Jessica Mercer, MD, serves as co-managing owner of Georgia Dermatology Partners near Atlanta, Georgia.

Jessica Mercer, MD

Some of the most valuable lessons in medicine happen outside scheduled clinical hours, according to a discussion between Andrew Alexis, MD, MPH, professor of clinical 

 at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City, and host Jessica Mercer, MD, co-managing owner of Georgia Dermatology Partners near Atlanta, Georgia, on the 

Does Mentorship Improve Outcomes for Patients of Color?

How Should Mentees Make the Most of a Mentorship Experience?

Alexis advised mentees to treat mentorship as more than a scheduled 9-to-5 obligation, encouraging trainees to stay engaged during informal moments after the last patient leaves, such as when a mentor reviews charts, checks labs, or handles administrative tasks. He said these unstructured windows often create space for more relaxed conversation, reflection, and questions that may not arise inside the exam room.

Alexis noted mentees who take this approach tend to build stronger, longer-lasting relationships with their mentors. Mercer agreed, noting these moments give trainees a fuller picture of dermatology beyond the patient encounter itself, including the preparation and follow-up work that happens before and after every visit.

Does Mentorship Improve Outcomes for Patients With Skin of Color?

Alexis said mentorship can directly benefit patients with skin of color, since training exposure to conditions such as pigmentary disorders, keloids, and hair and scalp disorders varies widely across geographic locations and training programs. He noted mentees who pursue away electives or shadowing opportunities with mentors experienced in these areas gain exposure to patient populations they might not otherwise encounter, allowing them to supplement textbook knowledge with real-world clinical experience and expert best practices.

Mercer added that dermatologic disease often presents differently across Fitzpatrick skin types, making varied training experiences essential to building the breadth of knowledge needed to earn patient trust and deliver expert, well-rounded care.

To learn more about SOCS’s programs and initiatives, visit 

Editor’s note: This episode was summarized with the help of AI tools. Alexis and Mercer had no relevant disclosures of note.

Perlman KL, Williams NM, Park JH, et al. Skin of color lacks representation in medical student resources: A cross-sectional study. Int J Womens Dermatol. 2021 Jan 8;7(2):195-196. 

Videos

Andrew Alexis, MD, MPH, and Jessica Mercer, MD, discuss how informal mentorship moments improve training and care for skin of color.

, Andrew Alexis, MD, MPH, professor of clinical dermatology at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City, spoke about how mentorship shaped his own career and continues to influence the next generation of dermatologists, in a segment of his conversation with host Jessica Mercer, MD, co-managing owner of Georgia Dermatology Partners near Atlanta, Georgia.

Why Mentorship Matters Most for Dermatology Trainees

Alexis said looking back on his career made clear that no physician reaches success alone, crediting the support, guidance, and inspiration of his own mentors while expressing gratitude for the chance to pass those lessons on to students and residents, including Mercer, who trained and shadowed under him earlier in her career.

How Does Mentorship Shape a Physician's Clinical Focus?

Mercer credited Alexis, along with Susan Taylor, MD, who led the Skin of Color Center in New York, with laying the foundation for her current focus on hair loss and skin of color care. Alexis explained that exposure to varied clinical approaches during mentorship often sparks lasting interest in a specific subspecialty, noting that for many trainees, mentorship offers a first meaningful exposure to conditions prevalent in skin of color.

Why Is Mentorship Especially Important for Dermatology Trainees?

Mercer noted that trainees practicing in different regions may have limited exposure to certain patient populations and conditions depending on where they train, making mentorship a critical supplement to formal education. Alexis agreed, explaining that observing experienced clinicians model varying approaches allows trainees to build a broader toolkit they can later draw from in their own practice, often blending techniques learned from multiple mentors and clinical settings.

Mercer said she now applies this understanding in her own mentorship relationships, making a point to ask trainees what they hope to gain from the experience, since different mentees often need different forms of guidance and support.

Andrew Alexis, MD, MPH, and Jessica Mercer, MD, discuss how mentorship shapes dermatology careers and supplements trainee education.

Skin of Color Savvy: The Art and Science of Treating Patients of Color

Alexis said mentorship provides guidance and inspiration that shapes most physicians' career paths, often sparking interest in specific dermatology subspecialties.

Both physicians recommended mentees engage beyond scheduled clinical hours, noting that informal time after patients leave often yields the most valuable learning.

Alexis said mentorship can directly improve care for patients with skin of color by supplementing inconsistent training exposure with real-world clinical experience.

Andrew Alexis, MD, MPH, professor of clinical 

 at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City, joined host Jessica Mercer, MD, co-managing owner of Georgia Dermatology Partners near Atlanta, Georgia, on 

, to discuss how mentorship shapes careers and improves care for patients with skin of color.

 leaders. Alexis, who has mentored Mercer since early in her career, said mentorship offers guidance, support, and inspiration most physicians rely on. He explained that observing a mentor's clinical approach can spark interest in specific areas of dermatology, pointing to Mercer's path toward hair and pigmentary disorders as an example of how early exposure through mentorship can shape a lasting career focus.

Skin of Color Savvy: Mentorship in Dermatology—Building the Next Generation of Leaders

How Should Mentees Approach the Mentor-Mentee Relationship?

Alexis advised mentees to fully immerse themselves in the experience rather than limiting engagement to scheduled clinical hours. He said valuable learning often occurs during informal moments after patients leave for the day, when mentors may be reviewing charts or handling administrative tasks, providing space for relaxed conversation and reflection. Mercer agreed, noting that mentees benefit from establishing clear goals with mentors at the outset of the relationship.

Alexis said mentorship can directly benefit patients with skin of color, particularly given inconsistent training exposure to conditions such as pigmentary disorders, keloids, and hair and scalp disorders across different programs. He explained that mentorship allows trainees to supplement textbook knowledge with real-world clinical experience, helping close training gaps that persist in the literature on skin of color dermatology.

Mercer reflected on her own path, crediting mentors including David Peng, MD, at the University of Southern California and Charles McDonald, MD, at Brown University for shaping her career, including her decision to pursue dermatopathology. She said she now mentors students and staff in her practice, several of whom have gone on to medical school or physician assistant programs, describing mentorship as a legacy that continues to expand equitable care in dermatology.

Podcasts

Andrew Alexis, MD, MPH, and Jessica Mercer, MD, discuss how mentorship shapes dermatology careers and improves care for skin of color.

Jessica Mercer, MD

Articles