Meet Peter Boor, MD Lackawanna Valley Dermatology Associates, Limited
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ow did you come to attend Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine and attain your top class rank? I heard about what was then The Commonwealth Medical College through my mentor at West Chester University. I loved the emphasis on helping underserved communities and preferred smaller cities. The experience at Geisinger is all about training physicians who will be leaders in their community and the close integration with local volunteer faculty gave us unique clinical experiences not seen at other medical colleges. I am proud to stand among the growing number of students returning to start careers in NEPA. The class rank was as big of a surprise to me as anyone. We don't track class rank during our education at GCSOM, so you only find out at the end of medical school. I wasn’t a top student in high school or college. During my second year of medical school, I fell in love with dermatology after shadowing dermatolo-
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gists at LVDA. I knew I had an uphill battle to secure a residency position since we had no home program at the time. I studied constantly. I knew my only shot at becoming a dermatologist would be through academic performance. I’d never wanted something so badly. That gave me the drive to be a better student and future physician. What inspired you to pursue medicine and then dermatology? I always loved the science of medicine and the art of patient care. My father was a neurologist and my mother a nurse, so it was familiar. As far as dermatology, I did some career exploring during my second year of medical school and shadowed Dr. Severs, Dr. Marsili and Dr. O'Donnell. I fell in love with the field and told my wife (girlfriend then) that I didn’t think I would be as happy doing anything else. In dermatology, you see people of all ages, perform surgery, analyze histopathology and manage intriguing diseases. The skin is a window into the patient’s immune system and health. Happenings Magazine
What other career might you have pursued? Probably business or computer science. I've always been good with numbers and one of few who enjoyed calculus in college - as lame as that sounds. What should Happenings’ readers know about skincare? Wear a daily sunscreen or moisturizer with sunscreen, broad spectrum and minimum SPF 30. Makeup does not count; it isn’t enough, despite having some SPF. Even fluorescent lights emit low levels of UV-A radiation that contribute to photoaging and cancer risk. The best topical cosmetic is sunscreen; its long term benefits are more rewarding than any other. What are the challenges and rewards of your career? I love my job. The people I meet and the bonds I make are most rewarding. You can improve someone's life dramatically by treating their skin disease. That is underestimated in the medical community. The biggest challenges are limitations in what insurance will cover and which conditions they agree are justified to treat. Believe it or not, in Pennsylvania, alopecia (hair loss) is often not a covered diagnosis; patients have to pay out of pocket. Can you imagine having large chunks of hair fall out and your insurance company saying it isn't reasonable to cover? Insurance formularies limit which medications we can prescribe for common skin conditions. I want to give my patients the best treatment and provide optimal care. January 2021