Your membership allows us to advocate for dermatologists and our patients in Maryland: to have academic lectures and membership meetings, fund our annual grant for residents, and send physicians to AAD leadership training.  As my term ends, let me review our achievements of this past year and ask you to continue your commitment to Maryland dermatology.

Let’s celebrate our big public health win this year in the Maryland legislature. After several years of our advocacy, the legislature passed a prohibition on those under the age of 18 from using indoor tanning devices in the state. This will protect the estimated 47,000 Marylanders 18 and under who are using tanning beds every year.

Your membership will help us schedule interesting and informative meetings:

• We plan CME meetings at Johns Hopkins and the University of Maryland annually;
• We are planning the 2023 Atlantic Derm Conference at the Baltimore Hilton.

 Your membership helps us advocate in Annapolis:

• We lobbied for and the legislature passed a prohibition on indoor tanning by minors in 2019;
• We worked with MedChi to pass a regulatory exemption that continues to allow practices to buffer lidocaine more than one hour ahead of patient administration;
• We screened over 50 patients at the annual skin cancer screening at the State House and used this opportunity to encourage support of the indoor tanning prohibition bill;
• We advocated for increased patient safety concerning Cosmetic Medical Procedure regulations;
• We continued lobbying for inclusion of fair physician payment data in our Maryland All-Payer Model.

Your membership helps us fund resident grants and create leaders:

• We are awarded our 4th annual MDS grant/scholarship for Johns Hopkins and the University of Maryland dermatology residents with the recipient receiving up to $5000 for research, education, or scholarly projects in the field of dermatology;
• We have representation on the AAD Advisory Board enabling members of the Society to submit policy proposals to the AAD;
• We send our members to the Academy Leadership Forum.

Join today!  Let’s continue to strengthen dermatology in Maryland.

MDS Officers for the 2020-22 term are:

• President – Chikoti M. Wheat, MD
• Vice President –  Rachel Schleichert, MD
• Immediate Past President – Zain U. Syed, MD
• Executive Director– Russel J. Kujan