Faradia Kernizan: Exploring Pediatric Dermatology, Unmet Needs, Mentorship

When deciding whether or not to explore pediatric dermatology as a subspecialty, many medical students are looking for opportunities to receive mentorship and guidance in general.

To speak about her research as well as her winning the 2024 Society for Pediatric Dermatology (SPD) Mentorship Award, Faradia Kernizan, a medical student at Tulane University School of Medicine, interviewed with the HCPLive editorial team. Kernizan was asked about what led to her discovery of the SPD Mentorship Award and her work with Diana Reusch, MD, assistant professor of dermatology at the University of Massachusetts.

“I've always had an interest in pediatrics and later on, I got more of an interest in dermatology,” Kernizan explained. “Pediatric dermatology is something I really didn't know much about it, but I wanted to learn more. I learned about the Mentorship Award on social media and after I found out, I was interested. But, you know, there are not that many pediatric dermatologists who are practicing. I think we need a lot more, and it's an unmet need. But I sought out to find a pediatric dermatologist who would be willing to work with me. I had a mentor at UMass, and I had a chance to talk to her a little bit about it. She connected me with Dr. Diana Reusch, and that's how I got connected and how we got to do our project.”

Kernizan and Reusch’s research highlighted juvenile localized scleroderma, a rare autoimmune disease that impacts children. Over the course of her mentorship, supported by the SPD, Kernizan described that she found the opportunity enriching and inspiring.

“I also had an opportunity to do my pediatrics rotation before I applied,” Kernizan said. “It was just really lovely. It's interesting, you work with kids and they are different from adults. Their diseases are sometimes pathophysiologically different from adults. Seeing how different they can be from adults and how lovely of a time I had during pediatrics was something that I took to heart, and really appreciated. So that's how I came about to this point, and why I decided to apply.”

Kernizan emphasized the importance of funding for children's research and health, driven by her personal and professional experiences. She noted her own background in a large family in Queens, New York, highlighting that it influenced her decision to pursue pediatrics.

For additional information about mentorship opportunities related to pediatric dermatology, view the full video with Kernizan posted above. Check out more about upcoming Mentorship Award opportunities here.

The quotes used in this description were edited for the purposes of clarity.