Become a National DIGA Officer for 2011-2012

The national Dermatology Interest Group Association (DIGA) is now accepting officer applications for 2011-2012. A PDF form of the application and officer descriptions can be found under the announcements section on the DIGA "About" page: http://derminterest.org/.

The application process will be open until midnight (MST) on January 15, 2011. Notifications will be sent out on January 22, 2012. Positions are available for all MS years. Term commitment is one year (February 2011 to February 2012).

Available DIGA positions include: Vice President, Webmaster, Treasurer, Secretary, Community Service Director, National Dermatology Residency Interview Database Director, Regional Directors, and various Committee Chairs.

UTMB DIG members have enjoyed serving as DIGA officers for several years. Alison Wiesenthal (UTMB DIG Co-President 2009-2010) served as the 2009-2010 DIGA Community Service Director and the 2008-2009 Sun Protection Project Committee Chair. Lindsey Hunter (current UTMB DIG Co-President) is the 2010-2011 Allied Health Outreach Committee Chair.

Contact Lindsey Hunter (lihunter@utmb.edu) with any questions.

Good Luck!

UTMB Dermatology Resident Publishes Article About Contact Dermatitis to Silver

Dr. Ashley Group, a current UTMB PGY3 dermatology resident (and former UTMB DIG Co-President and DIG blog Co-Editor), is the first author on a clinical report about contact dermatitis to silver in the December 2010 issue of the peer-reviewed journal, WOUNDS (“Contact Dermatitis With a Highlight on Silver: A Review”). Her coauthor was Dr. Alfred Lea from the UTMB Department of Internal Medicine, Infectious Diseases Division. The entire article can be read at http://www.woundsresearch.com/content/contact-dermatitis-highlight-silver-review.

St. Vincent's Free Health Clinic - UTMB Reaches Out to the Community

St. Vincent's House offers a student-run free health clinic serving the Galveston uninsured and underserved population. St. Vincent's is an important part of the UTMB community, providing free health services to the public, while teaching medical, PA, and nursing students how to manage common health issues, including hypertension and diabetes.

In response to the community's growing needs, specialty clinics have been instituted over the past several years. St. Vincent's currently schedules Internal Medicine, Psychiatry, Gynecology, Neurology, and Dermatology clinics. UTMB Dermatology residents and faculty can be found volunteering here the first Tuesday of every month, where they aid medical students in providing free skin cancer screenings, biopsies, excisions, and routine dermatologic care. UTMB Dermatology volunteers include, Dr. Sharon Raimer, Dr. Brent Kelly, Dr. Erica Kelly, Dr. Alma Berlingeri-Ramos, Dr. Bernard Gibson, Dr. Michael Wilkerson, and Dr. Ashley Group (PGY-3 resident).

The student volunteer-based clinic operates on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. St. Vincent's House is located at 2817 Post Office Street, Galveston, Texas 77550. UTMB students interested in volunteering can find additional information located in the daily UTMB Student News and Notes e-mails.

For more information about St. Vincent's, please visit their website at: http://www.stvhope.org/free_clinic.htm.

UTMB Medical Student, Resident and Faculty Co-author Publication

Former UTMB medical student and medical resident Dr. Tatiana Sousa, current MS4 Lindsey Hunter, PGY4 dermatology resident Dr. Matt Petitt and dermatology faculty Dr. M. Wilkerson have coauthored a clinical report entitled, “Localized cutaneous reaction to intramuscular vitamin K in a patient with acute fatty liver of pregnancy” in the December 2010 issue of Dermatology Online Journal 16 (12):16. The letter is available at: http://dermatology.cdlib.org/1612/5_letters/16_10-00305/wilkerson.html. Dr. Sousa is currently a PGY2 dermatology resident at Case School of Medicine Dermatology Residency Program at the MetroHealth Medical Center Campus in Cleveland, Ohio.

Dr. Jennifer Vickers Publishes Seinfeld Research

Dr. Jennifer Vickers, UTMB SOM Class of 2009, has published an original research paper entitled, “Television Depictions about Dermatology and Skin Diseases in Seinfeld” in the December 2010 issue of Dermatology Online Journal (DOJ), a peer-reviewed journal that is indexed in PubMed. This research was initiated as her Dermatology Research Honors Program that was awarded Magna Cum Laude research graduation honors. Dr. Vickers was also the recipient of the Dermatology Department’s Annual Film Class Award in 2009. She is currently a PGY2 dermatology resident at New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY. Her co-authors on this research were Mr. Tatsuo Uchida (UTMB Office of Biostatistics) and Dr. Richard Wagner (UTMB Dermatology). The entire article can be read at: http://dermatology.cdlib.org/1612/1_commentary/1_10-00322/vickers.html.

DIG 12/8/10 Meeting Recap

We had a great turn out at Wednesday's meeting! The UTMB DIG would like to give a special thanks to Chelsea Altinger, MS II, for her very informative and interactive Powerpoint presentation on her experience at the 2010 Contact Dermatitis meeting held in Dallas, Texas.

DIG members have been actively volunteering in the community, including events such as the 2010 Oceans of Fun Health Fair, teaching cosmetologists about skin cancer and sun protection through the Dermatology Interest Group Association's Allied Health Outreach Program, and the 2010 La Porte Health and Safety Fair.

We discussed upcoming events, including our Miles for Melanoma Walk and the 2011 American Academy of Dermatology meeting that will be held February 4 - 8, 2011 in New Orleans, LA. If you are interested in attending this event, please contact Lindsey Hunter at lihunter@utmb.edu for additional information.

Want to get involved with the Miles for Melanoma Walk? Contact Auris Huen (aohuen@utmb.edu) or Kehinde Ogunmakin (koogunma@utmb.edu) to find out ways that you can help.

Questions? Comments? Contact us at utmbdig@gmail.com.

DIG Meeting: Wednesday, December 8th!

Please join us Wednesday, December 8th at 5PM in the Dermatology Department conference room (4.112 McCullough Building) for our next DIG meeting. We look forward to seeing everyone there!

Kudos Given for Knox Meeting

UTMB residents and fellows received the highest accolades from JAAD editor and Chair of Dermatology at MUSC (Charleston), Dr. Bruce Thiers, as well as from visiting, well known dermatology academics from Houston who attended this meeting on Saturday. UTMB dermatology residents and dermatopathology fellows presented 21 high quality, rare and complex patient presentations with the support of the UTMB faculty. Dr. Thiers gave an excellent lecture that highlighted the most important articles published by the JAAD in recent years. One of the articles he cited was about the safety of local anesthesia that was co-authored by Dr. Nate Davis, one of the UTMB PGY3 dermatology residents. Special thanks to Dr. Mika Yamazaki, one of the PGY4 dermatology chief residents, for her efforts in organizing this valuable academic effort.

2010 Oceans of Fun Health Fair A Big Hit!

The UTMB DIG volunteers had a blast this past Saturday at the 2010 Oceans of Fun Health Fair! It was held at the new UTMB Pediatric Specialty Center at Bay Colony.

Volunteers provided hands-on activities and educational handouts about skin cancer and sun protection for members of the local community. Our new table displays (pictured below, designed by Lindsey Hunter) taught kids and adults about the appearance of melanoma and the dangers of excessive sun exposure. Special thanks to Rebecca Philips (Left), Donnie Warren (Middle), and Chelsea Altinger (Right) for volunteering!

            

By Popular Demand…

Dr. Wagner has just increased enrollment for his Period 13 BSHS Selective DERU-4012 (“Narratives of Skin Diseases”) from 10 to 20 students. Once the earlier student enrollment cap of 10 was reached, additional students contacted him requesting this course. Since DERU-4012 is only given during Period 13, he agreed to double the class size. The course focuses on nonfiction books that are written by authors who have personally been diagnosed with skin cancer, leprosy, vitiligo and psoriasis. Reports are that last year’s class enjoyed the opportunity to read these selections to learn about the impact of various skin diseases. Some waiting list students have already added DERU-4012, so if you are interested, please send your C Form to Ms. Kimberly Cooper ( kjcooper@utmb.edu ) right away.

Volunteers Needed for the 18th Annual John M. Knox Conference Hosted by the UTMB Dermatology Department This Saturday

The UTMB Department of Dermatology is hosting its 18th Annual John M. Knox Conference this Saturday, November 13th at UTMB on the 5th Floor of the UHC Building. Student volunteers are needed to assist in rooming patients starting at 7:45 AM. Patient viewings will end around 9:30 AM, followed by patient discussion, and guest speaker, Dr. Bruce Theirs, the Chair of Dermatology at the University of South Carolina and the Editor of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Interested in volunteering? Contact Lindsey Hunter at lihunter@utmb.edu to sign up.

We hope to see you there!

Heather Fork, MD (UTMB SOM 1991) Starts Health Blog for Physicians

Dr. Fork, a UTMB alum (SOM 1991) and board certified dermatologist, has started a blog entitled, “Doctor’s Crossing” that is focused on physician health issues. For more information about this interesting website, please go to http://www.doctorscrossing.com/.

