clinicians and dedicated teachers who have devoted their time and effort to training several current dermatologists.
Q. What is the best piece of advice you would have liked to receive?
A. During your interaction with patients: (1) Hear what they tell you, but also listen to what they say, and (2) Do not only look, but also see what you are looking at.
Q. Which medical figure in history would you want to have a drink with and why?
A. The Scottish physician and writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. He is the prototype ‘doctor-author’ whose contributions included detective fiction (stories of Sherlock Holmes), science fiction, historical novels and non-fiction.
Dr. Barankin is a dermatologist based in Toronto, Canada. He is author-editor of six books in dermatology and is widely published in the dermatology and humanities literature.
He is also co-editor of Dermanities (dermanities.com), an online journal devoted to the humanities as they relate to dermatology.
SPOTLIGHT ON: PHILIP R. COHEN, MD
