I am reaching out today to share a bit about our core philosophy and to introduce a program designed specifically to help you take the next step in your dermatopathology education.

There is a massive amount of free medical education online right now, particularly on social media. While that accessibility is fantastic, "free" often comes with a hidden price. On those platforms, you aren't the student—you are the product being sold to advertisers. You are forced to navigate intrusive ads, chaotic feeds, and platforms that were ultimately designed to distract you, not educate you.

I built Dermpedia to be completely different. We provide a premium, dedicated, and ad-free environment combining the interactive community of a modern professional society with the high-definition streaming quality of platforms like Netflix.

However, building and maintaining this level of independent digital infrastructure without selling ads or user data means that Dermpedia cannot be entirely free.

At the same time, we are deeply committed to our mission: world-class dermatopathology education must be accessible to everyone, regardless of where they live or their career stage. That is why I am incredibly proud to highlight the Dermpedia Tuition Assistance Program.

If the standard cost of a full membership is a barrier to your continued learning, we want to help. We offer significantly discounted (up to 90%)—premium memberships for:

• Trainees: Current residents and fellows worldwide.

• Global Practitioners: Colleagues practicing in developing nations (based on World Bank economic classifications).

If you fall into either of these categories, please do not let cost be a barrier to advancing your diagnostic skills.

I would like to announce the launch of Dermpedia Academy, a branch of Dermpedia chaired by Dr. Jerad Gartner, dedicated to education of residents, fellow and general surgical pathologists interested in or forced to signout dermpath. We are also launching Trainee/International Tuition Assistance Program. The goal of this program is to adjust the Dermpedia fees to reflect the purchasing power of physicians in different countries and stages of their career. 

Welcome Jerad. I am looking forward to working with you to make Dermpedia more accessible to trainees and junior attendees worldwide. My natural interests are exploring the boundaries of dermpath and sharing experience. You are the best and most dedicated educator of residents and fellows. I will do my best to accomodate you and your students on Dermpedia Academy. This co-incides with my plans for Dermpedia to evolve into a world-wide digital-first dermatopathology professional society. 

Welcome everyone, I'm Dr. Jerad Gardner, and I am absolutely thrilled to officially open the doors to Dermpedia Academy! We've built this dedicated space specifically for trainees, residents, fellows, general surgical pathologists looking to sharpen their dermpath skills, and dermatopathologists who are early in their practice.

Why did we build this?

There is a massive amount of dermatopathology education available online right now, and while that's fantastic, most of it lives on social media platforms that were designed for something else entirely. That means intrusive ads, chaotic feeds, and algorithms competing for your attention instead of supporting your learning.

The Dermpedia Academy Difference

We've built a unique platform designed exclusively for dermatopathology education.

• 🤝 Interactive: It combines the best community networking of Facebook and Twitter.

• 📺 High-Quality: It offers the premium, organized streaming experience of Netflix.

• 🚫 Ad-Free: Zero interruptions and zero distractions.

Most of our content will be free, with some premium offerings to help sustain the platform. Either way, keeping Dermpedia Academy accessible is a top priority, and our Tuition Assistance Program is here to make sure cost is never a barrier for anyone who wants to learn with us.

Introduce yourself!

I'd love to get to know everyone who joins us here. Drop a comment below and tell us a little about you:

• 🌎 Where are you from?

• 🔬 What's your practice or training setting like?

• 🎉 What do you do for fun outside of pathology?

• 💡 What dermpath or soft tissue topics would you most like to see me teach about?

Take a look around, get ready for our first big event, and I am so glad you are here!

Warmly,

Jerad Gardner, M.D.

Chair of Dermpedia Academy

Check out this 🆓 lecture on thinking in terms of probability about management of melanocytic lesions. You will love it https://dermpedia.org/programs/decoding-dermpath-for-pcps-thinking-in-bets-melanocytic-lesions1bed20

Dear Artur, Great concepts that deserve to be widely supported in both the Dermatology and Dermatopathology communities. But you are placing a great weight on your shoulders! I see you are coming to Australia this year in October to present at our Dermpath Society Meeting in Brisbane . It will be good to catch up with you and discuss these concepts further. My field is primarily Dermatology. Overall Dermpath is not being taught to Dermatology Trainees here as fully as it used to be. I dont know if that is the situation in the States as well. When the late Bernie Ackerman came out here he really stimulated interest in Dermpath. I am sure your visit will have the same effect!

Best wishes

Ian McColl FACD

Dear Colleagues and Dermpedia Community,

Since its inception, Dermpedia, a child of Covid pandemic-induced isolation, has been driven by a singular mission: to connect dermatologists and dermatopathologists worldwide and elevate the standard of diagnostic education. As I look toward the future and prepare for my eventual retirement (which is not imminent, but inevitable), it is my deepest desire to ensure that Dermpedia outlasts me and transforms from a standalone educational platform into a thriving, worldwide International Dermatopathology Society.

