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Pine Belt Specialist Juggles Special Needs Child, New Practice

HATTIESBURG—After sitting out for several years to devote time to a special-needs child, Rebecca Duff, MD, was somewhat apprehensive about returning to the practice of dermatology.

With careful planning over a three-year period, the mother of three re-established her medical career in a big way. In January, Duff teamed up with two plastic surgeons to create the Dermatology and Laser Center, located on the Wesley Medical Center campus in Hattiesburg, where her full-time practice includes general and cosmetic dermatology. She is working in the same office as Bill Reno and Paul Talbot, MDs, with the Plastic Surgery Center of Hattiesburg.

"We believe offering expertise in both dermatology and plastics will be a great benefit to our patients," said Talbot, of his and Reno's interest in Duff's involvement in the practice. "If the patient is concerned with a rash or lesion, Dr. Duff is right here. It's the ideal situation for our patients."

A native of Pensacola, Fla., Duff, who celebrates her 49th birthday on March 16, graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi and the University of Mississippi Medical School. Certified by the American Board of Dermatology, she completed her internal medicine residency and dermatology training at University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. Before taking time off, she had worked in private practice at the Dermatology Clinic of Hattiesburg.

The Mississippi Medical News spent a few minutes with Duff, asking her about the challenges of returning to private practice, recent advances in dermatology, and juggling work while caring for a special-needs child.

When did you stop practicing full-time to stay home with a special-needs child?

In 2002, I had to take a temporary leave of absence from my dermatology practice of 11-plus years to care for my mentally-handicapped daughter, Tyler, who suffers from uncontrolled seizure disorder. I'm a mother first and physician second. So the decision to stay home and care for Tyler was easy, but extremely disappointing because I could no longer take care of my patients – who I care about so much.

What prompted your return to practice?

In October 2005, I was given the opportunity to go back to work at the University of Southern Mississippi Student Health Clinic twice a month, seeing students who suffered from dermatologic conditions. It was wonderful to be back practicing medicine and to have such a flexible schedule that still allowed me to care for Tyler.

How did you prepare for re-entering the dermatology field full-time?

After seven years, the return to medicine was overwhelming initially. Despite the experience of working at the USM Student Health Clinic and keeping up with my continuing medical education hours in dermatology, I still felt that I needed to do a little more. One of the most respected and sought-after dermatologists agreed to be my mentor and allowed me to shadow her in her clinic in Slidell for the last six months of 2008. This was an invaluable experience and really helped my preparation for returning to private practice.

Tyler is now 21. In 2008, my husband, Kenny, and I formed a group home, Tyler's House, in Hattiesburg for her. She's doing great and is thriving in her new environment. This formation of Tyler's House has allowed me to continue practicing dermatological medicine and to return to what I consider the world's greatest job. I'm also fortunate because my new practice grants me a flexible work schedule, so I can be available for Kenny and our two other children, Shelby and David.

How difficult is it to juggle a full-time workload while caring for a special-needs child?

As all professional women can attest to, it's extremely challenging trying to juggle the life of a mother with the demands and expectations brought on by a career. Having a special needs child who is so medically fragile only made it more difficult. But fortunately, I have a great support system in Kenny, Shelby and David. The staff we personally selected for Tyler's House is also remarkable.

What is your dermatological focus, and what advances in your specialty are noteworthy for healthcare providers in general?

Basic clinical dermatology is still the most important aspect of my practice. It's what I love and why I decided to pursue a career in medicine.

New advances and technologies are constantly being introduced to further enhance and improve the field of dermatology. Lasers, Botox, fillers and sclerotherapy have certainly revolutionized the cosmetic aspect of dermatology. And each year, other technologies are introduced that continue to enhance our field. One of the most recent additions is Lattisse, which is a topical medicine that actually makes eyelashes grow. The results thus far are very impressive.

Tags:

Bill Reno, dermatology, Dermatology and Laser Center, Paul Talbot, Plastic Surgery Center of Hattiesburg, Rebecca Duff, Tyler's House, University of Mississippi Medical Center, University of Southern Mississippi Student Health Clinic, University of Texas Medical Branch, Wesley Medical Center

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