February, 2005Gary A. Dyer, MD the Dermatology Foundation's 2004 Practitioner of the Year

Gary A. Dyer, MD, a private-practice dermatologist-dermatopathologist in St.
Joseph, MO for 30 years and a member of the clinical dermatology faculty at the
University of Missouri Health Sciences Center in Columbia, MO, is the
Dermatology Foundation's 2004 Practitioner of the Year for his outstanding
contributions to all of dermatology. The Award was established by the
Dermatology Foundation in 1976 and is given each year to a member of the
specialty who demonstrates exemplary service as a practitioner, teacher and
researcher.
Dr. Dyer was honored as 2004 Practitioner of the Year during the Dermatology
Foundation's Annual Meeting on Saturday, February 19, 2005, during the AAD
Annual Meeting in New Orleans, LA.
Dr. Dyer holds a B.S. in education from Central Missouri State University and
received his M.D. from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine
where he also did his residency. He was partially supported by a National
Institutes of Health grant during his second and third year of residency, was
chief resident, and subsequently received his board certification in dermatology
and special competence certification in dermatopathology.
In the many letters of nomination written by his colleagues, there are
several recurring themes. Dr. Dyer is described as being a dermatologist who is
devoted to his patients – having decided to establish his practice in an
underserved area of Missouri and in 1985, organizing the first free skin cancer
screening clinic in St. Joseph. He began his teaching career in the early '60s
as an instructor of high school biology. Today, as a dermatologist, Dr. Dyer is
described as "an exceptional and enthusiastic teacher" of medical students
and dermatology residents, as well as of his colleagues through instruction at
continuing medical education symposia. He is also cited as a mentor: "Dr Dyer…freely
shared advice [with me] on starting up a solo private practice. His willingness
to mentor young dermatologists is but one example of his honest concern for his
fellow dermatologist."
Throughout his career, Dr. Dyer has been involved in local, state and
national medical and dermatological affairs. From his county medical society to
the American Medical Association, Dr. Dyer has been an active and effective
officer and delegate, and in fact, is one of the few dermatologists to serve as
president of his state medical association. He began his activism in dermatology
through the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) in 1985 as the state
coordinator of the AAD's Skin Cancer Detection Program. Since then, he has
served on numerous committees, including the Advisory Board, and the Ethics and
Nominating Committees, and has chaired the Member Services Committee and Risk
Management Task Force. In February 2005, he will become the first chairman of
the Academy's newly-created Council on Member Services. Moreover, Dr. Dyer is
a philanthropist giving his time and exceptional generosity to the University of
Missouri-Columbia Medical School Foundation where he served as president and
helped establish a dermatology endowment fund as well as a dermatology research
fund. His exceptional generosity extends to the Dermatology Foundation where he
is a member of the Annenberg Circle and its Committee. In that leadership role,
Dr. Dyer asks his colleagues and peers to join him in this $25,000 lifetime
commitment to benefit all of dermatology.
One of Dr. Dyer's nominators encapsulates the breadth and depth of his
career in this way: "As a solo practitioner of dermatology who combines
patient care in the private practice setting with a major degree of involvement
in organizations representing and benefiting his specialty, Dr. Dyer is an
outstanding role model for young dermatologists in practice to emulate."
The Dermatology Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, was created in 1964 by
a group of concerned dermatologists to advance patient care by developing the
research and teaching careers of the next generation of medical and surgical
dermatologists. Second only to the federal government as a source of funding for
dermatologic research that addresses both medical and surgical practice
concerns, the DF is supported by contributions from individual members of the
specialty and the cosmetic, pharmaceutical and surgical industries to support
its broad-based programs.
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