FIFTY YEARS OF THE NACDS
Fifty years ago several "Hail Fellows, well met" came together in the Westwood hospitality suite with Charles Oclassen, host and friend. The site, Chicago in December, was common with the American Academy of Dermatology at that time. Mr. Oclassen and our first five presidents founded the NACDS because, "We learn more in these informal gatherings than from the lectures on mice and molecules downstairs. Why don’t we get together and visit with the masters of dermatology in their own great centers (and beautiful cities), learn their clinical methods, and share what we know with them? We’ll need a few ‘organizational meetings’ to ‘get the hang of things.’" They recruited the late Ted Finnerty to get things going, which he did, in technicolor, for thirty years as Secretary-General. Dr. John White, of the Mayo Clinic, wears that mantle, now, and adds luster to it. President Herb Spoor and John McCarthy wanted to improve the scientific program and recruited Bob McNamara to be its chairman--a big leap forward. He got AMA and AAD approval for Category I CME. Subsequent Chairmen have done better and better. Scholars not only became welcome but were allowed, occasionally, to talk about mice and molecules. The question that remained was, "Can a society that charters the entire Oriental Express to take it from Paris to Rome be a serious force among Dermatologic Societies? Maybe even number One? It can. It is. The NACDS has no fear of being second-best insofar as travel, education, and ambassadorism for American Dermatology are concerned, thanks to our great members, leaders, and supporters. Willard D. Steck, M.D. & Clark E. Julius, M.D.
The NACDS is a non-profit organization and this web page is produced for the members and friends of the North American Clinical Dermatologic Society.
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