Cutoff Criteria for Dermatology Applicants

Many applicants to dermatology and other competitive residencies express frustration that cutoff scores for residency programs are difficult to pinpoint. Why is that? One reason is that while Step 1 and 2 scores and AOA membership are currently very important benchmarks for interview selection from a pool of highly qualified applicants, numbers alone do not convey a complete picture of each applicant’s academic achievements. Programs probably don’t want to be prevented from interviewing and ranking applicants who are outstanding in some other way and have excellent potential to contribute to the residency program, even if their Step scores are lower than other applicants or if they were not selected for AOA. That is why it is rare to find programs that are willing to give applicants an absolute cutoff criteria.

Health Fair Volunteers Needed

The UTMB DIG is looking for volunteers for the following health fairs:

Oceans of Fun
DATE: Saturday, November 13, 2010
TIME: 11 a.m.- 1 p.m. and 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
LOCATION: UTMB Pediatric Specialty Center at Bay Colony, 2785 Gulf Freeway South, Suite 200, League City TX

St. Vincent's Wel-Fair
DATE: Saturday, November 13, 2010
TIME: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
LOCATION: 2817 Post Office Street

Please email Rebecca Philips (rcphilip@utmb.edu) if you are interested in volunteering.

Texas, We Have A Problem

Sadly, it’s too few doctors. Texas only ranks 42nd in the number of physicians per 100,000 population, according to an editorial on the matter published by the Houston Chronicle today (please see http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/7276313.html for additional detail). The Chronicle also points out that Texas is on the low side for postgraduate medical education (residency) positions. In Texas, the ratio of graduating medical students from Texas schools only has a 1:1 ratio to available postgraduate residency positions in Texas. New York and California are doing much better, with ratios of greater than 3:1 and 1.7:1 respectively. The low Texas ratio means that many Texas medical school graduates (45%) leave Texas for postgraduate training opportunities elsewhere, never to return. Since the education of Texas medical students costs over $200,000 per student, this is a huge financial loss to the state each year.

Texas needs to do better in the area of postgraduate medical education by expanding the number of positions it offers. This issue directly impacts the current shortage of dermatologists in Texas. If more Texas medical students were able to find dermatology residency positions in Texas, more would probably stay and practice here.

UTMB Dermatology Attracts Record Number of Dermatology Applicants for 2011 NRMP

338 applicants applied by the November 1st deadline. 105 are AOA members with at least a 230 Step I score. UTMB will offer between 24 and 30 interviews for applicants from outside of UTMB for 3 advanced dermatology positions in the 2011 NRMP.

Period 13 DERU-4012 (“Narratives of Skin Disease”) Remains Popular

For the second year in a row, DERU-4012, a BSHS selective offered only during Period 13, has filled with 10 UTMB MS4 students. Students in this class read books and essays written by authors who have experienced skin cancer, leprosy, vitiligo, and psoriasis, and wrote about the impact of these diseases on their lives.

Dr. Mika Yamazaki Returns from Pediatric Dermatology Elective in Austin

Many are not aware that the UTMB Dermatology Residency Program offers the option of two week elective during the PGY4 year. The elective must be in some aspect of dermatology that is not offered on the UTMB Galveston campus. In addition, upon return to Galveston, the resident must make a presentation to the dermatology department about their elective rotation. There is no additional funding available for transportation or room and board for the elective resident. Dr. Yamazaki recently elected to spend two weeks in Austin under the supervision of Dr. Moise Levy, a well known pediatric dermatologist at Dell Children’s Medical Center in Austin. UTMB has not had a pediatric hospital since ours closed following Hurricane Ike in 2008. However, UTMB dermatology residents receive lots of clinical exposure to pediatric dermatology through several pediatric dermatology clinics, general dermatology clinics, continuity clinics, and also through the dermatology hospital consultation service.

November 1, 2010 Dermatology Residency Application Deadline for UTMB

ERAS dermatology residency applications for the 2011 NRMP are due on November 1, 2010. Between 24-30 outside applicants who are not UTMB medical students, UTMB housestaff or visiting medical students who have taken UTMB dermatology electives this year will be invited for interviews in Galveston on either February 10th or 11th, 2011 for three advanced PGY2 positions being offered in the NRMP. It is anticipated that invitations to interview will be sent out electronically before January 2011.

Congratulations to Dr. Leslie Scroggins!

Dr. Leslie Scroggins, UTMB PGY-2 Dermatology resident, received third place in the Resident Podium competition at the 2010 Fall Texas Dermatological Society Meeting, held October 22nd-24th in Lubbock, Texas! Dr. Scroggins' presentation, entitled, "A Dermal Piercing Complicated by Mycobacterium Fortuitum," was co-authored by Dr. Brent Kelly and Sara Moghaddam, MSIV at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center.

Ashley Group, MD In Press for Contact Dermatitis Research

Congratulations to UTMB PGY-3 dermatology resident, Dr. Ashley Group. She has recently been notified that her review article, "Contact Dermatitis with a Highlight on Silver: A Review,” has been accepted for publication in the December 2010 issue of WOUNDS, a peer-reviewed multidisciplinary medical journal that focuses on wound care and research. We are all looking forward to reading this article when it comes out!

Lights Out?

A crane accident near the causeway temporarily disrupted campus activities requiring electricity at UTMB this morning. Please see the Galveston Daily News story for additional details: http://galvestondailynews.com/story/186502

Class of 2010 UTMB Dermatology Residents Achieve 97th Percentile on Certification Examination

Congratulations to Drs. Cameron Coury, Julie Fridlington, and Ryan Matherne. Together they achieved the 97th Percentile on the recent certification examination given by the American Board of Dermatology. This academic excellence is especially notable because all three had their dermatology residency training temporarily disrupted following Hurricane Ike’s damage to UTMB in September 2008.

Period 13 Film Class Fully Enrolled

The UTMB registrar’s office has reported that the Period 13 film class (BSHS Selective DERU-4051 and elective DERU-4007) is currently completely enrolled with 15 students in each section. There are currently 18 students on the wait list for DERU-4007 and 6 students on the wait list for DERU-4051. Period 13 has historically been the most popular Period for both courses. Last year Dr. Wagner increased student enrollment from 10 students in each class to 15 for each Period of the current academic year.

UTMB Dermatology Residency Application Update

There are already 304 ERAS applications to the UTMB dermatology residency program. 97 of these applicants are AOA and have at least a 230 on Step 1. The application deadline is Monday, November 1st this year.

Dermatology Program Preference for Home and Visiting Medical Students Explained

It has been previously noted that dermatology applicants are more likely to match at their home program or a program where they have rotated. At the October 2010 meeting of the Association of Professors of Dermatology in Chicago, one speaker discussed the interview process. Some dermatology programs attempt to select applicants with the attitudes, motivations and talents that will help attain program goals. Data was presented that indicated there is a greater chance for success in attaining program goals when selecting home and visiting students who have demonstrated these three qualities during previous interactions compared to outside candidates, as long as the internal candidates also meet all of the predetermined academic selection criteria.

What explains the relatively few interview offers for dermatology residency applicants?

Data presented by Dr. Alexa Kimball (Harvard Medical School) at the 50th Annual Meeting of the Association of Professors of Dermatology meeting this month indicated that dermatology residency programs only need to interview between 3 and 4 applicants for each position they offer through the NRMP in order to fill their program. This statistic has trended upward since 2006, when 3 ranked applicants were needed to fill each position. In the 2010 dermatology match, 3.8 applicants were needed to fill each residency position.

Dermatology's Preference for a Strong Academic Preliminary PGY-1 Year

Recent comments from the Association of Dermatology Professors Annual Meeting in Chicago last weekend make it clear that many dermatology chairs, program directors and faculty have low regard for transitional PGY-1 training. They voiced concern that a transitional year is poor academic preparation for a dermatology residency. They strongly stated preference for a preliminary PGY-1 year at a strong academic university program. Some even thought that dermatology programs should stop offering advanced PGY-2 positions and start incorporating their internal medicine department into categorical programs, an approach that would ensure strong PGY-1 internal medicine training.

Dr. Douglas Heiner Co-authors Publication

Former DIG member Doug Heiner (UTMB SOM Class of 2010), who will be starting dermatology residency at Roger Williams Medical Center (Providence, Rhode Island) in 2011 has coauthored a recently published, peer-reviewed research paper (Houghtaling PM, Foster T, Heiner J, Uchida T, Wagner RF Jr. Eyelid protection from ultraviolet radiation injury at the beach. HPC Supplement Focus on Sun Care, 3:12-14, 2010). The study was conducted at local Galveston beaches in 2009, located close to our medical school! The first author of this publication and Principle Investigator for this study, Dr. Paul Houghtaling, is also a UTMB 2010 SOM graduate who is now a Captain in the US Army, doing his ophthalmology residency at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, Washington. The authors of this research recommended a “triple UVR protection” to protect eyelid skin from UVR (ultraviolet radiation) damage through the combined use of sunscreen/makeup, hats and eyewear. Men are especially in need for eyelid UVR protection since they continue to have more eyelid nonmelanoma skin cancers than women.

UTMB PGY-2 Dermatology Resident First Author on Dermatologic Surgery Article!

