The Spot Check

About The Spot Check

Introducing The Spot Check, the latest addition to the lineup of esteemed dermatology podcasts from Dermsquared™. In this exciting new venture for physician assistants and nurse practitioners, periodic timely episodes spotlight key special events, upcoming conferences, professional opportunities, and more. If you’re a PA or NP, The Spot Check is your go-to resource for staying informed, connected, and inspired. Tune in to stay ahead of the curve and make the most of important happenings in dermatology.

Publisher

Dermsquared

Category

health & fitness

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

26 Apr 2024

Latest episode

25 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

23 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   25 Sept 2026

   Mastering the Skin Biopsy: Dermpath Insights, CTCL & Tricky Diagnoses with Dr John Griffin

   A biopsy is only as useful as the tissue you send, and information that travels with it. In this episode of The Spot Check, Jamie Restivo, PA-C, is joined by dermatologist and dermatopathologist John Griffin, MD, for a practical look at what happens between the clinic and the microscope, and how more thoughtful biopsy technique can lead to clearer answers when the diagnosis is anything but straightforward. Dr. Griffin starts with a deceptively simple question: where is the pathology? Thinking about whether a process lives in the epidermis, dermis, or deeper in the fat can change the type and depth of biopsy needed before the blade ever touches the skin. From autoimmune blistering disease and connective tissue disorders to vasculitis and alopecia, they work through the details that matter, including lesion age, biopsy depth, specimen selection, and occasions when one sample may tell a very different story. They also take on some of the diagnoses that can be particularly difficult to capture. For suspected cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, Dr Griffin explains why multiple biopsies may be more important than choosing between a broad shave and punch alone, recent topical steroid use that can obscure the lymphocytes needed for diagnosis, and the reasons a more raised or indurated lesion may offer a better target. The conversation also moves through pigmented lesions and recurrent pigment within a scar, where knowing the history of a prior biopsy can materially change how the dermatopathologist interprets what is under the microscope. But the larger lesson goes beyond biopsy technique. Dr. Griffin asks clinicians to think of the pathology requisition as a consultation, not a one-way lab order. A photograph, a precise description, a meaningful differential, or a phone call when the report does not fit the patient can all add context that histology alone cannot provide. As he puts it, the clinician sees patterns on the patient, and the pathologist sees patterns under the microscope. Getting to the right diagnosis often depends on making sure those two pictures line up.

2. 

   11 Sept 2026

   Beyond Steroids: Clinical Pearls for Tapinarof in Psoriasis & Atopic Dermatitis

   For years, topical nonsteroidals largely occupied a supporting role in inflammatory skin disease—the option between steroid courses or when steroids simply weren’t a good fit. Tapinarof has helped change that calculus. In this episode of The Spot Check, Jamie Restivo, PA-C, sits down with dermatologist Nick Brownstone, MD, to look beyond the “steroid-sparing” label and into how he actually thinks about tapinarof in psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. They begin with its aryl hydrocarbon receptor mechanism and what Dr Brownstone calls its “triple threat”: modulation of inflammatory pathways, effects on the skin barrier, and antioxidant activity. From there, the conversation moves quickly into the decisions that matter once a prescription leaves the exam room. What exactly are those follicular events described in the psoriasis trials, and should clinicians think of them as traditional infectious folliculitis? Why were contact dermatitis rates lower in the atopic dermatitis studies than might be expected? How does burning and stinging compare with older nonsteroidal topicals? And when one of these reactions does occur, what does it actually mean for treatment? Perhaps most useful is the discussion of what happens after patients get clear. Dr Brownstone and Jamie unpack the treatment-free intervals observed in psoriasis and atopic dermatitis and how a treat-until-clear, stop, monitor, and restart-with-flare approach can change the conversation around chronic topical therapy. They close with the details that often determine whether any regimen succeeds at all: a thin layer, once-daily application, choosing a time that fits the patient’s routine, and counseling clearly enough that patients know what to expect without making treatment more complicated than it needs to be.

3. 

   21 Aug 2026

   The Magic of Patient Adherence: Nudges, Behavioral Economics, and Habits with Dr Steve Feldman

   The treatment can be clinically sound, thoughtfully selected, and clearly prescribed. But if the patient doesn’t use it, none of that matters. In this episode of The Spot Check, Jamie Restivo, PA-C, is joined by Steve Feldman, MD, PhD, to explore one of the most persistent challenges in dermatology—adherence, and the surprisingly powerful role human behavior plays in whether a treatment plan succeeds. Drawing from behavioral economics, Dr Feldman explains why patients don’t always make decisions through the rational risk-benefit calculus clinicians might expect. Together, he and Jamie look at some of the most common barriers to adherence, including overly complex regimens, treatment discomfort, and the perception that a therapy simply isn’t working. Their discussion moves quickly from theory to practical application; simplifying topical regimens, anticipating issues before they cause a patient to stop treatment, and thinking carefully about how risk and expectations are framed. But some of the most useful interventions may be much smaller. Medication placed on top of one’s socks or at the bedside can make treatment harder to overlook by tying it to an existing habit. A seven-day pill container removes the need to remember whether today’s dose was taken. Written instructions account for what Dr Feldman calls the “curse of knowledge,” the tendency for clinicians to underestimate how difficult even seemingly simple directions can be to absorb outside of the exam room. These environmental cues and habits can make treatment easier to remember and harder to ignore. Underlying it all is a concept Dr Feldman returns to throughout the conversation, accountability. Trust between clinician and patient creates the foundation, but the expectation of follow-up may be what turns intention into action. Rather than simply handing over a prescription and reconnecting months later, even the anticipation of a check-in can change behavior. For clinicians managing chronic disease, it is a reminder that adherence may depend not only on what we prescribe, but on how we design the experience around it.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

18 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

5 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 28 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

44

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

32

Contact The Spot Check

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

Shows with a similar audience

• 

  Derms and Conditions

• 

  Derms on Drugs

• 

  Dermasphere - The Dermatology Podcast

• 

  Learn Skin with Dr. Raja and Dr. Hadar

• 

  Skincare Confidential

• 

  The Oprah Podcast