title: [Underestimation of dermatology based on ignorance and its impact on patient's health].
abstract: With the emergence of medical specialties in different areas of medicine, assessment of patients became narrow and specialized. There is also the perception that some specialties are more difficult than others. Dermatology has long been seen by most physicians non dermatologists as a relaxed area, without real emergencies or requirement of great intellectual effort. Some specialists, erroneously think that everything can be cured with topical steroids and/or antifungal creams. Although several skin diseases are common complains seen by the general practitioner, very few time and credits are granted to cover these diseases during the years of undergraduate training. Thus, the primary care physicians and others medical specialists believe that skin diseases are not life threatening and hence irrelevant. Nonetheless, they feel competent enough to prescribe a variety of treatments for skin diseases that may lead to iatrogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Dermatología, Hospital General Dr. Manuel Gea González, Secretaria de Salud, Distrito Federal, México. dermagea@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Adán
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fuentes-Suárez
authors.forename: Luciano
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Domínguez-Soto
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003880:Dermatology; D006801:Humans; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy
keywords: Dermatology; Dermatoses; Iatrogenic disease; Skin diseases