Congratulations to Dr. Julie Martin for her first authorship on her October 2010 research article published in Dermatologic Surgery (Martin JE, Speyer L, Schmults CD. Heightened infection-control practices are associated with significantly lower infection rates in office-based Mohs surgery. Dermatol Surg 2010:36:1529-1536). Her two co-authors were from the Department of Dermatology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, where Dr. Martin was the 2008-2009 cutaneous oncology fellow.

Does it matter where I go to medical school if I want to become a dermatologist?

A study published in the September 2010 issue of Journal of Graduate Medical Education (Patel MS, Katz JT, Volpp KG. Match rates into higher-income, controllable lifestyle specialties for students from highly ranked, research-based medical schools compared with other applicants. J Grad Med Educ 2:360-356, 2010) indicates that where applicants attended medical school played a quantitative role in the dermatology selection process. Medical students graduating from 9 of the top 12 US medical schools (2007 US News & World Report rankings) that provided match data on their students were compared to the remaining US medical school graduates. These 9 medical schools accounted for 3% (n=1225) of dermatology matches compared to 1.4% (n=15037) for MS4s from other US medical schools.

Secret Secondary Dermatology Applications

It is understandable why some dermatology residency programs are concerned about applicants who know very little about their specific program. Certainly, applying to almost every available dermatology program is easy for applicants through ERAS, although expensive. In recent weeks it has come to our attention that several programs have contacted applicants this year seeking additional information about why the applicant is interested in their specific program.

A few programs requiring additional secondary information from applicants do not seem to be contacting applicants and asking them directly for the information. Instead, they make the request indirectly on their website, and wait for aware applicants to send the requested information to them. It pays to carefully read all of the websites for programs that you decide to apply to, and send the additional information they request back to them in a timely manner!

Should I consider applying to non-ERAS dermatology residency programs?

Yes, you probably should. Typically non-ERAS programs receive far fewer applications than programs available on ERAS.

Meet the PGY-2 Dermatology Residents!

Mara Dacso, M.D.
PGY-2

Hometown: Houston, TX
Medical School: University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston
Internship: Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston

During medical school, Mara spent a year in Spain, where she explored her interests in infectious disease and public health and completed a Masters degree in International Health and Tropical Medicine. Her thesis centered on the topic of leprosy and inspired her to pursue a career in dermatology. Mara was awarded Magna Cum Laude graduation honors at UTMB for her Dermatology Honors Research entitled, “Multi-Drug Therapy for Leprosy in the U.S.A. Using Daily Rifampin.” She was Vice President of the UTMB DIG for 2008-2009.

Special Interests in Dermatology: public health in dermatology and cutaneous infectious diseases
Hobbies: Spending time with family and friends, wine tasting, traveling, theater, singing


Julie Martin, M.D.
PGY-2

Hometown: Metairie, LA
Medical School: Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center New Orleans, LA
Internship: General Surgery, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston

After 3 years as a resident in the General Surgery program at UTMB, Julie decided to change directions and applied for a Dermatology residency position. Before beginning her dermatology residency at UTMB, she completed a Cutaneous Oncology Fellowship at Harvard’s Brigham And Women’s Hospital.

Special Interests in Dermatology: Melanoma
Hobbies: Spending time with family, friends and her 2 dogs, LSU and Saints football, traveling


Leslie Scroggins, M.D.
PGY-2

Hometown: Tyler, TX
Medical School: University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston
Internship: Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston

Leslie knew that she wanted to be a dermatologist upon entering medical school. She pursued her interest by taking the many dermatology electives offered at UTMB and was awarded Magna Cum Laude graduation honors at UTMB for her Dermatology Honors Research entitled, "The imbalanced expression of matrix metalloproteinases in nephrogenic systemic fibrosis,” which was later published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology ("JAAD"). Leslie was President of the UTMB DIG for 2008-2009.

Special Interests in Dermatology: skin cancer, laser therapies
Hobbies: cooking, traveling, movies

Thank you to the PGY-2 Dermatology Residents!

The UTMB DIG would like to thank Drs. Mara Dacso, Julie Martin and Leslie Scroggins for being our guests at the October 7th meeting! They shared stories of how they arrived at their decisions to pursue a career in dermatology, offered advice on topics such as exploring dermatology in medical school, the residency application process and selection of a residency program that fits with you, and spoke of their experiences thus far as dermatology residents.

Tips for Dermatology Re-applicants

At the fall 2010 Dermatology Exchange Group (DTEG) annual meeting in Chicago, Dr. Erik Stratman (Marshfield Clinic) presented his abstract entitled, “Factors associated with successful matching by re-applicants.” According to Dr. Stratman, factors that were “…strongly associated with matching…” were “…USMLE Step 3 score, submission of letters written by dermatologists from institutions that train dermatology residents, completing preliminary medicine internships rather than transitional or other internship types, listing research experience, publishing medical manuscripts, and completing non-ACGME dermatology fellowships.” He also noted that successful re-applicants tended to limit their personal statements to one page and did not mention their previous match failure. Surprisingly, he found that having a PhD, first authorship, or quality of publication was not predictive of a successful re-application.

More Analysis on the 2010 NRMP Dermatology Match

Alexa B. Kimball, MD, MPH from Harvard Medical School, presented data about the 2010 Dermatology NRMP Match to the Association of Professors of Dermatology at their 50th Annual Meeting held in Chicago over the past weekend. In 2010, there were 578 applicants who submitted rank lists for 360 positions. 23% of these applicants also ranked another specialty in addition to dermatology. Of the applicants who only ranked dermatology, 75% of US seniors matched, and 44% of “other” (re-applicants, those applying for the first time who had already completed a PGY-1 year, international medical graduates) applicants matched.

UTMB Medical Student, Dermatology Resident and Dermatopathology Fellows Contribute to Presentations and Posters at American Society for Dermatopathology (ASDP) Meeting

UTMB MS3, Erica Snook, coauthored a poster presentation at the recent 47th Annual ASDP meeting held in Atlanta, Georgia. Erica coauthored Poster 322, “A case report of a cutaneous solitary fibrous tumor of the skin histologically mimicking a schwannoma” with Drs. Brent Kelly and first author, Palak Parekh, who is also a former UTMB dermatopathology fellow.

Current dermatopathology fellow, Dr. John Cangelosi, was the first author of Poster 315, “Dual S-100-AE1/3 Immunohistochemistry to detect perineural invasion in non-melanoma skin cancers.” His co-authors were UTMB faculty Drs. A. Berlingeri-ramos, R. Wagner and B. Kelly.

Dr. Ryan Matherne, a current UTMB dermatopathology fellow, presented Poster 242, “Herpes syringitis—A report of herpes simplex infection in a burn victim.” His coauthors were Drs.Cangelosi, Brent Kelly and Ramon Sanchez. Dr. Matherne was also the first author on Poster 296, “Familial Diffuse Sebaceous Gland Hyperplasia.” His coauthors on this poster were Drs. Cangelosi, B. Kelly and R. Sanchez.

Drs. Cangelosi and Ryan Matherne gave Poster 328, “Idiopathic calcinosis cutis of the penis,” along with UTMB faculty Dr. Brent Kelly.

Dr. Matthew Petitt participated in the resident dermatopathology abstract competition with his presentation of, “Intravascular large B cell lymphoma mimicking cutaneous scleroderma.” His coauthors on this research were Drs. Brent Kelly and Berlingeri-ramos.

Dr. Anthony Perri on Second Magazine Cover this Year

The latest issue of Dock Line (Lake Conroe Edition) features a photo of Dr. Perri, a UTMB Dermatology Alum, with his dermatology staff and an article on pages 8-11 of the October 2010 issue.

18th Annual John M. Knox Lecture

The Houston Dermatological Society is holding its 18th Annual John M. Knox Lecture on Saturday, November 13, 2010 at UTMB in the 5th Floor UHC Building at 8 am (registration). Patient viewing will be from 8:30-9:30 am and patient discussion will follow at 10 am in the Clinical Science Auditorium. The featured speaker this year is Dr. Bruce Thiers, the Chair of Dermatology at the University of South Carolina and the Editor of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (JAAD). Dr. Thiers is scheduled to give a lecture entitled, “Best of JAAD” at 11:15 until noon.

Why won’t dermatology program directors write back, return my phone calls and seem to be avoiding me after my interview?

A recent article (October 2010) in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (JAAD) from the University of Florida and Stanford (Sbicca JA, Gorell ES, Kanzler MH, Lane AT. The integrity of the dermatology National Resident Matching Program: Results of a national study. J Am Acad Dermatol 2010;63:594-601) advised that no post interview contact by “…program directors or other program personnel…” take place because it is considered “…undue pressure…” on applicants. The authors also advise that second visits to dermatology programs by applicants should not be allowed, because “…second visits would require post-interview contact by program directors or other program personnel…” These rules could prove to be a major challenge for students who have applied to their home program. What if your program director is also your faculty advisor? The JAAD may be interested in hearing timely responses and concerns from readers and other stakeholders in the NRMP about the value and practicality of these recent recommendations.

G-Town in the News

Sadly, there have been two negative reports recently about Galveston.

