Recognizing and Advancing Leadership in Dermatology: Promoting the Health Care Administration, Leadership, and...

The recognition and development of leadership training within dermatology has taken on new importance in recent years. In Spring 2023, the American Board of Medical Specialties announced the launch of the Health Care Administration Leadership and Management (HALM) subspecialty, co-sponsored by multiple American Boards, including the American Board of Dermatology. The skills and credentials earned through HALM can enhance career opportunities for dermatologists seeking to achieve executive positions in large practice groups and industries while fostering interprofessional partnerships. Dermatologists are uniquely poised to integrate health care leadership and health systems approaches into clinical practice given broad exposure to diverse patient populations, care delivery settings, and payer contexts. Two pathways have been proposed for achieving HALM certification: a "practice-only" pathway and a fellowship pathway that provides a specialized post-residency curriculum. A HALM certification examination will be the final requirement for certification under both pathways. The HALM certification represents a valuable opportunity for dermatologists to enhance their ability to be physician leaders within the health care landscape. HALM also offers an institutionalized and structured avenue with protected time for physicians to develop leadership skills. Dermatologists taking on management roles within health care can both shape the current system from their unique vantage points and elevate the specialty's presence. Leadership training such as HALM can not only foster individual career prospects - including qualifying for executive roles in larger practices and industry - but also boost intersectoral collaborations between dermatologists and providers, payers, industry, and policymakers broadly. J Drugs Dermatol. 2024;23(12):e191-e194. doi:10.36849/JDD.8482e.