Higher Salary Proposed for UTMB House Staff Starting in July 2015

"Stay Shady!" Presented at Crenshaw Elementary

On Wednesday, March 11th, UTMB DIG members Alicia Renck (MSII), Neil Jackson (MSIII), and Anna Buteau (MSII) presented "Stay Shady!" to the students at Crenshaw Elementary School. This fun, interactive presentation is aimed at making kids aware that the sun can damage their skin and inform them how to protect themselves. A special appreciation goes out to the students of Crenshaw Elementary School for being such a great audience and to our volunteers!

Volunteers Needed for "Stay Shady!"

The UTMB DIG is looking for volunteers to present "Stay Shady!" to the students at Odyssey Academy. “Stay Shady!” is an interactive presentation aimed to teach elementary and middle school children about sun safety.

When: Tuesday, April 7th from 8 am- 1 pm (There will be multiple presentations during this time so if you can't make the entire day please specify which time frame you're available to volunteer.)

Where: Odyssey Academy 6013 Stewart Rd, Galveston, TX 77551

This is a fun teaching experience and a great way to get involved with the DIG! Interested in participating? Please email Kristyna Gleghorn at klglegho@utmb.edu

UTMB Dermatology Residents and Faculty Teach Medical Students Procedural Basics

The annual dermatologic procedures workshop sponsored by the UTMB DIG was a huge success again this year. Ten UTMB medical students (MS1s, MS2s and MS3s) learned injection techniques on a marshmallow, superficial biopsy techniques on a tomato, and punch biopsies and suturing on a pig’s foot. Our students were voluntarily assisted by PGY3 dermatology residents Drs. Rebecca Philips and Janice Wilson. Dr. Richard Wagner, our DIG faculty advisor, also assisted in this workshop. Thank you MS4 Alex Acosta for organizing this educational event!

UTMB PGY4 Presents Original Dermatology Education Research to National Audience

Congratulations to Dr. Brandon Goodwin (podium), a UTMB PGY4 dermatology chief resident, for presenting his dermatology scholarly project to a national audience in San Francisco on March 23, 2015 in conjunction with the 73rd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology. Dr. Goodwin’s presentation was entitled, “Surgical Flap and Graft Reconstruction Workshop for Dermatology Residents,” and it was presented at the Dermatology Teachers Exchange Group (DTEG) semi-annual meeting. His coauthor on this project was Dr. Richard Wagner, our UTMB Dermatology Program Director. Dr. Goodwin will continue as a dermatopathology fellow in July 2015 upon the completion of his dermatology residency. Dr. Goodwin's co-chief dermatology residents from UTMB, Drs. Lindsey Hunter and Audra Clos attended his presentation, as did UTMB dermataology faculty, Dr. Ashley Group.

Reminder: Procedure Lab on Thursday, 3/26

There are still 2 spots available to participate in the Dermatology procedure lab this Thursday, 3/26! Please write Alex Acosta at kaacosta@utmb.edu if you are interested in participating. The lab will be held in the Dermatology conference room, 4.112 McCullough, on 3/26 at 5pm.

UTMB MS4s Match into Dermatology Residency Programs

Congratulations to our UTMB senior medical students who found a dermatology match through the NRMP this week:

Vlad Codrea (UTMB)
Zach Jones (Vanderbilt)
Kyle Kaltwasser (UTMB)
Gregory Peterson (Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas)

UTMB Announces PGY2 Dermatology Residents for 2016

Congratulations to the following MS4 medical students who matched through the 2015 NRMP into the 4 available advanced PGY2 dermatology residency positions at UTMB:

Kristin Bunata (UT Houston)
Vlad Codrea (UTMB)
Katelyn Fusilier (LSU)
Kyle Kaltwasser (UTMB)

Welcome to our program! We are excited to have you join us in July 2016!

 
Photo caption: Dr. Will Tausend (left) congratulates MS4 Kyle Kaltwasser on his successful match into a UTMB Dermatology residency position for 2016 at the annual Match Day UTMB ceremony in Levin Hall. Dr. Tausend begins dermatology residency at UTMB in July 2015.

New University of Texas Chancellor Focus on MD Anderson

According to a front page story in the Friday, March 20, 2015 Houston Chronicle by reporters Todd Ackerman and Eric Berger (“Mending of cancer center pledged: UT chief vows to help leaders, faculty get along,” pages A1 and A13), UT Chancellor William McRaven met with faculty in an attempt to rebuild trust following faculty concerns about “a climate of fear” and “pervasive dissatisfaction” at the institution. McRaven indicated that he will not tolerate “professional retaliation” by MD Anderson administration.

Tip for Visiting Dermatology Rotators

Always have a copy of your CV with a photo to give to each faculty you work with during your away rotations. It will help them remember you and demonstrate that you are seriously interested in their residency program.

Format of UTMB Dermatology Interviews for 2015-2016 Academic Year Changed

The UTMB Department of Dermatology has decided to alter its interview style for outside dermatology applicants in 2016. The 2016 interviews are scheduled for Thursday and Friday on February 4th and 5th, but next year there will be an optional dinner for applicants with UTMB dermatology residents the night before the interview. All resident panel and faculty interviews will be in the morning of the interview day, and the interviewees will be released following the last interview. This is different from prior years when there was no pre-interview dinner, all residents and faculty met individually with applicants, and interviews lasted all day with a resident lunch.

All 4 UTMB Dermatology PGY2 Residency Positions for 2016 Filled

Congratulations are in order for the UTMB Dermatology Residency Program for filling all 4 of their available PGY2 residency positions for 2016. They will learn who matched into their program later this week.

