Dr. Mary Catherine Galang Pangilinan, MD (Philippines)

Mentor: Dr. Pravit Asawanonda

Bangkok, Thailand 2019

Major goals for your mentorship experience: My goals included: (1) learning different phototherapy protocols for various photoresponsive skin diseases; (2) becoming skilled at performing phototesting and photoprovocation testing; and (3) learning the range of management options for treating psoriasis, including biologics.

What did you like best about your mentorship experience?: Learning how to perform phototesting and photoprovocation testing, including reading and interpreting results, and acquiring an in-depth knowledge of the use of different biologics and their side effects. I was able to observe first-hand their effectiveness for the diverse types of psoriasis. This was quite important for me as I had had very limited experience with biologics during my residency training.

Describe any special experiences with your mentor: Dr. Pravit was generous in teaching me his management approaches, especially in patients with psoriasis. Furthermore, I was impressed with how Dr. Pravit would apply the latest treatments and information from the medical literature to his patients’ conditions.

Describe a skill acquired during your mentorship that you will definitely use when you return home:  In addition to performing phototesting and photoprovocation testing, the diagnosis and treatment of the range of photodermatoses.

How will your mentorship experience impact your patient care and professional goals over the next year?: I believe that this mentorship program enhanced my clinical skills, integrated new knowledge with past experiences, and taught me how to treat patients holistically.

How will your mentorship experience make an impact five years from now, including for your region or country?: The Philippines has limited diagnostic tools when dealing with photodermatoses and few treatment options, especially for psoriasis. Having learned the skills outlined above, I would like to contribute to the advancement and promotion of additional diagnostic tools within the field of photodermatology.

Share a pearl you learned during your mentorship experience: Dr. Pravit emphasized to everyone he mentored that in treating patients with chronic skin conditions, you not only aim for the clearance (if possible) of the patient’s skin disease, but also be empathetic and treat the patient holistically.