Mentee Osaigbokan Aihie and Dr. Peterson Pierre
Dr. Peterson Pierre has been my mentor informally since 2021 but was assigned to be my mentor for the 2023-2024 Skin of Color Society (SOCS) Mentorship Program. Since we had already developed a relationship, we continued to build from what we had started. Dr. Pierre remained kind and generous with his time and knowledge.
The 2023-2024 academic session was very critical for me as I was applying into dermatology residency during this cycle. Dr. Pierre was instrumental in providing advice through the application process. He was especially helpful in reviewing my list of programs to apply to, providing interview strategies and advising me on next steps to take after the interviews. Throughout the process, he was a voice of calm and reason. I ended up matching into dermatology at my home program, the University of Missouri-Columbia! I am extremely excited to be staying at Mizzou and learning from our amazing faculty!
Through Dr. Pierre’s help, I’ll be able to pursue a career in dermatology. During the last two years, I have also learned more about the Skin of Color Society. I have attended the last two symposiums in New Orleans and in San Diego. I have been humbled and amazed by the tremendous work the organization is pursuing through its mission “in promoting awareness of and excellence in skin of color dermatology.” As a person of color given this rare opportunity to train in this unique specialty, I cannot wait to contribute my own quota to the mission of SOCS through various avenues, especially in researching and managing skin of color conditions and in mentoring the next generation of dermatologists.