Kudos Given for Bay Colony Dermatology Patient Care

The UTMB Department of Patient Services notified UTMB dermatology providers, Drs. M. Wilkerson, A. Clos and  medical assistant E. Batiste that a patient seen in January 2014 at the UTMB Bay Colony Dermatology Clinic in League City was very pleased with the professional dermatology care given. The patient wrote, “I had an excellent experience.” Congratulations to all involved!

Is your SAT score high enough for a Dermatology Residency?

According to Wall Street Journal reporter Melissa Korn (“Job Hunt? Dig Up Those SAT Scores,” February 26, 2014, pages B1, B8) more businesses are using SAT scores as a hiring tool. The UTMB DIG is unaware that SAT scores are being used for medical school admission or for residency, although crazier things have happened. In any event, if you are a high school student browsing these pages because you are aiming for a dermatology career, you probably should study for the SAT. SAT scores are being requested when least expected!

UTMB DIG Blog Changes E-mail Notifications to Digest Format

On February 25th, 2014 the UTMB DIG Blog changed the way its subscribers will be notified via e-mail. Instead of users receiving one e-mail per post, subscribers will now receive one e-mail per day that summarizes all of the activity from that day. This will reduce the number of e-mails that subscribers receive, but will still include all information that the old format sent to DIG Blog subscribers.

Big News for American Graduate Medical Education

Today the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) announced that it has joined with the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) to create a single graduate medical education accreditation system. For more details, please see http://www.acgme.org/acgmeweb/portals/0/PDFS/Nasca-Community/SingleAccreditationRelease2-26.pdf

Annual Healthy Living Fair: Volunteers Needed

DIG is looking for volunteers to spread awareness on sun protection and skin cancer at the Annual Healthy Living Fair on March 1st from 11am-3pm. This event is located at the McGuire Dent Recreation Center at 28th and Seawall. 

Please sign up via the following link,

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AuFbNEN2oojIdHZHYWRNUUxLZHJiRW9SZFRpWmtHY3c&usp=sharing

If you have any questions, please contact Dung Mac at dhmac@utmb.edu

 

Note: This is the last day to complete the DIG@UTMB Blog survey. Co-editor and DIG President, Sheila Jalalat, is conducting a short anonymous survey study that will pop-up when the blog is accessed. For direct access to the survey: http://www.rationalsurvey.com/s/10928. Your participation would be much appreciated!

Thayer Award for Excellence: Nominations NOW being accepted (Note: 1 day left to complete DIG@UTMB Blog Survey)

Nominations for the Thayer Award for Excellence in Teaching are being accepted. Please take this opportunity to nominate a resident who you think demonstrated sound scientific knowledge, compassion towards patients, and dedication to learning and teaching. Your nominations really mean a lot to the residents by letting them know that their hard work is making an impact in our education.

Each winner gets $300 and their department chair is notified.

To nominate a resident, please complete the following and submit to Jacqueline Posada, MSIII at japosada@utmb.edu by Thursday February 27.

NAME:

RESIDENCY PROGRAM:

RESIDENT YEAR:

REASON FOR NOMINATION: One paragraph describing your candidate to the selection committee

Note: There is only 1 DAY left to complete the DIG@UTMB Blog survey. Co-editor and DIG President, Sheila Jalalat, is conducting a short anonymous survey study that will pop-up when the blog is accessed. For direct access to the survey: http://www.rationalsurvey.com/s/10928. Your participation would be much appreciated!

NRMP Main Residency Match Rank Order List Deadline Approaching!

All students who plan on being entered in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) Main Residency Match need to have their Rank Order List Certified by 8 P.M. CST on Wednesday, February 26^th. The system will not allow for any additional changes after this time.

NRMP Applicant Survey Data for 2013 Dermatology Match

Each year the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) reports data from their applicant survey. In 2013 55% of US seniors who applied to Dermatology completed the survey. Those who matched into a dermatology residency applied to more programs (72) and received less interviews (10) on average than all other specialties surveyed. When deciding on where to place programs on their rank list, matched applicants were most likely to factor in the quality of faculty, reputation, geographic location, and quality of residents of a program.

