Skin of Color Savvy: News Update—The Power of Mentorship & Collaboration in Medicine

Welcome to Skin of Color Savvy: The Art and Science of Treating Patients of Color!

In the latest News Update episode of Skin of Color Savvy: The Art and Science of Treating Patients of Color, produced by HCPLive and the Skin of Color Society, board-certified dermatologist and 'The Gorgeous Plate' podcast host Aleta Simmons, MD, spoke with the HCPLive editorial team about the power of mentorship, the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, and her mission to bring a holistic, human-centered approach to dermatologic care.

Simmons, founder of Simmons Skin Center in Nashville, Tennessee, and creator of the educational platform Get the Skin-E, opens the conversation by describing her early passion for mentorship—one that began in grade school and grew into a professional commitment to supporting the next generation of dermatologists. She emphasizes a strategic and empowering approach to mentorship, in which mentees are guided to articulate their goals, identify gaps in support, and create structured agendas for each meeting.

Simmons' methodology is built around helping mentees not just feel seen, but to understand that their dreams—like becoming a dermatologist—are attainable with thoughtful planning and encouragement. Through her practice, Simmons reserves dedicated weekly appointment slots to meet with mentees and learners, including medical students from nearby Meharry Medical College, which lacks its own dermatology department.

She describes her mentee process as dynamic and highly individualized, ranging from clinical observerships to one-on-one career planning. Students begin by observing the practice flow, and based on their interests, are encouraged to explore specific topics in dermatology and report back—helping them begin to identify potential niches within the field.

One particularly rewarding experience she shares is her long-term mentorship of a student she met at a National Medical Association conference. Simmons supported this mentee through the dermatology match process, into residency, and more recently, through the challenges of contract negotiation as a new attending. Helping the mentee navigate compensation discussions and ultimately advocate for a higher offer was a moment of pride and a testament to the life-long impact of mentorship grounded in empowerment and transparency.

Simmons offers candid advice for both mentors and mentees. She urges mentors to proactively schedule regular check-ins to avoid losing momentum and ensure continuity, even amid busy academic or clinical calendars. For mentees, she emphasizes the need for open communication and dismantling fear or intimidation around reaching out to senior physicians. Reflecting on her own hesitancy as a student to meet with her department chair, she now encourages learners to speak up early—sharing interests, asking questions, and building connections that can shape their trajectory.

The episode also touches on the critical importance of collaboration across specialties. Simmons recalls working with a rheumatologist to diagnose a drug allergy in a patient with lupus, underscoring that dermatology does not exist in a vacuum. She frequently coordinates care with internists, plastic surgeons, orthopedic specialists, and nutritionists—particularly for patients with inflammatory skin conditions like psoriasis, where systemic inflammation and comorbidities demand a team-based approach.

In the latter part of the episode, Simmons discusses her podcast, ‘The Gorgeous Plate,’ which she co-hosts with food scientist and chef Tiffany Sutton. The show explores the connection between food science and dermatology, from discussions on nutrients like zinc to how lifestyle and diet choices influence skin health. Simmons’ hope is that listeners take away practical insights—whether it is simplifying their skincare routine or rethinking their relationship with food as part of whole-person wellness.

To learn more about SOCS’s mentorship programs and initiatives, visit Skin of Color Society.

Editor's note: This podcast was summarized with the help of artificial intelligence tools.