Five questions with Erik Domingues, MD'10, R'14
Erik Domingues, MD'10, R'14, is a dermatologist who runs his own practice in Fall River. Below, Dr. Domingues shares some thoughts, including why he gives to the Medical School and how UMass Chan students offer hope amid a challenging health care landscape.
1. In your view, what sets UMass Chan apart from other medical schools?
UMass Chan is undoubtedly one of the finest medical schools in the country and in my opinion, the best. Not only did I receive a world class medical education, but I did so at a fraction of the cost of attending a private medical school. The support from the faculty and the collegiality among colleagues is tremendous, and if I had to pick a medical school all over, I would choose UMass Chan time and time again. I received a well-rounded medical education that prepared me for the rigors of internship and residency. The experience I had at UMass Chan helped pave my career path, leading me to opening my own business, Modern Dermatology of Massachusetts, in Fall River, an underserved community. It inspired me to give back by becoming a preceptor for the UMass Chan Longitudinal Preceptor Program , hosting a community dermatology clerkship in my office, and serving as a volunteer assistant professor in the Department of Dermatology at UMass Chan.
2. Why do you give to UMass Chan? And why is alumni support so important?
By giving to UMass Chan, I do my part in paying it forward. I do so to thank UMass Chan for providing me with the education that I obtained as a medical student and resident. While a student, I was a recipient of the Joseph Collins Foundation Scholarship, which helped defray some of the costs of attending medical school. In addition, I received several scholarships during my years as an undergraduate student at UMass Dartmouth. It is important not to forget where we came from and to pass the torch and help others who follow us.
3. What makes you hopeful about the future of medicine, despite the many challenges facing health care right now?
Health care faces more challenges than ever before. These include declining insurance reimbursement despite inflation and increased overhead resulting in the closure of medical practices, the corporate buyouts of dermatology practices, staff shortages, the worsening physician shortage, and the dreaded symptoms of burnout plaguing a large percentage of physicians due to unrealistic demands placed on them by insurance companies, government regulations or corporations. Amid these challenges it is reassuring to see accomplished UMass Chan graduates becoming phenomenal residents and eventual attendings with patient care at the center of their careers now and into the future.
4. Can you briefly tell us about one patient whom you will never forget, and why?
There have been numerous patients during my medical career that have had a deep impact on me both personally and professionally. I have had the privilege of meeting many patients demonstrating resilience and the will to fight and beat their respective illnesses. However, some of these patients eventually succumb to their disease and pass away. One patient who had a significant impact on my career was a young woman in her 20s with three young children who developed metastatic melanoma. I believe that if she had developed this disease in more recent times she may have survived with the help of immunotherapy. However, years ago, treatments for metastatic melanoma were limited. To this day, I still mention her story to motivate patients to practice good sun protection and avoid tanning salons.
5. What is your favorite way to spend a day off?
I enjoy spontaneous lunch dates with my wife, weekend trips with my family, and a relaxing day at home, landscaping and gardening.