How Yale Medical School Does It

Yale is consistently one of the top tier US medical schools. For an interesting perspective about a medical school geared to the adult learner, please read Jenny Blair’s fine article: https://www.yalealumnimagazine.com/articles/3867/med-school-with-less-pain

It is an especially interesting essay to read in light of potential changes in medical school grading policies under consideration at UTMB.

No Dermatology Residency Match: What to do Next?

Some dermatology residency applicants will be very disappointed next Monday, March 16, 2015 when they first learn that they have not matched into a dermatology residency. As usual, well qualified applicants for a dermatology residency will not match this year. There are not enough dermatology residency positions for qualified applicants. Some unsuccessful dermatology applicants will accept positions for their “backup residency” in another specialty and never look back. Those considering reapplying to dermatology will need to evaluate what needs to be done to increase the competitiveness of their application during the next cycle.

How realistic is a dermatology re-application? Re-applicants with Step 1 scores below the average for successful dermatology matches and are not AOA members historically have the most difficult time matching after the first attempt is unsuccessful. Future applicants trend toward even higher Step 1 scores than the prior year. Conventional wisdom suggests that the most likely success for a dermatology match on reapplication probably lies with applicants who have a Step 1 of 250 or higher and are AOA unless other advanced research training such as a PhD has been completed. Failing to initially match with these higher statistics could hinge on a few other factors such as bad luck, not applying to enough programs, strong competition from
co-applicants from the same institution as the applicant, poor interviewing skills, a lukewarm recommendation, not enough letters from academic dermatologists, little published research, lack of Medicare Part B funding for the entire 3 years of dermatology residency due to a previous PGY1 year that limited fully funded training to 3 years (internal medicine, pediatrics, family medicine, etc.), or an underwhelming clinical performance at home/away dermatology rotations. This group can improve their applications through a strong performance (think indispensable) in a 1-3 year dermatology clinical fellowship with numerous publications following a PGY1 transitional year or a PGY1 year spent in a 4 year or longer residency program that is approved by the American Board of Dermatology such as obstetrics/gynecology or general surgery so as not to interfere with full funding for a 3 year dermatology residency.

DIG Procedural Skills Lab Scheduled for 3/26 at 5pm

Come join the UTMB DIG to learn some Dermatology procedural skills! Current second-year Dermatology residents, Dr. Rebecca Philips and Dr. Janice Wilson, have volunteered their time to teach medical and allied health students essential dermatological procedural skills such as lidocaine injection, punch and shave biopsies, and suturing.  This fun, interactive lab is aimed for MS1, MS2, MS3 and allied health students that are interested in a career in Dermatology.  Due to space restrictions, participation is limited to 10 students.  If you are interested in participating, please email Alex Acosta at kaacosta@utmb.edu to reserve your spot!

When: March 26 at 5pm
Where: Dermatology conference room, 4.112 McCullough

Characteristics of Residency Applicants to Harvard’s MGH and Brigham

Although probably not typical of most residency applicants (subjects were restricted to residency applicants ranked either MGH and Brigham between 2004 and 2012), the five most important program attribute for applicants was “…the program’s ability to prepare residents for future training or position, resident esprit de corps, faculty availability and involvement in teaching, depth and breadth of faculty, and variety of patients and clinical resources.” (Phitayakorn R, et al. Applicants’ self-reported priorities in selecting a residency program. J Grad Med Educ. 2015;7:21-26). In this study, dermatology was classified as one of the “controllable lifestyle specialties.” Inexplicably, the authors decision to list dermatology with the “nonprocedural specialties” is a possible shortcoming of this research.

UTMB MS3 has Dermatology Research Honors Project Approved

Congratulations to UTMB MS3 Neil Jackson! His Dermatology Research Honors Project was approved by UTMB’s Institutional Honors Research Program. His proposal is entitled,
 “Understanding Ultraviolet Radiation Dorsal Foot Injury at the Beach.” His dermatology faculty advisor is Dr. Richard Wagner, and his ad hoc dermatology committee members are Drs. Sharon Raimer and Brent Kelly. UTMB MS1 Tim Allen will help collect data for this project. Mr. Jackson’s medical student research is the sole dermatology research honors project approved for the UTMB SOM Class of 2016. No dermatology honors project proposals were submitted from the UTMB SOM Class of 2015.

UTMB to Conduct Annual Melanoma Screening on Saturday, May 16, 2015

DIG members are invited to participated in the free annual melanoma screening clinic offered by UTMB as part of the Houston Dermatological Society on May 16, 2015 from 10 am to 1 pm at the UTMB Dermatology Clinic at Bay Colony in League City.

UTMB Already Planning Dermatology Residency Interviews for 2016 NRMP

The UTMB DIG has learned the following tentative schedule for UTMB dermatology applicants for 2016:
 
     October 31, 2015: UTMB dermatology application deadline (complete applications will be reviewed for interviews)
 
     Friday, December 4, 2015: Optional morning interview for UTMB MS4s and other internal applicants
 
     December 11, 2015: Interview offers to non-UTMB applicants
 
     Thursday and Friday, February 4th and 5th, 2016: Interview dates for outside applicants

"Stay Shady!" Looking for Volunteers

The UTMB DIG is looking for volunteers to present "Stay Shady!" to the students at Crenshaw Elementary School.  “Stay Shady!” is an interactive presentation aimed to teach elementary and middle school children about sun safety.

When: Wednesday, March 11th from 8:45am- 9:45am.

Where: Crenshaw Middle School 416 Hwy 87. Crystal Beach 77650

This is a fun teaching experience and a great way to get involved with the DIG! Interested in participating? Please email Kristyna Gleghorn at klglegho@utmb.edu