Earlier this year, Galveston found itself on the list of 10 dying cities the U.S: http://finance.yahoo.com/banking-budgeting/article/110479/americas-10-dying-cities-from-detroit-to-new-orleans. Hurricane Ike (2008) resulted in Galveston’s decreased population, but much of Galveston has already been rebuilt and is recovering. Summer tourism has recovered nicely.

Today the Galveston Daily News reported that in 2008 one neighborhood in Galveston was among the top 25 dangerous areas nationally: http://galvestondailynews.com/story/181342. However, following Hurricane Ike, crime in Galveston is down.

And according to one website, Galveston is haunted as well: http://www.hauntedamericatours.com/toptenhaunted/toptenhauntedcities/

Don’t believe everything you read!

10 Years in a Row!

Congratulations to Drs. Cameron Coury, Julie Fridlington and Ryan Matherne for passing the certification examination given by the American Board of Dermatology on their first attempt! Their success marks ten years of all of UTMB’s completing dermatology residents passing their boards the first time they took them! Dr. Coury is now in private dermatology practice (Richardson, Texas) as is Dr. Fridlington (Austin, Texas). Dr. Matherne is one of the current UTMB dermatopathology fellows and also on the UTMB dermatology faculty.

This Thursday - Meet the PGY-2 Dermatology Residents!

We are very excited to have Drs. Mara Dacso, Leslie Scroggins, and Julie Martin as our special guests this Thursday, October 7th,  at 6:00 PM in the Dermatology Conference Room (McCullough 4.112)! Come find out a little bit about who they are and how they got to where they currently are. Everyone is welcome to attend!

More Dermatology Programs Requesting Secondary Materials from Applicants

Several dermatology programs are now requesting supplemental materials from applicants in addition to the universal ERAS application. Given the deep academic talent in the current pool of dermatology applicants and the widespread strategy employed by applicants of applying to almost every training program, it is understandable why some programs are especially interested in understanding why an applicant may be interested in their particular residency. Some programs have unique training environments and specific institutional goals, and may be looking for the “best fit” with applicants. Although such secondary requests are still the exception, it is possible that more programs may soon ask for additional materials as well and use this information as another tool to select applicants for an interview. UTMB does not currently request supplemental information from its dermatology applicants.

206 Dermatology Residency Applicants

206 dermatology residency applicants have already submitted their complete ERAS dermatology applications for three NRMP Categorical dermatology positions. However, at UTMB, dermatology residency applications are not reviewed until the November 1st deadline.

More UTMB Branding News

From youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnYcR9ca6Ow

Don’t Worry

Tomorrow, Tuesday, Sept. 28, the UTMB Police Department will conduct a training exercise involving a simulated shooting incident in the Jamail Student Center. The building will be closed to all students, staff and personnel not involved with the exercise from 2 to 6 p.m. that day. This is a training exercise only and will not be a real emergency situation. Many other emergency agencies, including the Galveston Fire Department and Galveston EMS, will be included in the exercise.

Learning from Zombies

Dr. Steven C. Schlozman, a visiting lecturer from Harvard Medical School, will be speaking on Tuesday, October 19th, 2010 at 5:30 pm in Levin Hall. Halloween costumes are optional, but there will be prizes for the best in three categories (medical, traditional and humorous). While the focus of this lecture is on the neurologic and behavioral abnormalities of zombies, this material is also expected to be of interest to dermatologists because zombies are rarely known to have normal skin.

DIG@UTMB reaches a record number of subscribers!

The editors of the DIG@UTMB blog are happy to announce that we have reached over 125 blog subscribers. Our subscribers include current and former UTMB dermatologists, residents, and medical students, residents and practicing physicians from other institutions, as well as non-medical subscribers interested in Dermatology. If you know anyone else that is interested in Dermatology, please spread the word!

We would like to thank everyone for their continued interest and support.

If you would like to subscribe to our e-mail list, or if you have any suggestions or comments, please contact us at utmbdig@gmail.com.

Sincerely,
UTMB DIG 2010-2011 Officers

DIG@UTMB has a new look!

We've redesigned the look and feel of our blog. From the burnt orange flare to the new RSS feed, easy search feature, social sharing tools, and a little bit of UTMB history, we hope that the DIG@UTMB blog will be even more user friendly and evident of our UTMB pride!

We'd love to hear your thoughts! Contact us at utmbdig@gmail.com, or share our posts on facebook or twitter using the icons below.

JAMA Publishes Demographic Information about Dermatology Residents

As of December 2009, there were 112 ACGME dermatology residency programs with 1080 residents. There were 687 women in this group. 1024 had graduated from US medical schools, 15 from osteopathic schools, and 40 from international medical schools (page 1256). This information was extracted from the September 15, 2010 issue of JAMA (“Graduate Medical Education, 2009-2010,” Volume 304, pages 1255-1270). 764 dermatology residents were White, 203 were Asian, 62 were Hispanic and 57 were Black (page 1265).

Good Source for Dermatology Information

DIG members may be interested in the link for The American Board of Dermatology, Inc. public website (http://www.abderm.org/), especially the “Newsletter” section. Did you know that for the last academic year, there were 445 PGY2 dermatology residency positions filled?

Third MS4 Dermatology Honors Research Thesis Approved for SOM Class of 2011

Congratulations to Melissa Efron, the UTMB DIG Austin Campus President, on the UTMB Honors Research Committee’s approval of her proposal entitled, “Dermal Scatter Reduction in Human Skin as a Method to Increase Efficacy of Laser Tattoo Removal.” Ms. Efron’s dermatology faculty advisor on this research is Dr. Dayna Diven, the UT-Southwestern-Austin Dermatology Program Director and expert on laser applications in dermatology. Her ad hoc thesis committee members, in addition to Dr. Diven, are from UTMB (Drs. Simon Lewis, Sharon Raimer, and Richard Wagner).

PGY3 UTMB Dermatology Residents Win Gold Medals

Congratulations to Drs. Ashley Group and Nate Davis for their gold medal wins over the weekend at the 2nd Annual Galveston Rebirth Races! This race commemorates Galveston’s Rebirth following Hurricane Ike in 2008.

Dr. Julie Fridlington Featured in UTMB Medical School Applicant Materials

Dr. Julie Fridlington (third from the left), a June 2010 graduate from the UTMB Dermatology Residency Program now practicing in Austin, is featured in UTMB Medical School Applicant materials that are given to premedical students visiting our campus for their medical school interviews. It was great seeing you again!

Dr. Ryan Matherne Accepts UTMB Dermatology Faculty Position

Congratulations to Dr. Ryan Matherne, one of the current UTMB Dermatopathology Fellows. He accepted a Department of Dermatology faculty appointment and held his first UTMB dermatology clinic since completing the UTMB dermatology residency in June 2010. We all look forward to interacting with you in the clinic and behind the microscope!

UTMB Increases House Staff Paycheck in October 2010

Learn more about Hurricane Ike (2008) through Film

Ball High School’s acclaimed film, “Ike: The Documentary” will be shown at the Grand 1894 Opera House (2020 Postoffice Street) on Monday, September 13 at 7 pm. This showing is free to the public, and commemorates the 2nd year anniversary of Hurricane Ike.

Do I Need 250 or more on Step 1 and AOA to Match in Dermatology?

No, but obviously it helps to be a superstar student with high Step 1 scores and with grades/leadership skills that have been recognized by your medical school (AOA). Those stats will certainly be rewarded by lots of interview opportunities. However, since 50% of dermatology positions go to medical students who are not in AOA, there is still a good chance of matching if you are able to distinguish your application with excellent letters of support by faculty who know you well, and you can demonstrate that you have success in research, especially if it is dermatology related. Advanced research degrees may also be of help here, but they are not required. It is usually more important that you are able to demonstrate academic productivity through publications than having the degree itself. Of course it may take several years of work to produce a curriculum vitae that will excite the academic dermatology community. Another unique statistic of the NRMP for dermatology is that at least 10% of available dermatology positions go to those who are not MS4s. This represents the group of applicants who are in their PGY1 year when applying, in dermatology fellowships, or those who either are completing or have completed residencies/fellowships in other specialties. In many instances, this applicant pool has substantial dermatology research experience or a highly sought skill-set such as dermatopathology board certification. The good news is that dermatology programs are still very open minded about the residency selection process, and want the best applicants that they can find for the specialty.

First Year Dermatology Resident on NIH R21 Grant

The DIG congratulates PGY2 dermatology resident Dr. Mara Dacso for her collaboration on Buruli Ulcer that focuses on early diagnosis through signal processing technology. The proposal was ranked in the 6th percentile for funding.

Second Dermatology Research Honors Project Approved for SOM Class of 2011

Congratulations go out to MS4 Kehinde Ogunmakin for her Dermatology Research Honors Project entitled, “Co-morbid psychiatric dysfunction in patients with keloids using GHQ-12: a comparison to patients with psoriasis.” Her ad hoc Honors Committee faculty members are Drs. Erica Kelly (Advisor), Simon Lewis, Sharon Raimer and Richard Wagner. We are all looking forward to your thesis presentation later this academic year!

9-2 DIG Meeting Recap

We had a great turn out at yesterday's meeting! DIG would like to thank Dr. Wagner for his very informative talk about getting into a Dermatology residency and the UTMB Dermatology Residency program. Below is a summary of the items Dr. Wagner discussed, followed by a meeting summary.

