UTMB Dermatology Residents Initiate Interdisciplinary Meetings with Dermatology Nursing and Staff

In November 2012 UTMB dermatology residents met with dermatology nurses and clinic staff for the purpose of improving patient safety and improving the quality of dermatology care in the UTMB dermatology clinics in Galveston (University Hospital Clinic) and League City (Bay Colony). Nurse James Wilson coordinated the meeting in Galveston and Nurse Jennifer Tribble organized the meeting in League City. UTMB dermatology nurses, residents, and staff plan to meet periodically during each academic year at these sites to discuss clinic issues and develop action plans to improve patient safety and improve the quality of dermatology care in our clinics. Participant attendance is recorded at each meeting in a site notebook. The first patient safety/quality improvement plan is to make digital photographs of skin biopsy sites suspected for skin cancer available to faculty and residents if the biopsy site cannot be confirmed by the patient and additional treatment is needed. This process could decrease the risk of wrong site surgery and may result in more efficient treatment. The outcome of this project will be monitored and feedback will be provided.

UTMB Invites Record Number of Outside Dermatology Applicants for Interviews

In addition to the 10 MS4 UTMB medical students and UTMB internal medicine residents, UTMB Dermatology has invited 32 applicants from 20 different outside medical schools to interview for the 4 available residency positions on either Thursday, January 31 or Friday, February 1, 2013. These

out-of-institution applicants had Step 1 scores ranging from 209-273, Step 2 scores ranging from 220-279, and 24 were members of AOA at their schools. One applicant invited to interview has a Ph.D., and another one has a MPH.

Beiersdorf Does Not Renew Grant Funding for Medical Student History of Dermatology Course

UTMB Dermatology received notification this month that Beiersdorf, the initial sponsor of UTMB’s History of Dermatology 5 year grant, will not renew the grant, citing “…budget constraints in 2013...” Beiersdorf’s History of Dermatology Award had become an annual graduation award for the UTMB medical student taking UTMB’s History of Dermatology Elective (DERU-4008) and submitting the best historical essay. As the result of this non-renewal, UTMB Dermatology is currently seeking another sponsor with an interest in the history of dermatology for this prestigious annual graduation award.

Previous UTMB student Beiersdorf Award winners were:

2008: Heather Harris ("St. Anthony's Fire: A Historical Focus on Gangrenous Ergotism")

2009: Elizabeth Williford ("Leprosy: Scourge of the Past and Present")

2010: Marisol Albuerne ("Morgellons Disorder: A Syndrome or a Delusion")

2011: Brett Blakeway {“On degrees of lousiness: Medicine’s response to human body louse (pediculus humanus corporis) infestation during the First World War”}

2012: Lauren Douglas (“African Americans with Vitiligo: A Cause for a Race Revolution in 18^th and 19^th Century America”)

UTMB Announces Orientation Dates for Residents Starting on July 1, 2013

2013 orientation for all new UTMB House Staff will be from July 1 to July 3, 2013.

ASDS Moves Up Submission Deadline

The American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS) sponsors a prestigious annual Young Investigator Writing Competition for dermatology residents. Winning manuscripts are published in Dermatologic Surgery. In past years, several UTMB dermatology residents have been recognized for their work. The current deadline for manuscripts is now January 15, 2013.

UTMB Dermatology Residents and Students and Faculty Present Posters at Texas Dermatological Society Meeting

Congratulations to the UTMB dermatology residents, students and faculty for their poster presentations at the Annual Fall Meeting of Texas Dermatological Society Meeting that was held at Hyatt Lost Pines in Bastrop, Texas over the past weekend. The following posters were presented:

 

Hunter-Ellul L, Reddy S, Dacso M, Robare-Stout S, Wilkerson M. Time-Lapse Photography of a Rapidly Recurring Keratoacanthoma. 

 

Markle L, Tausend W, Jones J,  Kelly B. Mycoplasma Pneumoniae Induced Erythema Multiforme Major. 

Dr. Dan McCoy Named Senior Medical Director at BCBS of Texas

Congratulations to Dr. Dan McCoy, who is now Senior Medical Director of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas. Dr. McCoy graduated from the UTMB Dermatology Residency Program in 1997. Most recently, he was associated with Texas Dermatology Associates in Dallas, Texas.

Stay Shady! Looking for volunteers

The UTMB DIG is looking for volunteers to present our sun protection presentation, "Stay Shady!," to the students at Austin Middle School in Galveston, TX 

When: Monday, November 19, at 3pm

Where: Austin Middle School, 1514 Avenue M 1/2 Rear, Galveston, TX 77553

This is fun teaching experience and a great way to get involved with DIG (especially for first and second year students)! Interested in participating? Please email Alex Acosta at kaacosta@utmb.edu

"Stay Shady!" goes to Early Childhood University

On Wednesday, October 24, UTMB DIG member Alexandra Acosta (MS3) taught approximately 25 fourth graders about the importance of sun safety at Galveston's Early Childhood University.  This fun, interactive presentation is aimed at making kids aware that the sun can damage their skin and inform them how to protect themselves. Thank you to the students of ECU for being such a great audience!

If you are interested in becoming involved in "Stay Shady!" events, please email Alexandra Acosta, kaacosta@utmb.edu.

Oldie But Goodie

HPC (Household and Personal Care Today, Volume 7, Number 3, July/September 2012, pages 29-32, Monographic Supplement Series Compendium on Sun Care)) has reprinted a peer-reviewed article from UTMB Dermatology that was initially published in 2011). The research paper was titled, “Preventing ultraviolet radiation scalp injury in men,” and its authors were Drs. Douglas Heiner, Donald Warren, Richard Wagner and biostatistician Mr. Tatsuo Uchida. Dr. Heiner is currently in dermatology residency at Roger Williams Medical Center (Providence, RI) and Dr. Warren will begin dermatology residency at UT-Southwestern (Austin, TX) in July 2013. The publication is based on epidemiologic research performed in Galveston beaches while Drs. Heiner and Warren were UTMB medical students.