Mona Shahriari, MD, FAAD

Networking, Niches, and Why Authenticity Is Your Biggest Career Asset in Dermatology

, the conversation opened with both physicians sharing the speakers they most admire and actively try to emulate. Host Mona Shahriari, MD, named Linda Stein Gold as a formative influence, praising her ability to translate complex material through analogy and metaphor in a way that made audiences not just understand a topic, but feel it emotionally.

Guest Natasha Mesinkovska, MD, PhD, pointed to Ted Rosen as her model, drawn to his stripped-down presentation style, big letters, two words on a slide, a photograph, humor and a relaxed presence that made him feel like someone you just happened to know. She also credited Dirk Elston with teaching her the value of the pause, an acknowledgment that she naturally tends to run through material quickly. The throughline for Mesinkovska was clear: the speakers she gravitates toward are those who lead with images and simplicity, and that is the presenter she is working to become.

From there, Shahriari raised a more pointed question: whether women are judged differently on stage. Mesinkovska answered directly and without hesitation. She acknowledged that audiences scrutinize what women wear, down to their jewelry and shoes, in ways that simply do not apply to their male counterparts.

Rather than treating that reality as a liability, she reframed it as an opportunity. Women on stage, she argued, hold a particular kind of power and should lean into whatever makes them feel confident and authentic, whether that means a red dress, heels, or a sweatshirt. The message was simple: own it. Shahriari echoed the sentiment, noting that her own heels are a source of personal confidence she has never felt the need to apologize for.

The discussion then turned to authenticity and the pressures of personal branding in an era of social media and influencer culture. Mesinkovska was candid about the professional trade-offs that come with her commitment to honesty, acknowledging that her directness is not always considered industry-friendly. She has made peace with that, viewing the credibility she has built through institutional rigor and independent research as its own form of currency. She also admitted she is not well-suited to social media, finding the environment too harsh for someone who describes herself as sensitive.

Closing out the episode, Mesinkovska offered practical advice for women hoping to build a national presence. Her playbook started with human connection: find the people you admire and simply introduce yourself. From there, she stressed the importance of identifying genuine areas of interest rather than chasing prestige, finding a niche that excites you personally, and growing within it through research, collaboration, and willingness to change direction when your passions evolve. Her parting thought was characteristically direct: carve your own path, then carve a whole lot more of them.

Editor’s note: This episode was produced with the help of AI tools.

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This discussion reflects on great speakers, the unique pressures women face on the podium, and what it takes to build a national platform in academic medicine.

Resilience, Rejection, and Recognition in Academic Dermatology

, dermatologist Natasha Mesinkovska, MD, PhD, reflects on career development, mentorship, and communication style, offering several practical insights relevant to clinicians navigating academic medicine.

Mesinkovska emphasizes the importance of proactively seeking opportunities early in one’s career. She describes a willingness to “ask for anything,” even offering to perform logistical tasks simply to gain exposure to academic meetings and professional environments. This mindset, prioritizing access and experience over prestige or compensation, ultimately facilitated speaking opportunities and career advancement. Her experience underscores a key principle: visibility and initiative often precede recognition. For clinicians, particularly early-career physicians and trainees, explicitly expressing interest in roles or opportunities may significantly increase the likelihood of inclusion.

Importantly, Mesinkovska acknowledges that self-advocacy does not always come naturally. She notes a personal discomfort with advocating for herself, contrasting this with her strong advocacy for mentees. This dichotomy highlights a common challenge among clinicians, especially women, who may hesitate to promote their own accomplishments or request opportunities. Nevertheless, she identifies “asking” as a foundational rule in mentorship, emphasizing that rejection is both common and necessary. She contextualizes success as a numbers game, numerous rejections accompany each acceptance, whether for publications, presentations, or awards. This normalization of rejection reframes it as an expected component of academic progression rather than a deterrent.

Mentorship emerges as another central theme. Mesinkovska describes a deliberate effort to “pay forward” the opportunities she received by supporting junior colleagues. She actively promotes mentees’ achievements and views their success as a shared accomplishment. This approach aligns with best practices in academic medicine, where sponsorship, actively advocating for trainees and junior faculty, can be as impactful as traditional mentorship. Her comments also suggest that fostering a supportive team culture requires intentional recognition of contributions, even for high-performing individuals who may otherwise go unnoticed.

The discussion also explores Mesinkovska’s approach to medical education and lecturing. She attributes her distinctive presentation style to a strong foundation in basic science (as a PhD-trained physician) combined with an emphasis on simplification and audience engagement. Her ability to translate complex scientific concepts into accessible, memorable content reflects experience in patient-facing scientific communication. She notes that preparing a single lecture may require 20–30 hours, highlighting the substantial effort behind effective teaching. This serves as a reminder that high-quality educational delivery is a skill requiring both time investment and deliberate practice.

Finally, Mesinkovska touches on the importance of valuing intellectual property in academic work. Initially sharing her materials freely, she later recognized the need to protect the significant effort involved in content creation. This perspective may resonate with clinicians increasingly contributing to educational and digital platforms.