Summary of Dr. Wagner's Talk:
1.) UTMB is the only school that offers and Acting Internship in Dermatology! The AI is offered the first 5 periods of 4th year, and is a really good way to get to know the Dermatology faculty and residents in addition to getting exposure to Dermatology.

2.) The UTMB Department of Dermatology has a wide variety of electives, ranging from Clinical Dermatology and Research, to Dermatopathology and Dermatology in the Cinema.

3.) Dermatology is an extremely competitive field. 4th year students who match into dermatology often have many publications, research experiences, volunteer activities, superior USMLE Step 1 scores, and 50% belong to the AOA Medical Honor Society. If you don't match the first year, work on getting things published during your intern year, then reapply. Don't give up! It is very possible to match into Dermatology the second or third time around.

4.) Consider participating in the Honors Research Program in Dermatology. The official deadline for the Honors Proposal is 12/31 of the third year, but extensions may be possible with permission from Dr. Simon Lewis.

5.) The UTMB School of Medicine allows you to participate in a 6-8 week summer research elective between 1st and 2nd year. This is a good way to gain a research mentor, compete for various research awards, and perhaps even the opportunity to get published.

6.) PA students can rotate through the Dermatology clinic too!

7.) 1st year medical students can sign up for a 4 week pre-clinical Dermatology preceptorship at the end of the year. There are only 4 spots, but you can volunteer at the clinic if you want exposure to Dermatology.

8.) St. Vincent's Free Health Clinic has a Dermatology night once per month with a UTMB Dermatology faculty member who supervises students. This is a good way to gain experience in Dermatology and serve the community.

9.) UTMB Dermatology is one of the few programs to offer a dermatologic surgery rotation to medical students, as well as telederm/prison derm to both students and residents.

10.) Remember, the Dermatology faculty are here to help!

UTMB DIG Meeting Summary:
1.) The UTMB DIG has a Facebook Group! Check it out: UTMB Dermatology Interest Group

2.) The UTMB DIG will be volunteering at the La Porte Health and Safety Fair on 9/25/2010 at La Porte Junior High, 9 – 1 PM

3.) Contact Melissa Efron (mfefron@utmb.edu), the UTMB DIG Austin President, for information on how to get involved with the UTMB DIG in Austin.

4.) The American Contact Dermatitis Society Meeting will be in Dallas, TX this year, October 14-16th. Contact Chelsea Altinger (cealting@utmb.edu) if you would like to attend.

5.) Upcoming meetings will include a "Meet the 1st year Derm Residents" session and a pig foot suturing session (this spring)

6.) DIG has openings for several committees, e-mail the officers to join or find out more information:

a.) Miles for Melanoma Committee - contact Auris (aohuen@utmb.edu) or Kenne (koogunma@utmb.edu)

b.) Stay Shady! (Sun Protection/Skin Cancer Awareness) Committee - contact Michaela (mrmarek@utmb.edu) or Kris (kbmccall@utmb.edu)

c.) Allied Health Outreach Committee - contact Lindsey (lihunter@utmb.edu)

New Research Grant Program from the Melanoma Research Foundation

In collaboration with Dermatology Interest Group Association (DIGA), the Melanoma Research Foundation (MRF) has opened up a new medical student research grant program. This program provides opportunities and funding for medical students to engage in short clinical or laboratory-based research projects focused on better understanding the biology and treatment of melanoma. Grant awards are $3000. The application process is open now and will close on October 31st. For more information about the grant program, please visit the Melanoma Research Foundation (MRF) website:

http://www.melanoma.org/research/mrf-medical-student-research-grant

DIG Meeting - Location Change

Please note that tonight's UTMB DIG meeting will now be held in the Dermatology Conference Room, 4.130 McCullough, at 5 PM.

Reminder: DIG Meeting Tomorrow

The UTMB DIG will have its first meeting tomorrow evening, September 2nd, at 5:00 PM in Joe's Cafeteria. Our guest speaker will be Dr. Richard Wagner, the UTMB Residency Director for the Department of Dermatology. Dr. Wagner will cover topics including the residency selection process and what the UTMB Dermatology department has to offer medical students. We look forward to seeing you!

Questions? Comments? Please email UTMBDIG@gmail.com

Two UTMB Dermatology Residents Coauthor Cutting Edge Research

DIG congratulations go out to coauthors Dr. Leslie Markle, a PGY2 UTMB dermatology resident, and Dr. M. Petitt, a PGY4 UTMB dermatology resident, for their excellent publication in the September 2010 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, the leading dermatology publication. Dr. Brent Kelly was the first author on this research, and other UTMB coauthors were Dr. J. Vickers (currently a PGY2 dermatology resident at New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY), Dr. S. Raimer (UTMB dermatology chair) and Dr. C. McNeese, a former UTMB dermatopathology fellow. The complete citation to this article is: Kelly BC, Markle LS, Vickers JL, Petitt MS, Raimer SS, McNeese C. The imbalanced expression of matrix metalloproteinases in nephrogenic systemic fibrosis. J Am Acad Dermatol 2010;63:483-9.

Liz Carmichael Joins UTMB Dermatology Clinic

Liz Carmichael, RN, MSN, FNP-C is well known to the Galveston community through her past work in the UTMB dermatology clinic (certified as a dermatology nurse by the Dermatology Nurses Association) and more recently in the UTMB Department of Family Medicine as a certified Family Nurse Practitioner. Ms. Carmichael, who holds her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and her Master’s degree in Nursing from UTMB’s School of Nursing, has accepted a clinical position in the UTMB Dermatology Clinic starting in September 2010. Welcome back to dermatology, Ms. Carmichael! We all missed you and are very happy to have you back!

UTMB DIG meeting on Thursday, September 2nd!

Join us for the first UTMB DIG meeting of the year! Our guest speaker will be Dr. Richard Wagner, the UTMB Residency Director for the Department of Dermatology.

Where: Joe's Cafeteria

When: Thursday September 2, 2010 @ 5:00 PM

RSVP to Lindsey Hunter: lihunter@utmb.edu

Questions? Comments? Please email UTMBDIG@gmail.com

UTMB Welcome Weekend

The UTMB Welcome Weekend was a huge success this past Saturday at the Moody Gardens Convention Center. Many student organizations and local businesses were present to meet and greet incoming UTMB students. The UTMB Dermatology Interest Group is excited to welcome nearly 50 new blog subscribers who signed up at this event!

UTMB DIG Galveston President, Lindsey Hunter (Left), and Vice President, Rebecca Philips (Right), above at the UTMB Welcome Weekend recruiting new members.

Bug (2007) Incorporated into Film Course

Bug, a 2007 horror film about delusions of parasitosis, has become the 15th required film for DERU-4051 and DERU-4007 beginning in Period 4 (starts on September 20th). Dr. Wagner wanted to include the horror film genre in the course syllabus of required film analysis, so that the medical students would have an opportunity to understand how representative skin diseases are depicted in a variety of films.

DIG Officers' Meeting Recap, 8/19/2010

The DIG officers’ meeting was a productive one! For more information on items discussed, see below.

1.) UTMB DIG to join Facebook - Stay tuned for more information on how to join the UTMB DIG Facebook group.
2.) Community Outreach – This year, DIG will continue educating the public on the importance of sun protection and skin cancer awareness at local schools, health fairs, and other community events. We also have plans to start a psoriasis education and awareness project.
3.) UTMB Welcome Weekend – Lindsey Hunter and Rebecca Philips to promote DIG this Saturday, August 21, 2010, at the Moody Gardens Convention Center from 10:45 – 12:45 PM.
4.) Miles for Melanoma – TBA
5.) *New* Contact Dermatitis Outreach Chair – Chelsea Altinger, MS2, to help DIG with a contact dermatitis education and awareness project!
6.) Upcoming meetings - Tentatively scheduled for September 2, 2010, October 7, 2010, and November 11, 2010.

To get involved with the UTMB DIG, e-mail Lindsey Hunter at lihunter@utmb.edu.

Dermatology Film Class Goes to Monday/Thursday Schedule

DERU-4051 and DERU-4007, UTMB’s popular film class that studies movie depictions of skin diseases, will start meeting on Monday and Thursday mornings at 10 am starting Period 3 (beginning on August 23). Dr. R. Wagner, the course director, said “Many of the MS4 film students have residency interviews on Fridays, so moving the class to meetings on Mondays and Thursdays will permit more medical students to participate in the class discussions, which are integral to the class.” This class also has a teleconferencing option, so that students not on the Galveston campus may participate in class discussions by phoning into a conference call that is available for each class meeting. If students are unable to participate in class discussion, they may make up the missed class through a writing assignment that is detailed in the course syllabus.

UTMB Dermatology Volunteers Return From Camp Dermadillo

UTMB PGY4 dermatology residents, Drs. Matt Petitt and John Stephens, and MS4, Rod Mahmoudizad, recently returned from Camp Dermadillo, held in Burton, Texas for children with skin diseases. Thanks for contributing your skills this summer!

UTMB has a New Name!

