What began as a conversation between a faculty mentor and a passionate medical student has grown into something far greater. Dr. Adam Friedman, Professor and Chair of the GW Department of Dermatology, and Vincent Pecora, M.D. Candidate at The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, are the co-directors of From Evidence to Equity: Dermatologic Care for Sexual and Gender Minorities (FETE) — a first-of-its-kind conference dedicated to advancing equitable, inclusive, and excellent dermatologic care for SGM communities.
The idea was simple but urgent: dermatologists deserve better tools to care for all of their patients. FETE was born out of a recognized gap — in clinical knowledge, in appropriate language, and in training — that has historically left sexual and gender minority patients underserved in dermatologic settings.
Why Dermatology, Why Now? Dermatology is uniquely visual. What we see — or fail to see — has direct consequences for diagnosis, treatment, and trust. FETE brings together clinicians, researchers, and patients to address topics ranging from gender-affirming dermatologic care to inflammatory skin conditions disproportionately affecting SGM populations, all through an interdisciplinary, equity-forward lens.
GW Leading the Way This conference reflects the department's broader commitment to training the next generation of dermatologists to be not only clinically excellent, but culturally competent and inclusive. That a student-faculty collaboration could bring such a vision to life speaks to the culture Dr. Friedman has cultivated within GW Dermatology — one where emerging voices are not just welcomed, but elevated.
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