For Dermpedia to succeed long-term, it needs more of our talented and accomplished younger dermatopathologists to participate and contribute. So far, Dermpedia has reflected my personal vision of a dermpath on line society. It is time for it to reflect yours. I greatly appreciate your suggestions and ideas, which is why I have established a dedicated Community Channel to foster discussion about the future of Dermpedia. Please pitch in, join the conversation, and let me know if you would be interested in taking a more active role.

After six years, our platform needed a technological update. Over the past few months, we have rebuilt Dermpedia’s digital infrastructure from the ground up to significantly improve your user experience, expand our global reach, and ensure financial sustainability for decades to come.

Here is what is new, what is changing, and a sneak peek at what is currently in development:

1. The All-New Website

We have updated the layout and functionality of the Dermpedia website. It is leaner, more intuitive, visually refreshed, and significantly faster!

2. Mobile Apps & Secure Login

We are proud to announce the official launch of the proprietary Dermpedia iOS and Android applications. You can now stream lectures, download videos for offline viewing, take courses, view the event calendar, and engage with the community directly from your phone or tablet. Importantly, push notifications will help us drastically reduce email clutter!

• New Login Requirement: To comply with advanced security and HIPAA requirements, all users will now be required to create an account and log in to access our content and features. This ensures a safe, secure, and personalized experience for the entire community.

• Download your Apps today:

  • Android (Google Play): [HERE]

  • iOS (Apple App Store): [HERE]

3. Enhanced Community Features & Journal Club

We want Dermpedia to be your daily professional hub. Once logged in, you will have access to:

• The Event Calendar: A centralized, easy-to-navigate schedule so you never miss a live event.

• Interactive Community Spaces: Robust new networking channels designed to foster global collaboration, case discussions, and peer-to-peer mentorship. The functionality matches that of a major social network—minus the ads. Direct member messaging is also available.

• New Journal Club: I have recruited Dr. Eric Morgan, M.D., from Duke University, to lead this initiative, ensuring you have easy access to the most up-to-date information on new developments in dermatopathology.

4. Access to Dermpedia Live Events

You must now access Consults and Workshops directly from the Dermpedia Website or Apps (via the Catalog or Calendar). Moving forward, users will be required to create an account to access Consults Sessions, and Senior Membership will be required for Workshops. This ensures a highly secure, closed environment for our clinical discussions and case data and reflects high value of Workshops.

5. Updates to the Membership Structure

I want to sincerely thank our active Dermpedia Members and course attendees. Building and maintaining robust, secure infrastructure is expensive, and without your tuition, we would not have the resources to make these investments.

To that end, we will soon be rolling out a revised membership structure to encourage more beneficiaries of Dermpedia to contribute to its mission. You can expect that more Dermpedia Events will become exclusive to members. First, a reassurance: If you hold an active, existing membership, your current benefits will not change. Our new structure will include:

• Free Dermpedia Account: Designed for general access, providing entry to the Community Features, the Calendar of Events, our newsletters, and select free Live Events and Videos. 

• Associate Membership: Designed for active participants, this tier requires a minimal fee and unlocks comprehensive access to all Dermpedia Consults Sessions and the complete archive of case libraries.

• Senior Membership (Coming Next Academic Year): Access to the comprehensive Dermpedia Workshops will require a Senior Membership tier, designed for established practitioners seeking our highest level of continuing education.

6. In Development: Dermpedia Academy

Please note: This initiative is currently under development. We are building Dermpedia Academy, the future premium educational wing of our platform designed for trainees. Once launched live and on-demand courses and board reviews will be hosted here.

7. In Development: International Tuition Assistance

Please note: This initiative is currently under development. If you depend on Dermpedia for your education but cannot afford membership fees, we are building a International Tuition Assistance Program. This will tie our membership and course fees directly to the World Bank classification of economies, ensuring fair, purchasing-power parity discounts for physicians worldwide.

The Road Ahead

These upgrades are just the foundation. The launch of these apps, the enhanced security, and our updated membership tiers are the necessary steps toward building a formal, financially stable, global society.

I invite you to create your account, log in, explore the new interface, and download the mobile apps today.

[Link: Create an Account / Log In to Dermpedia]

Thank you for your continued support, engagement, and dedication to our shared field. We are incredibly excited to embark on this next chapter with you.

This chanel is dedicated to discussion about the future of Dermpedia and transforming it into a dermpath society. Your ideas are welcome. 

This chanel is for general communications between Dermpedia and its members

I haven't been able to join the live consultation sessions for a while. The link isn't working. How are things with you guys?