We at Live Taos had a chance to connect with Taos’ new dermatologist and recent transplant, Dr. Laurie Good. She was a ‘Good’ enough sport to take a break from her busy schedule and answer some of our silly questions.
Dr. Good will be offering a series of free Skin Screenings throughout northern NM — see her schedule below the interview and find out how to get your free screening.
Dr. Laurie Good
LIVE TAOS: Welcome to Northern New Mexico. How do you like it so far?
LAURIE GOOD: I absolutely LOVE it! Of all the places in the world, this is where we chose to live, raise our kids, plant roots and really start a life. Towards the end of my residency, my husband and I made a list of the top 10 places we thought we’d want to do that and Taos beat the other 9. I had to cold call the hospital and just ask “does your community happen to need a dermatologist?” and that’s how I sorta kicked the door open here.
What’s one thing that’s better about Taos than the last place you lived?
Naming just one thing is tough but I’d have to say the sunsets.
The last place we lived was Milwaukee, which had its strong suits (beer, cheese & brats mostly), but between January and May, the harsh cold and lack of redeeming beauty made it easy to forget all the good things. We tried to stay active through winter but you have to WORK to enjoy -11 degree highs with no mountains in sight. Having fun, outdoor sports and activities to look forward to in winter is something we’re really excited about here in Taos!
Another high point for Taos over Milwaukee is that people aren’t obsessed with their yards here, by comparison anyway. No neighbors mowing lawns right up against our deck during dinner-time or weed-whacking right outside the kids bedroom window at 6am, no angry looks because we haven’t mowed in months or because our kids ran obliviously through someone’s freshly-hedged yard.
We understand you have four children. what’s that like?
Depends what time of day you ask me. Just kidding! It is an absolute blast. I think our house is chaotic, loud, fun and full of energy, not just because there are 4 kids, but because they are so close in age. Jackson, Shane, Finley and Griffin are 8, 7, 6, and 3. I had 3 kids in diapers all at once and as soon as I’d FINALLY gotten my last one potty trained, along came #4. Little did I know, I had it easy when it was just my 3 toddlers.
Travis and I have adapted to chronic sleep deprivation that results from completing medical school and residency with babies at home. Now that they’re all able to ride a bike, hike to Williams Lake and use the bathroom on their own (and sometimes even flush and wash hands afterwards), life seems relatively easy! They make us laugh constantly and since we’ve given up on really having control over things or having a spotless house, we’re able to kick back and enjoy them. I have brief moments of clarity and realize how chaotic our household really is when we have visitors who look like they need an anxiolytic about 10 minutes in!
What’s the last great movie you saw? Also, what’s the last movie you saw?
Hmmm. I don’t watch much TV and when Travis and I do get a rare date night, we usually skip the movie…but I do like to cozy up to a new release from time to time. I’m a tough critic and it’s been a while since I saw a really good one. I’d have to say that was Crazy Stupid Love. The most recent movie I saw was Draft Day.
What’s the most the rewarding thing about being a dermatologist?
There are so many rewarding aspects of dermatology – catching an early melanoma before it has a chance to spread, clearing severe psoriasis in a patient who’s never been comfortable in shorts, walking new parents through the expected course of their child’s infantile hemangioma, diagnosing the cause of someone’s chronic rash and treating it.
Even simple things like acne in teenagers can be incredibly rewarding to treat. There’s a funny Seinfeld episode my husband likes to reference in jest, calling me “pimple popper, MD.” In truth, there are few things more satisfying than treating pimples in teenagers. It’s about watching a kid walk into the office with a face full of acne, head down, low self-esteem…flash forward 2 months, same kid walks in, looks me in the eye, gives me a strong handshake, tells me he’s doing great in school, joined a club and is going to prom.
We heard that you almost named your new clinic the Skinstitute. what did you choose instead, and why?
Ha! The Skinstitute is a brilliant name, but we couldn’t quite get past the business people with that one. We opted for a more professional-sounding name that would highlight a landmark relevant to a practice with offices in Santa Fe and Taos. We settled on High Road Dermatology. It’s less playful, but perhaps more distinguished-sounding than the Skinstitute.
Tom Cruise or Richard Gere?
Neither! Tom Cruise is not much taller than I am and Richard Gere’s facial expressions just remind me of the medical miracle that is Botox. I’m more of a Ryan Gosling or Leonardo DiCaprio kind of girl.
Free Skin Screenings (all from 10am-3pm)
Red River: Sept. 10th – Red River Firehouse
Angel Fire: Sept. 11th – Center for Physical Health
Peñasco: Sept. 18th – Penasco Health Clinic
Taos: Sept. 25th – Taos Surgical Specialties
To schedule an appointment with Dr. Good, call 575.751.0334