When she’s not working with her clinical research study teams, Dr. Tan is reviewing virtual skin images from DirectDerm patients living hundreds of miles away. And when she’s not doing that, you’ll find her out in the woods – camping with her husband and their two Labrador retrievers.

Board-certified in both dermatology and dermatopathology – the study of skin diseases at the microscopic and molecular levels – she is intrigued by the link between the human immune system and skin disorders.

“Many skin conditions can be explained by potential immune-related problems,” she says. “Bringing the microscopic world of skin to life makes it easier to understand potential causes of skin conditions.”
Dermatology is uniquely well suited to telemedicine, she believes. Unlike other medical specialties, dermatologists have been providing teleconsults to friends and family ever since digital photos could be emailed and mobile phones had cameras.

“A core component of dermatology training is making diagnoses from photos, so this is really no different,” she says.

Dr. Tan enjoys the flexibility and variety of her job as a DirectDerm physician. More important, she believes, is the fact that it makes highly trained specialists available to provide care for patients who otherwise might not have access. Plus, they can get answers quickly to their skin-related questions. Rather than waiting weeks or months for an appointment, they can have a diagnosis and treatment plan in a couple of days or less.