Welcome to The Wood's Lamp!

Welcome to the very first issue of The Wood’s Lamp! I’m absolutely thrilled you’ve carved out a slice of your day to dive into the wild and wonderful world where dermatology meets cutting-edge tech.

Now, a quick confession: I’m not a dermatologist. But I did marry one. My wife, Hannah, embarked on her med school journey right after we tied the knot, and from that moment, her career became a significant part of our lives. Meanwhile, I’m a software engineer—a profession that, on the surface, couldn’t be further from the medical field. While Hannah’s diagnosing mysterious rashes, I’m debugging lines of code. Romantic, right?

Over the past year, I’ve been knee-deep in generative AI at my day job (yes, that’s the fancy term for ChatGPT). As I started weaving this AI magic into my software projects, it hit me: this stuff is crazy useful and surprisingly easy to get into—so why aren’t more people in healthcare, like my brilliant wife, using it to their advantage?

Here’s the thing: I’ve always secretly dreamed of sneaking into Hannah’s world—maybe it’s just my way of spending more time with her by pretending I’m part of her fascinating medical adventures. Sure, she’s got everything under control without me, but this little venture gives me a chance to blend our worlds just a bit.

So, here we are—me, with my techie know-how, and you, with your passion for dermatology. Let’s explore how this new AI frontier can make your life easier, your practice smarter, and your patients happier.

Getting Started with ChatGPT: Your New Digital Sidekick

So, you’ve heard the buzz about ChatGPT and you’re itching to see what all the fuss is about. Whether you’re looking to streamline patient communication or just want a handy assistant that doesn’t require coffee breaks, the first step is getting your very own ChatGPT account set up. The goal? To have you up and running, crafting brilliant prompts that make your day-to-day easier, faster, and—dare we say—more fun.

Step 1: Signing Up for Your ChatGPT Account

First things first, head over to the ChatGPT website at chatgpt.com. Alternatively, you can download the iOS app or the Android app. You’ll want to click that shiny ‘Sign Up’ button. Enter your email, create a password (something better than "password123", please), and verify your account. Voilà! You’re now part of the ChatGPT club. Access the free version to get a feel for it, or dive straight into the paid version if you’re ready to unlock all the bells and whistles.

Step 2: Navigating Your New AI Playground

Once you’re in, you’ll see a simple, inviting interface—a blank chat window just waiting for you to type in your first prompt.

This is where the magic happens. Think of it as your AI-powered journal, research assistant, and brainstorming buddy all rolled into one. No judgment, just pure, unfiltered help at your fingertips.

Step 3: Crafting Your First Prompt

Now, let’s get down to business—writing prompts. A prompt is basically you telling ChatGPT what you want it to do. Be specific. The more detail you give, the better the response. It’s like telling your barista exactly how you want your coffee; the clearer you are, the closer you get to that perfect brew. So, a prompt is essentially you saying, "Hey, ChatGPT, let’s chat about this…" and then sitting back while it does the heavy lifting.

For instance, if you want to draft an email explaining post-treatment skincare, you might type: "Write a friendly email to a patient explaining how to care for their skin after a chemical peel." Hit enter, and watch ChatGPT work its magic.

So, here’s the cool thing about ChatGPT—it’s got the memory of an elephant (well, almost). When you ask it to draft that friendly email about post-peel skincare, it remembers what you said, so if you follow up with, “Oh, and can you make it sound more casual?” it knows you’re still talking about the same email. It’s like having a super attentive assistant who not only gets what you want but also remembers the vibe you’re going for, even as you tweak and refine. This means less time re-explaining and more time perfecting that message to sound just right.

Beware!

While ChatGPT is a fantastic tool, it’s not perfect. Sometimes it might give you an answer that sounds great but isn’t quite right. Always double-check its work, especially when dealing with medical information. And remember, ChatGPT isn’t HIPAA compliant, so keep patient data out of it. Use it as a guide, not a gospel.

Coming up next…

In our next issue, we’ll show you how to take your ChatGPT skills up a notch so you can get responses that are more accurate, detailed, and tailored to your needs. Imagine getting an email draft that doesn’t just cover the basics, but also includes helpful suggestions you hadn’t thought of. Or generating patient education materials that are not only informative but also engaging and easy to understand. It’s all about making ChatGPT deliver exactly what you need, with just a bit of extra effort. Stay tuned—better results are just around the corner!

Until next time,

The Wood's Lamp Editorial Team

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Have a specific use-case that you'd like help with? Let me know!