When I enrolled in medical school — what seems like a lifetime ago — I wanted to be akin to the sage and compassionate Marcus Welby, M.D. I wanted to be a pediatrician who takes care of and cures sick children.

With constraints on healthcare human resources in some geographic areas in Canada, teledermatology offers advantages, such as increasing access to dermatological expertise. The use of store-and-forward technology avoids the logistical challenges associated with real-time teledermatology.

Clinical photography in dermatology can be an invaluable tool, if used properly. Following some basic guidelines can take the guesswork out, lend credibility and present a much more accurate picture.

Every dermatology practices could use a good Web site — and one that provides timely, accurate educational information for patients would be a boon. One enterprising practitioner saw the need, and developed a system to meet it.

Change doesn't come easy for most of us, especially when it involves money. If you're like me, you still remember the first time you walked into a bank to open an account — the fortress-like building, the prim and proper employees, tellers behind their glassed and barred cages. It was an intimidating experience, but somehow you knew that your money would be safe behind that imposing brass door to the bank vault.

National report — Now that picture-and-text websites are commonplace, dermatology practices that want to stand out are finding that online videos fit the bill, sources say. This may be particularly true for cosmetic-oriented practices, they add.

National report -- For dermatologists interested in posting online videos, experts offer these do's and don'ts.

A couple of years ago I changed my e-mail address from AOL to Gmail. I am still redirecting people from my AOL address to Gmail, and I am still finding document templates, organizations and directories that have not updated my e-mail address.

Researchers have developed a new laser technique that can significantly assist clinicians in reaching a more precise diagnosis of moles and skin cancers, before performing the actual surgery and histology. The method may not replace traditional diagnostic methods but can serve as a useful tool in securing the correct diagnosis.