UTMB Dermatology Publishes Unusual Case of Penile and Scrotal Calcinosis

UTMB PGY3 Dermatology Resident Dr. Audra Clos and UTMB Dermatopathology Director Dr. Brent Kelly have co-authored a fascinating clinical report in the February 2014 issue of Dermatology Online Journal ( http://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/7s43p5x8#page-1 ). UTMB PGY2 Internal Medicine Resident Dr. Alex Holliday is the first author of this publication.

1 week left: DIG@UTMB Blog Survey

Note: There is only 1 week left to complete the survey.  

 

DIG@UTMB Blog co-editor is conducting a short anonymous survey study that will pop-up when the blog is accessed. For direct access to the survey: http://www.rationalsurvey.com/s/10928. 

 

Your participation would be much appreciated! 

St. Vincent's Clinic: Dermatology Night Update

St. Vincent's Clinic has 2 dermatology nights this month. The cancelled January date has been rescheduled to Thursday February 20th. It will be 1/2 gyn and 1/2 derm with 11 derm patients scheduled.

St. Vincent’s really needs dermatology student volunteers to help out on this night because the residents have their mock board exam. Dr. Raimer is the scheduled to be faculty.

St. Vincent’s also has regular dermatology night on Tuesday February 25 with 20+ patients scheduled and most of them are new patients who are referrals.

Your help would be much appreciated, thank you!

UTMB Dermatology Changes Approach to Dermatology Applicant Interviews in 2015

The UTMB Dermatology Department is changing the way they interview dermatology applicants next year. Their schedule for 2015 is:

Friday morning, December 12th: Internal UTMB Applicants Invited for Optional Interviews 

Thursday January 29 and Friday January 30: Outside Applicant Interviews (including selected visiting rotators)

The biggest change from last year is that no visiting students will be interviewed during their rotations, and there will no longer be automatic interviews given to outside dermatology rotators. This could potentially reduce the number of interviews offered to outside applicants who did not rotate in the UTMB Dermatology Department.

UTMB Dermatology Resident Runs Galveston Half Marathon

UTMB PGY3 dermatology resident Dr. Brandon Goodwin participated in the half marathon held in Galveston on Sunday February 16^th. He placed 7^th in his age group (30-34). Congratulations Brandon for running a great race! The details about his race and others are available at:http://eztoregister.com/assets/GalvHalf14.HTM  Brandon previously played intercollegiate soccer (number 16) for the Badgers at Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama, an NAIA school.

Annual UTMB Dermatopathology Resident Board Examination Review Conference

The 15^th annual UTMB Dermatopathology Review Course, directed by Dr. Brent Kelly, will be held on Saturday, May 31, 2014 in the Allied Health Building. Participating faculty include Drs. Brent Kelly, Maria Colome, Ramon Sanchez, Alma Berlingeri, Matthew Petitt and Palak Parekh. All UTMB dermatology residents are expected to attend, and residents from other dermatology and pathology programs are welcome ($50 fee). Physicians in practice may also attend ($140 fee). The conference fee includes a continental breakfast, box lunch and microscope rental. A cd of the conference slides is available for $30. Please contact Ms. Kimberly Cooper (kjcooper@utmb.edu) for additional conference information.

Dermatology In-Service Examination for Residents this Thursday

UTMB Dermatology residents will take their annual “practice board” examination this Thursday, February 20^th. This proctored examination is intended to provide objective comparisons for test takers compared to the national pool of other dermatology residents at the same PGY level of training. The UTMB residency program does not require our residents to return to clinic after the test is completed. Good luck!

UTMB DIG Members Participate in Dermatology Department Review

Two UTMB MS4 DIG members participated in official dermatology department review this week. External review dermatologists were Drs. Ronald Rapini (Chair, Department of Dermatology, UT-Houston), Antoinette Hood (Chair, Department of Dermatology, Eastern Virginia Medical School), and Steven Padilla, Chair, Department of Dermatology, University of New Mexico). Internal UTMB faculty reviewers were Drs. Mike Malloy (Professor of Pediatrics) and Eric Cole (Assistant Professor, Division of Plastic Surgery). DIG Vice President Will Tausend and Adrian Subrt met with this panel to discuss medical student educational, research, and professional opportunities offered at UTMB through our Department of Dermatology. The panel was also interested in learning more about our DIG blog, which was created over 10 years ago.

