The Medical Sisterhood: Redefining Leadership and Mentorship in Dermatology

Welcome to The Medical Sisterhood!

In this end-of-year episode of The Medical Sisterhood, host Mona Shahriari, MD, associate clinical professor of dermatology at the Yale University School of Medicine, brings together a powerhouse panel of women leaders in dermatology for a wide-ranging conversation on education, leadership, authenticity, and balance in medicine. Joining Shahriari are Kavita Mariwalla, MD, president of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery and a double board-certified Mohs surgeon and dermatologist in private practice; Nazanin Saedi, MD, associate professor of dermatology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals; and Mona Gohara, MD, associate clinical professor at Yale University School of Medicine’s Department of Dermatology.

The discussion centers on the origins and evolution of Boards University, an educational platform that has become an essential resource for dermatology residents and early-career physicians. Mariwalla recounts how the initiative was born during the COVID-19 shutdown, when residents lost access to traditional in-person teaching and board preparation. Recognizing both an educational gap and an opportunity to re-center dermatology education around substance rather than social media optics, she began hosting live, interactive teaching sessions focused on high-yield content and community building.

The panel reflects on how Boards University quickly grew beyond its initial scope, resonating with learners across training programs and career stages. Gohara and Saedi emphasize that its success lies not only in the quality of the education, but in the authenticity of its delivery—faculty showing up as they are, balancing busy clinical lives, family responsibilities, and teaching in real time. That transparency, they note, helped foster a sense of connection and shared purpose among learners who might otherwise feel isolated.

The conversation also explores broader themes of leadership and career pathways in dermatology. The panel challenges the notion that academic impact is confined to traditional university settings, highlighting how private practice physicians can meaningfully contribute to education, mentorship, and national leadership. Mariwalla underscores the importance of modeling intellectual rigor across all practice settings, noting that excellence in procedural dermatology, general dermatology, and education are not mutually exclusive.

Shahriari guides the discussion toward the realities faced by women physicians, particularly those balancing leadership roles with motherhood and personal responsibilities. The panel speaks candidly about the pressure to “do it all,” acknowledging that perfection is neither attainable nor necessary. Instead, they emphasize adaptability across different seasons of life and career, and the importance of prioritizing what matters most at any given time.

The latter part of the episode lightens in tone as the panel shares practical, realistic approaches to self-care and aesthetic treatments for busy physician-mothers, favoring low-downtime skincare routines and procedures that fit into demanding schedules. These moments add levity while reinforcing the theme of sustainability—professionally and personally.

As the episode closes, each guest reflects on gratitude, growth, and looking ahead. The discussion returns to the core mission of The Medical Sisterhood: creating spaces where women physicians can learn together, support one another, and lead with authenticity. Through education, mentorship, and community, Shahriari and her guests illustrate how collective effort continues to shape the future of dermatology.

Editor’s note: This episode was summarized with the help of artificial intelligence tools.

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