Overall, the segment reinforces several actionable themes for clinicians: proactively seek opportunities, normalize rejection, invest in mentorship and sponsorship, prioritize clarity in communication, and recognize the value of one’s academic contributions.

This segment of the latest episode of The Medical Sisterhood highlights insights into the career of Natasha Mesinkovska, MD, PhD.

The Medical Sisterhood: Building Influence in Medicine as Women Physicians, With Nastasha Mensikovzka, MD, PhD

, host Mona Shahriari, MD, an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Yale University School of Medicine and a practicing dermatologist in Connecticut, is joined by Natasha Mesinkovska, MD, PhD, a dermatologist and researcher at the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine Department of Dermatology, for a wide-ranging conversation on visibility, resilience, mentorship, and the art of commanding a room recorded in recognition of Women's History Month.

Mesinkovska opens by describing her journey as an immigrant from the former Yugoslavia who arrived in the US as a high school exchange student and built her career through state schools, Mayo Clinic, and Cleveland Clinic. She credits her early breakthrough to a residency-era presentation at Winter Clinical Dermatology, delivered, memorably, in a beach dress and flip flops, where she placed second and received her first invitation to return to a national stage. From there, she describes her career as a product of persistence, gratitude, and a willingness to simply ask for opportunities, encouraging listeners to put their names forward without fear of rejection.

The conversation turns to Mesinkovska's distinctive approach to medical education on the podium, one Shahriari describes as simultaneously scientifically rigorous and genuinely funny. Mesinkovska attributes her communication style to years spent translating complex science for patients as chief scientific officer at the National Psoriasis Foundation, an experience she credits with sharpening her ability to make dense material accessible without sacrificing depth.

On the subject of women navigating visibility and judgment in professional settings, Mesinkovska is characteristically direct. She encourages women to embrace what makes them feel confident on the podium, whether bold fashion choices or a quiet, understated presence, and to resist any pressure to perform inauthenticity for the sake of broader appeal. She also reflects on her own deliberate distance from social media and influencer culture, noting she values the credibility of evidence-based independence over pharma-friendly positioning.

Closing with advice for women seeking a national platform, Mesinkovska urges listeners to build genuine connections with people they admire, identify what truly excites them clinically or scientifically, and pursue that niche with focus and flexibility. "Carve your own path," she says, "but carve a whole lot of paths."

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Podcasts

This March episode of The Medical Sisterhood, in honor of Women's History Month, covers building influence in the dermatology field as a woman physician.

How Important is a Supportive Spouse as a Physician Mother?

, Mona Shahriari, MD, assistant clinical professor of dermatology at the Yale School of Medicine and associate director of clinical trials at Central Connecticut Dermatology Research, spoke with Jennifer Hsiao, MD, a dermatologist and clinical associate professor of clinical dermatology at Keck Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC) about the often invisible pressures faced by physician mothers. Their candid discussion explored the concept of the “mental load,” evolving family dynamics, and how motherhood reshapes both personal and professional perspectives.

Shahriari opened the conversation by reflecting on advice she received during residency suggesting 1 of the most important decisions in life is choosing a supportive partner. From there, the discussion shifted to a less visible but widely shared challenge among working parents: the mental load of anticipating and organizing household responsibilities. Hsiao described herself as the “calendar controller” of her household, responsible for tracking school schedules, appointments, extracurricular activities, and family logistics. While her partner provides flexibility and support when needed, she noted the underlying responsibility for anticipating these needs often falls to her.

Hsiao also highlighted how social norms can reinforce this dynamic. She pointed to a common example: schools often default to contacting mothers first, even when both parents share responsibilities. For physicians working in clinic settings, where stepping away from patient care is difficult, such expectations can create additional stress. Hsiao described receiving a missed call from her child’s school while in clinic as often triggering immediate concern.

Shahriari expanded on this point by emphasizing how societal conditioning contributes to invisible labor. She suggested girls are often raised to anticipate needs, while boys are encouraged to execute tasks once they are assigned. As a result, the anticipatory work can become disproportionately carried by mothers. The 2 physicians also reflected on how language itself may reinforce this imbalance, noting phrases such as “helping” with childcare can unintentionally imply that caregiving responsibilities primarily belong to mothers rather than representing shared ownership.

The discussion then turned to how motherhood has shaped their personal growth. Hsiao described parenting as both strengthening and transformative, likening it to being “on call 24/7” with high stakes and little formal preparation. She spoke about the profound sense of responsibility resulting from raising children and the intense emotional investment in helping them grow into thoughtful, compassionate adults.

Shahriari echoed these sentiments, describing her becoming a parent as having increased her empathy, both in daily life and in patient care. She reflected on how experiences such as managing childcare challenges have made her more understanding of patients navigating similar circumstances. Ultimately, the conversation broadened into a reflection on the idea of “having it all.” Hsiao emphasized that success looks different for each individual and depends on personal priorities and sacrifices. Rather than striving to meet external expectations, she encouraged physicians to define their own goals, both at home and professionally, and make decisions aligned with those values.

Editor’s note: This summary was edited with the help of AI tools.

This segment of the latest episode of The Medical Sisterhood podcast highlights the value of a supportive partner among those who are physician parents.

Mona Shahriari, MD, FAAD

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