Galveston Boys & Girls Club Annual Teen Center Health Fair: A Great Success!

The Annual Teen Center Health Fair was a great turn out this past Saturday, February 8, 2014 at the Boys and Girls Club in Galveston! Here, UTMB DIG volunteers provided educational handouts on sun protection and skin cancer awareness. The UTMB DIG booth also provided hands-on activities including making UV bead bracelets. Thank you to everyone who volunteered!

DIG Members pictured above (Top picture-Left to Right): Jasmine Stephens (MSII), Rachael Pellerin (MSIII) and Sheila Jalalat (MSIV, DIG President)

As a reminder: DIG@UTMB Blog co-editor is conducting a short anonymous survey study that will pop-up when the blog is accessed. For direct access to the survey: http://www.rationalsurvey.com/s/10928.Your participation would be much appreciated! 

UTMB Dermatology Residents and Faculty Attend Annual Dermatology Foundation Symposia

The UTMB Department of Dermatology sponsored two dermatology chief residents, Dr. Samantha Robare-Stout and Dr. Jason Jones to attend the 2014 Dermatology Foundation Clinical Symposia (Advances in Dermatology) meeting in Naples, Florida in February 2014. This meeting has been attended by UTMB dermatology residents in the past, and is a highly educational meeting. Two dermatology faculty, Dr. Sharon Raimer (Chair) and Michael Wilkerson also attended this meeting.

UT Chancellor Announces Resignation

Francisco G. Cigarroa, M.D. has announced his pending resignation as the UT Chancellor, a job he has held since 2009. He plans to return to UTHSC-SA, where he will head their Pediatric Transplant Surgery Program.

Medelita Sponsors $25,000 Award to Selected “H.E.R.O.” Resident

Do you know an outstanding resident? You may nominate residents for the recently announced “H.E.R.O.” award sponsored by Medelita. Selection criteria includes residents who are committed to advancing medicine and render exemplary patient care. The deadline for nominations is March 28, 2014. 

For more information, please see: http://www.medelita.com/therightfit/

As a reminder: DIG@UTMB Blog co-editor is conducting a short anonymous survey study that will pop-up when the blog is accessed. For direct access to the survey: http://www.rationalsurvey.com/s/10928.Your participation would be much appreciated!  

UTMB Regains Level 1 Trauma Center Status

Level 1 Trauma Center Status has been restored at UTMB. For additional details, see http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/bay_area/news/utmb-level-trauma-center-status-renewed/article_f65a157c-19b9-5cd7-a509-3a8a927b47f2.html.This is the first time since Hurricane Ike (September 2008) that UTMB holds this highly selective recognition. There are only two other Level 1 Trauma Centers in the Houston area.

As a reminder: DIG@UTMB Blog co-editor is conducting a short anonymous survey study that will pop-up when the blog is accessed. For direct access to the survey: http://www.rationalsurvey.com/s/10928.Your participation would be much appreciated!  

Dr. Ramon Sanchez Elected as Houston Dermatological Society Secretary/Treasurer!

Congratulation to Dr. Ramon Sanchez for being elected as the Houston Dermatological Society Secretary/Treasurer for the 2014 term. Dr. Sanchez is the Program Director for UTMB's Dermatopathology Fellowship and a Clinical Professor in the UTMB Department of Dermatology.

 

As a reminder: DIG@UTMB Blog co-editor is conducting a short anonymous survey study that will pop-up when the blog is accessed. For direct access to the survey: http://www.rationalsurvey.com/s/10928.Your participation would be much appreciated!  

UTMB Dermatology Resident Reports Rare Case of Turkey Tenosynovitis

Congratulations to Drs. Lindsey Hunter-Ellul, Elizabeth Drone Schepp, Michael Wilkerson, and Scott Lea for their recent publication, "A rare case of Cryptococcus luteolus-related tenosynovitis," in the journal Infection. This rare fungal infection was contracted through an injury inflicted by a turkey. This case report has just been published and is available as "Online First" on SpringerLink at:http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s15010-014-0593-5
 
Dr. Lindsey Hunter-Ellul is a 2nd year UTMB Dermatology Resident. Dr. Elizabeth Drone Schepp is currently a UTMB internal medicine preliminary intern and will start her UTMB Dermatology Residency July 1, 2014. Dr. Michael Wilkerson is the corresponding author and UTMB Professor of Dermatology. Dr. Scott Lea is a co-author and Associate Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases at UTMB.

