Addressing Complex Cases in Dermatology at SOCS Scientific Symposium, With Janiene Luke, MD

The HCPLive team spoke in an interview at the 22nd Annual Skin of Color Society (SOCS) Scientific Symposium, held in conjunction with the 2026 American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting, with Janiene D. Luke, MD, clinical professor and residency program director at the Loma Linda University’s Department of Dermatology.1,2

Luke, co-chair of the Scientific Symposium, provided HCPLive with her perspective on the forces that molded this year's program and what attendees can expect. She also highlighted several of the key topics highlighted in sessions at the meeting, including complex cases in dermatology.

“We worked really hard on trying to come up with a theme that would really encapsulate the times that we're facing in our current state,” Luke explained.

Luke touched on the thinking behind the symposium's theme of championing evidence-based dermatology and collaborative opportunities in medicine. She described the organizing committee’s work in deliberately capturing what she described as the current state of medicine. Luke emphasized the centering of the dermatologist as a hub for collaboration across specialties and services.

On the collaboration piece specifically, Luke was clear that the motivation was holistic patient care. The individual in front of a clinician is rarely defined solely by their diagnosis, Luke noted, and barriers to care, including social, environmental, systemic barriers, can shape the ways in which patients experience and carry through their treatment. Addressing such barriers can mean reaching beyond dermatology, whether to social services, other specialists, or community resources, she expressed.

Luke was also asked about complex cases in dermatology, pointing to hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) and gender-affirming care as 2 notable areas the symposium would address directly. Additionally, she pointed to other challenging conditions that require dermatologists to meet patients where they are and deliver quality care across varying circumstances.

When it came to sessions she was particularly looking forward to, Luke highlighted the keynote from former US Surgeon General Regina Benjamin, MD, whose background in public health, health equity, and health policy made her a natural fit for the symposium’s themes. She was especially drawn to Benjamin's personal story of overcoming obstacles to deliver care in underserved communities.

References

1. Annual Scientific Symposium. Skin of Color Society. Accessed March 26, 2026. https://skinofcolorsociety.org/what-we-do/education/annual-scientific-symposium.

2. Doctor Profiles. Skin of Color Society. Accessed March 26, 2026. https://skinofcolorsociety.org/events/dr-profiles/janiene-luke-md-faad.