The UT regents have approved a new name for The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB). We will now be known as “utmb Health.” According to utmb Health President David Callendar, the historical name was confusing to the public because they did not understand what a “medical branch” was.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7151432.html

Dr. Monica Scheel’s Clinical Observation Published in Dermatology Times

Dr. Monica Scheel, UTMB Dermatology Residency Class of 1999, has been quoted about her followup care for melanoma patients in Hawaii. In the August 2010 issue of Dermatology Times (Volume 31, Number 8, page 13), Dr. Scheel advises checking vitamin D levels in patients with a history of melanoma. She has found that 50% of these patients in her solo private practice are low in vitamin D, a surprising finding due to her geography.

Annual UTMB Dermatology Residents and Faculty Survey

Pooled anonymous data from UTMB dermatology and faculty gathered through New Innovations surveys indicated that both residents and attendings alike are pleased with the current quality and direction of the UTMB dermatology residency program. The survey is administered yearly to provide anonymous resident and faculty input so that program changes may be made if needed. One faculty commented that three major strengths of training in dermatology at UTMB were: “1. Academic quality of residents and faculty; 2. Comprehensive didactic education; 3. Exceptionally strong dermatopathology, consultation dermatology, pediatric dermatology and dermatologic surgery training.”

UTMB Dermatology Discontinuing Angleton Dermatology Clinic Next Month

In the aftermath of Hurricane Ike (2008), UTMB Dermatology established a satellite clinic in Angleton, Texas. Since that time, the UTMB Dermatology Clinic in Bay Colony (League City) was built, with the capacity to absorb the Angleton dermatology practice. By the end of September 2010, all of the current Angleton Clinic dermatology patients will be transferred to the Bay Colony Clinic.

DIG Members Awarded the AOA Medical Student Service Project Award

The UTMB DIG Galveston President, Lindsey Hunter, and Vice President, Rebecca Philips, were awarded $850 by the National AOA Office to continue the very successful AOA Medical Student Service Project, "Stay Shady!" This activity will be featured in The Pharos and on the AOA website later this year. The "Stay Shady!" project was initiated in 2008 by the former UTMB DIG Austin President and current PGY-1, Dr. Alison Wiesenthal.

Stay tuned for more information on how to get involved with this project during the 2010-2011 academic year.

Congratulations Matthew Dinehart

Matthew Dinehart, a Duke University undergraduate student, has published his original research about the diagnosis of skin lesions using frozen and permanent sections. He is the grandson of the late Dr. Ben Smith, former UTMB Dermatology Department Chair (1978-1999) and American Academy of Dermatology President (1989), and the son of Dr. Scott Dinehart, a former UTMB dermatology resident (Class of 1987) and UTMB SOM (Class of 1983), now practicing in Little Rock, Arkansas. The citation for this publication is: Dinehart MS, Coldiron BM, Hiatt K, Breau RL. Concordance of frozen and permanent sections for the diagnosis of skin lesions. Dermatol Surg 2010;36:1111-5.

Dr. Audra Clos Cited in MDLinx

Dr. Clos' recent article, "Therapeutic removal of amyloid deposits in cutaneous amyloidosis by localised intra-lesional injections of anti-amyloid antibodies," that was published in Experimental Dermatology was featured on MDLinx.com. Her article was assigned to the specialties of dermatology, rheumatology, and pathology. Dr. Clos is currently on the PGY1 rheumatology elective at UTMB. A link to this citation appears at http://www.mdlinx.com/rheumatology/news-article.cfm/3240008.

On the Importance of Checking and Responding to Email

No doubt that medical students are about the busiest people around! However, believe it or not, it is very important to check your email at least once a day. Many of our friends and family have abandoned email in favor of more instant electronic technologies, but important material is still sent by email. Once you receive an important email, make sure that you “close the loop” with a speedy response, even if you plan a more detailed response later. This is especially important advice during the dermatology interview season (November through February) when the ability to quickly respond to email may determine if you are able to select a preferred interview date.

All You Ever Wanted to Know About Dermatology Applications from “DermMatch” (SDN)

Check out this very informative website below:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=590380

Dr. Anthony Perri on Cover of July 2010 Living

Congratulations to Dr. Perri, a 2008 UTMB Dermatology Residency Program graduate and board certified dermatologist with offices in Conroe and in The Woodlands, Texas, for his appearance on the cover of the July 2010 issue of Living, and the related cover story on pages 40 and 41 about Dr. Perri’s practice philosophy (PerriDermatology.com). Dr. Perry is quoted in the article as saying, “If an individual has a rash or a changing mole, it should not have to wait.”

UTMB Dermatology Resident Appointed to School of Medicine Alumni Committee

Congratulations to Dr. Julie Martin, a new PGY2 UTMB dermatology resident. She was just named to the UTMB School of Medicine Alumni Committee by the Office of Graduate Medical Education. A LSU (New Orleans) medical school graduate, Dr. Martin was in the UTMB General Surgery Residency for three years before taking a year fellowship in cutaneous oncology at Harvard, and then returning to UTMB for a dermatology residency.

Dr. Audra Clos Publishes Amyloidosis Research

Congratulations to UTMB PGY1 Internal Medicine resident and 2010 UTMB SOM graduate and Edgar B. Smith Graduation Award Recipient, Dr. Audra Clos. She recently published her innovative research about the treatment of amyloidosis in Experimental Dermatology. Her UTMB dermatology coauthors were Drs. Brent Kelly and Wagner.

Lecture About Hollywood Depictions of Contagious Diseases

Rice Associate Professor of English, Kirsten Ostherr, will lecture about “Going Viral: Visualizing Contagion and Pathology in Hollywood and Public Health Films, 1922-2010” on Monday, July 12th at noon in Levin Hall South Auditorium. Her lecture is supported by the Samuel G. Dunn Lectureship in Medicine and the Humanities. All are welcome to attend.

Opening for Period 2 Dermatologic Surgery (DERU-4003)

There has been an unexpected opening for DERU-4003 in Period 2 starting on July 26th. If any medical student wants to add this course, please email your C-Form to Ms. Marianne Keeswood.

Dr. Vickers First Author on UTMB Case Report

Dr. Jennifer Vickers, well known to the UTMB DIG and recent UTMB Internal Medicine PGY-1 who is currently a PGY-2 dermatology resident at New York Medical College (Valhalla, NY), was the first author on a case report about transitional cell neoplasm of the nasolacrimal duct that was published this month by the Journal of Cutaneous Pathology (J Cutan Pathol 2010;37:793-796). Her other UTMB coauthors were Drs. Matherne, Allison, Wilkerson, and Brent Kelly. The entire article is available online at http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/122510836/HTMLSTART.

UTMB Dermatology Announces Residency Interview Dates for 2011

The UTMB Department of Dermatology will conduct its 2011 residency interview dates on Thursday, February 10th and Friday, February 11th with approximately 30 ERAS applicants applying for three PGY-2 positions that will start in July 2012. Email invitations are typically sent via email in December. Visiting MS4 students taking one of the UTMB dermatology electives are automatically invited to interview during their rotation, and may be invited to return to Galveston for a February interview as well. MS4 UTMB students applying for dermatology residency typically receive an email invitation to interview sometime in December, and need to have their interviews completed by January 31st. UTMB students are not included in the February interviews. All interviewed applicants, regardless of the interview type, are considered for the UTMB Dermatology rank list.

Dr. Wagner Quoted in The New York Times!

Congratulations to UTMB DIG's Faculty Advisor, Dr. Richard Wagner, for being quoted in The New York Times on Monday, June 21st, which was also mentioned in yesterday's UTMB News Highlights.

"Summer means more time and tissue exposed to the single biggest cause of skin damage and cancer: ultraviolet radiation. And despite sunscreen and a dermatologists’ campaign going back to 1983, millions of Americans continue to abuse the rays that in small doses help maintain health but in larger doses can destroy it. For some, sun worship is a year-round activity. Dr. Richard F. Wagner Jr., a UTMB dermatologist, reported five years ago that as many as half of local beachgoers met the psychiatric definition of a substance abuse disorder. This year, 3.5 million new cases of superficial but often disfiguring skin cancers, and an estimated 68,720 melanomas, will be diagnosed among Americans. “As we age, the number of mutations increase and our immunity wanes,” Dr. Wagner explained — a double whammy that greatly increases the likelihood of skin cancer. "

To read The New York Times article, "When Tanning Turns Into an Addiction," click on the following link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/22/health/22brod.html

Mike Rains, MD, UTMB SOM Class of 2010 Featured in New Book about Hurricane Ike

Infinite Monster: Courage, Hope and Resurrection in the Face of One of America’s Largest Hurricanes (2010) by Leigh Jones and Rhiannon Meyers focused on Mike Rains’ experience with Hurricane Ike as a UTMB MS3. Mike evacuated from Galveston in 2008 as the hurricane approached Galveston, and its aftermath had a great impact on the education of UTMB medical students (Chapter 9, pages 166-168). Mike was also prominently featured in a recent article published by Texas Medicine about his lobbying efforts as a medical student to rebuild UTMB following Hurricane Ike’s damage to the Galveston campus. He received the 2010 Thomas B. Freese Award at graduation for his overall excellence in dermatology as a UTMB medical student and he will be starting dermatology residency in Austin at the UT Southwestern program in 2011.

