The Wait is On!

Dermatology applicants and residency programs submitted their match lists to the NRMP by Wednesday, February 25th this week. We are all waiting to hear the results on Match Day 2015 (Friday, March 20, 2015).

Frances Elaine Smith (9/28/32-2/22/15)

Mrs. Elaine Smith, wife of the late Dr. Edgar B. Smith, passed on February 22, 2015. Following Dr. Smith’s retirement as the Chair of Dermatology at UTMB in 1999 and his death in 2005 , Mrs. Smith remained a strong supporter of the UTMB Department of Dermatology, with keen interest in the ongoing activities of the Edgar B. Smith MD Professorship in Dermatology and the annual Edgar B. Smith MD Scholarship that is awarded annually by dermatology faculty vote to the UTMB MS4 with the best dermatology research completed at UTMB. She proudly followed the academic achievements of UTMB medical students, dermatology residents and dermatology faculty supported through generous funding provided through the Edgar B. Smith MD Professorship. She will be greatly missed by all of us in Galveston. For additional information, please see http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/houstonchronicle/obituary.aspx?n=Frances-Smith-Elaine&pid=174240218

More on Self-Awareness

Daniel R. Ames and Abbie S. Wazlawek (Columbia Business School) lend their expertise to inform Wall Street Journal readers (“How to Tell if You’re a Jerk in the Office: Most workers are blissfully unaware of how they come across. And it can cost them.” WSJ, Monday, February 23,  2015, page R2) about the  importance of self-awareness in the workplace, and the role it can play in perceptions by co-workers. They write, “Not realizing how others see you leads to bad decisions and spoiled relationships. And when others sense that you’re clueless about your personality, it can undermine your general stature and credibility.” Ames and Wazlawek suggest that anonymous feedback can provide valuable insight about what co-workers think. A trusted mentor who is willing to provide candid feedback can also provide invaluable feedback. The key is to remember, “…these conversations are an opportunity to learn more, not to defend yourself or provide excuses.”

UTMB PGY4 Chief Dermatology Resident Dr. Lindsey Hunter-Ellul Named to American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Committee

Dr. Lindsey Hunter-Ellul has accepted an appointment to the AAD’s Member Communications Committee that will commence at the end of the upcoming 2015 annual AAD meeting. This important committee serves to provide strategic direction to AAD membership communications. It is a two year term. Congratulations Dr. Hunter-Ellul for this prestigious appointment to a premier dermatology organization!

Annual Dermatology In-Training Examination for Residents

The annual in-training exam (ITE) sponsored by the American Board of Dermatology is scheduled for Thursday, February 19, 2015. This 4 hour online exam gives residents a national reference point about how they compare to dermatology residents from other programs in the same year of training across the nation. At UTMB, dermatology residents take the exam in the morning and have the remainder of the day off from work. Good luck to all of our UTMB dermatology residents on this test!

Houston Chronicle Reports on MD Anderson Faculty Unrest

Houston Chronicle reporter Todd Ackerman's front page story ("MD Anderson faculty cites 'pervasive' discontent", pages A1 and A12, Wednesday, February 18, 2015) updates readers about ongoing faculty concerns about "...controversies over ethics and spending, tenure decisions and concerns that a demand to increase clinical revenues has comromised patient safety."

Application for Camp Discovery available for summer 2015

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 10, 2015)
http://www.aad.org/forms/CampDiscoveryVolunteerApplication/Default.aspx

UTMB Offers Master’s of Medical Science Degree to Current Residents and Fellows

UTMB is now offering one of its house staff the opportunity for specialized education in the hope of creating future translational scientists. The minimal full-time time commitment is one year in this new program, and degree completion requires a peer-reviewed publication that is indexed in PubMed. Application materials may be obtained from:

Gustavo Valbuena, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Pathology
1.116B Keiller building
Tel: 409-747-0763
FAX: 409-747-2429
email: gvalbuen@utmb.edu

Applications are due on 3/2/15.

UTMB Residents Attend 2015 Annual Dermatology Foundation Clinical Symposia Meeting

PGY4 UTMB Dermatology Chief Residents Drs. Lindsey Hunter-Ellul and Audra Clos attended the annual Dermatology Foundation meeting held on February 4-8, 2015 in Naples, Florida at the Ritz-Carlton.

DIG Meeting Recap

On Monday, February 9, the members of UTMB’s DIG met to discuss upcoming events for the spring semester.  Thank you to everyone that could attend, and for those who had other obligations, here is a recap of what was discussed:

1.     “Stay Shady!”: We have 3 “Stay Shady!” presentations finalized at the moment with potentially one more in the works.

• The dates are: March 11th Crenshaw Elementary (Prek-4th) 9am; April 7th Odyssey Academy (4-5th); May 7th 2:45 pm Crenshaw (5th-8th)
• We will be posting on the blog as each date nears looking for volunteers.
• If you would like to become involved with “Stay Shady!” please contact Kristyna Gleghorn at klglegho@utmb.edu or Alex Acosta at kaacosta@utmb.edu

2.     Melanoma Walk: Planning for the annual Galveston Melanoma Walk is under way with a date on a Saturday morning in April or May (melanoma month) to be set soon.  More information will be posted as it becomes available.

3.     Psoriasis Walk:  The annual Psoriasis Walk is no longer being held in May, and instead will occur on October 10, 2015.  More information to follow concerning exact time, place and ways to make donations.

4.     Annual Bake Sale:  Every year we hold a bake sale to raise funds for the DIG.  This year it will be held on April 15 from 10am-2pm.

• We need volunteers to both bake goodies and man the table.  More info to follow!
• If you are interested in helping out and didn’t get a chance to sign the sheet at the meeting, please contact Alex Acosta at kaacosta@utmb.edu

5.     Procedure Lab: Some of UTMB’s Dermatology residents have been generous enough to volunteer their time for a procedure lab.  At this lab, we will learn how to inject lidocaine into marshmallows, preform different types of biopsies on tomatoes, and suture pigs’ feet.  An exact date has not been set, but it will be in March.  More info to be posted as it becomes available!

6.     Upcoming Meetings: We will have another meeting in April for officer elections.  Also at this meeting, we will have a panel of matched 4th year students to answer all of your questions concerning applications, interviews and the match!  More info to follow!

Thanks again to everyone who made it, and we hope to see you later this semester!

Dr. Sheila Jalalat Featured in January 2015 Cutis Announcement

The 50th Anniversary January 2015 issue celebrating Cutis features a photo of Dr. Sheila Jalalat on page 24, our former UTMB DIG President, along with two other physicians who will be writing for the new “Resident Corner” feature of Cutis. Dr. Jalalat will be starting her dermatology residency at the University of South Florida in Tampa later this year. The UTMB DIG is very proud of your national recognition so early in your career! While at UTMB, Dr. Jalalat was particularly interested in dermatology research, successfully completing her Dermatology Honors Research Project with Cum Laude UTMB SOM graduation research honors and winning the 2014 Edgar B. Smith Award for Excellent Dermatology Research Performed by a Medical Student.