1. A patient presented to my clinic for a rash on his hands. After a plan was developed, he stood up and I said, ''How about I take a quick look at your back since it's difficult to see our own backs.'' He raised his shirt and here this was, a large 3cm Pigmented BCC. He is scheduled for MOHS.    2. A 42-year-old female ...

The skin around the eyes is one of the first places that reveal a person's age. The delicate skin under the eyes that contains less subcutaneous fat becomes thinner with age. The unsightly age-related changes include dark circles, ''bags'' or swelling and puffiness, crepy skin under the eyes and ''crows' feet.'' Patients often complain that ...

ADVANCE for NPs & PAs staff is bracing for Hurricane Sandy near Philadelphia, Pa. today, and we wish the best to all those along the East coast who are suffering from the storm's damage. Across the country, NPs and PAs are still heating up our communities with the latest in healthcare. On our article ...

It was recently brought to my attention that a popular health clinic is targeting (pun intended) cosmetic patients. Target Clinics, which provide convenient healthcare to numerous patients, are now offering certain cosmetic services. Listed on the Target Clinics website under services known as ''cosmetic prescriptions consultations,'' the clinics ...

Last week, a reader commented with praise for both NPs and PAs on our 2012 National Salary Survey of NPs & PAs. ''I am proud to see PAs and NPs getting along in the medical field. Both are great professions. I was an RN for 13 years prior to becoming a PA. I have been a PA for 8 years. I chose PA, because in 2001, NPs were basically ...

My contact with pain patients was extensive during my residency in Aurora, North Carolina, a coastal town of about 400, with a patient population compromising of retirees, commercial fisherman and above-ground miners from a phosphate mine. I knew from that experience that even if I never found a job as an NP, I would not choose to do pain ...

In our recent Opinions & Essays article ''PAs: The Need Is Great, the Time Is Now,'' author Sharon Bahrych, PA-C, MPH, responded to reader Tina's concerns about choosing the correct career path. ''Yes, you are definitely not alone in your feelings at this stage of your career. Try to find a local NP group that meets once a month for CME, ...

Last week, retail clinics were a hot topic. On Twitter, we retweeted an article from @Health_Affairs: ''New Web First online now. Retail Clinic Use Growing Rapidly http://tinyurl.com/9e4jh9y  (Free access for two weeks).'' The article highlights the benefits of convenient care, such as longer hours. However, our article The Forked Tongue of ...

Last week, New Grad NP blogger Samantha Damren posted the struggle she encounters working with multiple physicians: memorizing the preferences and practices of each. On Facebook, reader Amber said, ''20 in my emergency physician group ... can get frustrating!'' On our blog, more readers weighed in. Here are some of their ...

I attended at cozy talk about HIV prevention and treatment earlier this year at the suggestion of my mentor. The expert presiding over the talk was a local expert in HIV management, thus it was an opportunity I did not care to miss. During the discussion he started to reference recent study data suggesting the use of antiretroviral ...