Check Out the New UTMB Alumni Link!

The UTMB DIG is excited to announce its new UTMB Alumni feature! Here you can find information about UTMB Dermatology and Dermatopathology alumni, including current location, positions, publications, and more. This information can be accessed by clicking on the link under the "DIG@UTMB" section on the sidebar labeled "UTMB Alumni."

Dr. Wagner's Research Mentioned in Ladies' Home Journal

Research on sun addiction conducted by UTMB DIG's faculty advisor, Dr. Richard Wagner, was mentioned in the July 2010 Ladies' Home Journal article, "Addicted to the Sun," and today's UTMB News Highlights.

"Research conducted at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston also appears to support the addiction theory. When dermatologist Richard Wagner, Jr., MD, and his colleagues surveyed beachgoers about their tanning habits using two substance-dependence screening tools (asking questions such as "Do you think you need to spend more and more time in the sun to maintain your tan?" and "Does your belief that tanning can cause skin cancer keep you from spending time in the sun or going to tanning beds?"), they found that anywhere from 26 to 53 percent of people met the criteria for tanning dependence."

Congratulations, Dr. Wagner!

To read more, Click Here.

UTMB Dermatology Faculty Recognize Best Chief Resident Research

Each year the UTMB Dermatology Faculty recognizes one of its PGY4 dermatology residents for the best dermatology scholarly activity performed during residency. The awardee for the 2009-2010 academic year was Dr. Ryan Matherne. Congratulations for your great academic work at UTMB! Dr. Matherne will be one of the UTMB Dermatopathology Fellows during the next academic year, so fortunately we will all have an opportunity to learn from him in the dermatology clinic and at the microscope!

UTMB Dermatology Residents Recognize Excellent Faculty Teaching

At the end of each academic year, the UTMB dermatology residents recognize a UTMB faculty dermatologist and a community dermatologist for their contributions to our teaching program. This year Drs. Cris Berlingeri (faculty) and Dr. Moise Levy (community) were recognized for their outstanding resident teaching. Congratulations to you both for this well-deserved recognition!

Important: Update your e-mail address with UTMB DIG

It's time to update our e-mail list! Have you recently graduated or have a new e-mail address? If so, don't forget to send us your updated e-mail address so that you can continue to receive the UTMB DIG e-mails.

Please e-mail your name and new e-mail address to UTMBDIG@gmail.com.

Thanks!
UTMB DIG Officers

UTMB BSHS Selective “Narratives of Skin Diseases” (DERU-4012) Increases Class Size

Last year, Dr. Richard Wagner offered “Narratives of Skin Diseases” to UTMB MS4s for the first time during Period 13. Student response was so positive about this class that this year the maximum student enrollment was recently increased from 5 to 10 medical students during Period 13. As of today, there are already 5 students preregistered for this class according to the UTMB registrar. In this course, students read books and short stories that were written by people who personally experienced nonmelanoma skin cancers, leprosy, vitiligo, and psoriasis. Since it the class is approved as a BSHS Selective, only UTMB MS4s are permitted to enroll. However, UTMB permits MS4s to take more than one BSHS Selective during the senior year, so all UTMB MS4s are able to enroll in this class if they are interested in the topic. Up to the maximum enrollment of 10, anyway!

UTMB Dermatology Film Class Sets New Enrollment Record

Two film classes, DERU-4051 (BSHS Selective) and DERU-4007 (Elective) broke their previous medical student enrollment records for the current academic year. During the 2009-10 academic year that finishes on June 25th, 114 UTMB and visiting medical students took Dr. Richard Wagner’s film course, “Skin Diseases Depicted in Cinema.” During the prior year, 58 UTMB medical students enrolled in the class.

Why is this class so popular with UTMB medical students? The subject matter is very interesting and exciting, and the class is unlike many other electives and selectives offered at UTMB because of the creative aspects that film allows in studying a wide array of skin diseases and related topics. Students in the class are able to develop a greater understanding about how media portrays disease through modern analytic deconstruction methods taught in the class to develop a critical understanding about film and other media. Dr. Wagner constantly updates reading assignments so that they stay current, and for the upcoming 2010-2011 academic year, he added a 14th required film for the class, “Good Hair: Sit Back And Relax,” a 2009 documentary that is narrated by comedian Chris Rock.

The film class is also popular because students are able to take the class even when they are away from Galveston by phoning in to class meetings where the films are discussed, and Dr. Wagner provides a method to make-up for missed classes when students are not able to attend or phone in. This “telephone option” is advantageous to UTMB medical students who were assigned to Austin or Houston clinical rotations during the MS3 year, or MS4s who must travel away from campus due to numerous residency interviews. DERU-4051 and DERU-4007 are available all 13 Periods for UTMB MS4 and MS3 medical students, and visiting medical students are also welcome to enroll. There are 30 spots available for each Period that these classes are offered.

UTMB Seniors Receive Graduation Awards

UTMB MS4s Audra Clos, Mike Rains and Marisol Albuerne (pictured left to right) received their dermatology graduation awards at the weekly dermatology journal club one day before graduation from medical school. Paul Houghtaling was also awarded but was unable to attend the dermatology departmental awards ceremony.

UTMB SOM Class of 2010 Breaks Medical Student Dermatology Research Record

Four UTMB MS4s from the Class of 2010 completed their Dermatology Honors Research Projects this academic year, according to Dr. Simon Lewis, the head of this unique UTMB academic program that is available to non-MD-PhD UTMB medical students who are interested in a substantive dermatology research experience. The success of this program typically requires significant institutional and Departmental support and resources including the Institutional Honors Committee and IRB review efforts, faculty supervision time and departmental funding for materials, statistical design and analysis, if needed. The four UTMB MS4s completing the research program this year were Audra Clos (Summa Cum Laude), Doug Heiner (Magna Cum Laude), Jarad Levin (Magna Cum Laude), and Mike Rains (Magna Cum Laude). Congratulations to all for your record-breaking accomplishments this academic year!

Jarad Levin to Graduate with Magna Cum Laude Dermatology Research Honors on Saturday

UTMB MS4, Jarad Levin, successfully defended his Dermatology Honors Thesis entitled, “Presentation of Skin Cancers in Latin Americans as Related to Their Access to Healthcare” and was awarded Magna Cum Laude graduation honors. His dermatology faculty advisor on this research project was Dr. B. Kelly. Jarad’s ad hoc honors thesis committee members were Drs. Simon Lewis, Brent Kelly, Sharon Raimer and Richard Wagner. Congratulations to Jarad for a job well done!

Last UTMB Dermatology Honors Thesis of the 2009-10 Academic Year

All are invited to attend the 4th Dermatology Honors Thesis Research Presentation of the current academic year. MS4 Jarad Levin will discuss his original research entitled “Presentation of Skin Cancers in Latin Americans as Related to Their Access to Healthcare” in the Dermatology Conference Room at noon on Thursday, June 3rd. This is the first time at UTMB there have been more than three of these medical student Honors Research presentations from the same class in our Dermatology Department since the program was initiated in 2001 by Renee Solis Snyder, MD (currently in private dermatology practice, Austin, Texas). Please come join us to learn more about this interesting topic!

UTMB Dermatology Alum Publishes Skin Advice in Triathlete Magazine

Dr. Monica Scheel (UTMB Dermatology Class of 1999) published an article entitled, “Skin Deep” in the June 2010 issue of Triathlete Magazine (pages 108-110, 112). She discussed many skin problems triathletes encounter, such as sunburn, skin cancer, blisters, saddle sores, chafing, and a variety of other topics of interest. She currently is in dermatology practice in Kona, Hawaii, and is a triathlete as well!

KHOU-TV (Ch. 11, Houston) Highlights Recent UTMB Dermatology Free Skin Cancer Screening

Channel 11 television in Houston has issued a press release about UTMB’s free skin cancer screening clinic. For the full article, please go to: http://www.khou.com/news/Skin-cancer-screening-finds-46-percent-with-cancer-or-precancerous-conditions-94802194.html.

Three potential melanomas were found, and all participants with precancers, nonmelanoma skin cancers and possible melanomas were advised to seek further medical attention.

2010 Dermatology Department Awards to UTMB Medical Students

Please join the UTMB DIG in congratulating the 2010 Graduation Award Winners from the UTMB Department of Dermatology:

-Best Original Essay for "Skin Diseases Depicted in Cinema" course: Paul M. Houghtaling ("The Evil Albino")

-Beiersdorf History of Dermatology Award: Marisol Albuerne ("Morgellons Disorder: A Syndrome or a Delusion")

-Edgar B. Smith Endowed Scholarship Award for Excellent Dermatology Research by a Medical Student: Audra Clos

-Thomas B. Freese Award for Overall Excellence in Dermatology: Michael L. Rains

The Next Step: Growing Professionally Contributing to Dermatology Knowledge

There is no doubt that you are an excellent student! You probably did well on the SAT and got into your first choice undergraduate college. You continued to excel academically and had a high undergraduate GPA, aced the MCAT, and got into medical school. During medical school you continued to do well academically and high passed/honored most of your courses, and may even have been be elected to AOA. You also scored well on the Step 1 and Step 2 exams. Your professors think you are great and you have no problem getting enthusiastic letters of recommendation. There is no doubt that you are an excellent student!