College of the Mainland Continues Innovative Educational Symposium

College of the Mainland (Texas City, Texas) is sponsoring their Second Gulf Coast Creative and Academic Symposium entitled, “Controversy in Our Nation: Past, Present and Future.” This symposium will be held on Friday, April 4,2014 and abstracts are due by March 3^rd. Awards for oral presentation will be given in each of the 4 symposium categories of communication and humanities, STEM (natural sciences, technology, engineering, mathematics),fine arts, and social and behavioral sciences. For additional information, please see http://www.com.edu/symposium/home.php

UTMB Creates Blue-Ribbon Panel

According to the Sunday February 2, 2014 issue of the Galveston County Daily News (Laura Elder, "UTMB creates blue-ribbon panel after CFO scandal," pages A1, A3), UTMB has named a 7 member panel "...to review the medical branch's investigation practices and procedures and how it handles requests for public information and records." The members of this new panel are: Shauna Johnson Clark (Norton Rose Fulbright), Ann S. Masal (DRDA), Thomas J. Perich (Andrews & Kurth), Leon J. Leach (MDA), Dr. Lawrence Sowers (Chair, Department of Pharmacology UTMB), Dr. Barbara Thompson (Chair, Department of Family Medicine, UTMB), and Julie Cantini (UTMB).

As a reminder: DIG@UTMB Blog co-editor is conducting a short anonymous survey study that will pop-up when the blog is accessed. For direct access to the survey: http://www.rationalsurvey.com/s/10928.Your participation would be much appreciated!  

Camp Discovery: Call for Applications

Camp Discovery is a program supported by the American Academy of Dermatology. It is a one week summer camp experience, where young people ages 8-16 with a chronic skin condition come together to participate in fun camp activities. It also offers volunteers to learn more about the effects of dermatological conditions as you interact and work with these patients. For more information, please email Janine Meuller, jmueller@aad.org

Applications for this opportunity are now available (deadline: April 11, 2014)

http://www.aad.org/forms/CampDiscoveryVolunteerApplication/Default.aspx

As a reminder: DIG@UTMB Blog co-editor is conducting a short anonymous survey study that will pop-up when the blog is accessed. For direct access to the survey: http://www.rationalsurvey.com/s/10928.Your participation would be much appreciated! 

Teen Center 2014 Health Fair: Volunteers needed

DIG is looking for volunteers to help spread awareness on sun protection and skin cancer at a Community-Wide Health Fair on 2/8 from 9am-1pm. This annual event is located at the Boys & Girls Club 4420 Ave P Galveston, Texas 77550. Please email our Community Outreach Chair (dhmac@utmb.edu) if you would like to help out. This is a great way for students interested in dermatology to get involved!

As a reminder: DIG@UTMB Blog co-editor is conducting a short anonymous survey study that will pop-up when the blog is accessed. For direct access to the survey: http://www.rationalsurvey.com/s/10928.Your participation would be much appreciated! 

More Details About Houston Dermatology Osteopathic Residency Program

More details are available here ( http://opportunities.osteopathic.org/search/search_details.cfm?program_id=328842&hosp_id=328841&returnPage=1) about the new TCOM Dermatology Osteopathic Residency Program in Houston.

As a reminder: DIG@UTMB Blog co-editor is conducting a short anonymous survey study that will pop-up when the blog is accessed. For direct access to the survey: http://www.rationalsurvey.com/s/10928.Your participation would be much appreciated! 

TCOM Expands Osteopathic Dermatology Residency Programs in Texas

The Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (TCOM) has recently announced plans to expand its Fort Worth/Dallas dermatology residency program to south Texas (see http://web.unthsc.edu/info/200215/graduate_medical_education/1515/dermatology). This program uses a problem-based learning approach to teach residents about dermatology. Only osteopathic school graduates may apply for osteopathic dermatology residency programs.

As a reminder: DIG@UTMB Blog co-editor is conducting a short anonymous survey study that will pop-up when the blog is accessed. For direct access to the survey: http://www.rationalsurvey.com/s/10928.Your participation would be much appreciated!