While most residency programs would be delighted to interview someone with your academic achievements, many dermatology residencies are looking for even more from applicants. This has occurred because the supply of residency positions in dermatology are much less than the current demand for them. Due to self-selection (and often times the advisement from a wise medical school Dean with recent experience in NRMP statistics from previously successful dermatology applicants from your school), most dermatology applicants have the numbers to match. However, in recent years some of them still have not been successful in obtaining a dermatology residency.

Given the oversupply of capable dermatology applicants, how do programs decide who to interview and rank highly on their match list? Different programs use different criteria. However, many programs are interested in applicants’ transition from excellent student to active contributor. Student professional development and maturation can be demonstrated in a variety of ways. One way is to engage in productive dermatology research at your medical school or through leadership roles in active volunteer student organizations that permit interaction with faculty. Not all medical students have the same research skill sets or organizational skills to engage in complex research or student leadership roles right away, but research skills and leadership, just like study skills can be developed over time if the student is motivated to do so. Try finding a dermatology resident or faculty with an “interesting case” and take the initiative to research the medical literature to see if this patient had unusual or novel aspects to their disease presentation, diagnosis, treatment or course. If you are able to become actively engaged and write up the case report with close interaction and feedback with the team members caring for the patient, you will certainly learn and at the same time develop important research skills that will help you throughout the remainder of your professional career. By going through the steps needed for poster presentation and or publication, you will be sharing your unique experience and helping other dermatologists learn. Based on your early research exposure, you may even become involved in more complicated research projects or even become the Principal Investigator of a dermatology study you initiate. Likewise, leadership roles may be learned by joining a student organization on campus and learning from more senior students. Of course your supervising dermatology faculty will see your research and leadership abilities grow and will be able to provide a more in-depth letter of recommendation that may encourage faculty from another dermatology program to put you on their interview list!

New E-mail Address for UTMB DIG

The UTMB DIG has a new e-mail address! If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at UTMBDIG@gmail.com.

Thanks,
UTMB DIG Officers

UTMB Dermatology Screens Over 100 People Today!

Earlier today, UTMB dermatologists, nurses, and medical students participated in the annual Houston Dermatological Society Skin Cancer Screening at the Bay Colony and Stewart Road Family Health clinics. Between the two locations, over 100 patients were screened for cancerous and pre-cancerous growths free of charge. Thanks to everyone who volunteered!

2010 Society for Investigative Dermatology Meeting Recap

The 2010 SID meeting in Atlanta was an intellectually stimulating and memorable experience! Attendees had the opportunity to give and receive feedback on their research, and learn about the latest in dermatology from institutions across the United States and abroad.

With over 800 research posters and back-to-back lectures and presentations, there wasn't a dull moment! The SID meeting was also a wonderful opportunity for networking. There were attendees from all areas of dermatology and cutaneous biology research communities ranging from students and residents to researchers and clinicians.

We learned about ongoing research from all around the world, including thyroid hormone regulation of human epithelial stem cells and novel treatments for basal cell carcinomas in patients with Basal Cell Carcinoma Nevus Syndrome. UTMB students, Audra Clos, MS4 (top left), and MS3s, Lindsey Hunter (top right) and Michaela Marek (bottom), are pictured with their research posters above. UTMB dermatologists, Dr. Michael Wilkerson and Dr. Matthew Petitt, were also in attendance. Michaela was also the lucky winner of a brand new Apple iPad during the BCCNS Life Support Network panel discussion!

Be sure to submit your abstracts for next year's SID meeting, which will be held in Phoenix, Arizona, May 4-7, 2011.

http://www.sidnet.org/AnnualMeeting.aspx

Help UTMB DIG Reach Out to More People!

Are you or someone you know interested in dermatology? Help us spread the word by telling people about our blog!

The UTMB DIG...
• Informs students about dermatology events at UTMB, locally, regionally, and nationally
• Increases exposure to dermatology and UTMB dermatologists
• Interacts with students in all classes interested in pursuing dermatology
• Provides information to its members about dermatology courses, opportunities to volunteer and conduct research
• Volunteer events include: sun protection awareness, skin cancer screening, Miles for Melanoma Walk, and more
• Watch the Student News and Notes for our next meeting, or check out our blog for any and all information

To join our e-mail list, e-mail your request to utmbderm@gmail.com with "Subscribe" in the subject line.

Thanks for your support!
-UTMB DIG Officers

UTMB Dermatology Alum Featured in May 2010 Issue of Texas Medicine

Dr. Susan Dozier, a UTMB SOM (1989) and Dermatology Department (1993) alumnus, and American College of Mohs Surgery Fellow practicing in Austin, Texas is featured in the May 2010 issue of Texas Medicine in a public health article entitled, “Killer tans: State, feds crack down on indoor tanning” on pages 47-51. UTMB Dermatology Chair, Dr. Sharon Raimer, is also quoted in the article and highlighted for her testimony on TMA’s behalf in favor of HB 1310.

UTMB Dermatology Residents Receive 2010 American Board of Dermatology (ABD) In-Training Exam Results

In-training dermatology resident test scores for 2010 are back, and our UTMB residents did well, with total test percentile scores ranging from 27% to 87%, compared to the same PGY level test takers in other US and Canadian programs this year. One of the UTMB residents scored 100% on the Pediatric Dermatology content area!

Houston Dermatological Society Skin Cancer Screening is this Saturday

Don't forget the annual Houston Dermatological Society Skin Cancer Screening is this Saturday, May 15th! Screenings will be held at two locations. Additional information can be found below. If you would like to volunteer for this event, please contact Lindsey Hunter at lihunter@utmb.edu. See you Saturday!

1.) UTMB Dermatology at Bay Colony: 10 AM - 1 PM
2785 Gulf Freeway South, Suite 165
(next to 24 Hour Fitness at I-45 and FM 646)
(281) 534-3376

2.) Stewart Road Family Health Clinic: 10 AM - 12 PM
6710 Stewart Road, Galveston, TX
(409) 744-4030

UTMB Dermatology Announces 2011 Dermatopathology Fellow

Congratulations to Dr. Kim Hookim, who has accepted a UTMB Dermatopathology Fellowship for 2011. Dr. Hookim completed pathology residency at the University of Florida College of Medicine and is currently a surgical pathology fellow at UTMB. The UTMB DIG looks forward to working with you on the dermatopathology service!

Michael Rains Receives Magna Cum Laude

UTMB MS4 Michael Rains successfully presented his Dermatology Research Honors Thesis, “Preventing Ultraviolet Light Ear Injury: Ear Cancer Awareness and Protective Behaviors” and received Magna Cum Laude graduation research honors. His excellent presentation included video. His faculty advisor was Dr. Richard Wagner, and his thesis committee faculty were Drs. Simon Lewis, Sharon Raimer and Ben Raimer. Mike’s thesis was the third completed for the UTMB SOM Class of 2010, tying previous classes in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2009. In July he will start Preliminary Medicine at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Austin, Texas and remain at the same institution for dermatology residency.

Helping Dermatology Success Happen at UTMB

For many years, the UTMB Department of Dermatology has helped many of our medical students achieve their career goal of becoming a dermatologist. How does this happen? Our department is small enough for UTMB students to have access to our dermatology faculty early in their medical school years. The faculty are friendly, experienced educators who are very helpful to medical students interested in a dermatology career, and they offer a large variety of interesting dermatology courses and research opportunities. There is always lots of research going on in the department and it is one of the most active departments on campus participating in the UTMB Honors Research Project Program. The later program permits our medical students to become the Principal Investigator (PI) on their own, original dermatology research (in our experience, a difficult proposition at many other medical schools) with close faculty mentorship available throughout the process.

UTMB faculty will also “sponsor” your dermatology application when it is time to apply. Although UTMB will not be able to take all of its own medical school graduates for dermatology residency, letters of recommendation from UTMB Dermatology Faculty usually contain detailed personal knowledge about your work in clinics and research activity. These types of faculty recommendations can have a positive impact when applying to other programs. UTMB Dermatology Faculty are there to support your application, whether you get in on the first application cycle, or to provide career counseling if you have to apply several times.

DIG Members Collaborate on Published UTMB Dermatology Resident Research

UTMB Dermatology Residents participate in many research activities during their three years of training at UTMB, and all must complete a scholarly project to graduate. This often presents great opportunities for our DIG members to contribute to this research effort and learn from a dermatology resident. Many times these resident projects will be presented at state and national meetings with you listed as a coauthor, and often the scholarly project will be published in a peer-reviewed dermatology journal. In 2008, Dr. Conner Chan (current LSU dermatology resident) helped publish a resident scholarly project with Dr. Andy Perri, and in 2009 Janese Laster and Donnie Warren helped Dr. Josh Dimmick publish his original dermatology research. MS3 Michaela Marek contributed to Dr. Ryan Matherne’s 2010 publication as well. Check with the UTMB dermatology residents and see if there is a role for you in one of their ongoing research activities. Chances are great that your research interest will be welcome!