UTMB Dermatology Announces Residency Interview Dates for 2026

Friday, February 13 afternoon for internal applicants.

Thursday, February 19 afternoon for external applicants.

Friday, February 20 afternoon for external applicants.

 

Invitations to interview will be sent after Thanksgiving 2025.

Applications Open for New 2+2 UTMB Dermatology Residency Research Track with July 2025 Start Date

UTMB Dermatology announces our inaugural 2+2 Physician Scientist Research Track dermatology residency (physician only position) to begin July 2025. The PGY2 (first year) of the residency will be 100% time in clinical dermatology rotations as required by the American Board of Dermatology (ABD). PGY3, PGY4, and PGY5 (4 year commitment) clinical requirements will meet the remaining additional 125% clinical training and also integrate academic study and laboratory investigation. If all ABD prerequisites are met, PGY4 residents in this program will be eligible to sit for the Applied Exam given by the ABD. The successful applicant will have a background in bench research and will have successfully completed a PGY1 year as required by the American Board of Dermatology for dermatology residency. Interested applicants should send a cover letter expressing their interest in this position, as well as their CV and 3 letters of recommendation to Dr. Michael Wilkerson, Chair, Department of Dermatology,  c/o Ms. Michelle Karn (mikarn@utmb.edu) no later than Wednesday, May 7 at 5 pm cst. Competitive applicants will be invited to interview for this position.

UTMB Department of Dermatology Announces MS4 Graduation Awards

History of Dermatology: Kathleen Karam ("Perceptions of Tanning in Popular Culture”)

 

Skin Diseases Depicted in Film:  Rebekah Brown (“Vampirism and Skin Disease”)

 

Edgar B. Smith MD Endowed Scholarship for Excellence in Dermatology Research: David Garate

 

Thomas W. Freese Memorial Endowment for Excellence in Dermatology: Michael Adkison

 

Congratulations to all!

DIG 2025-26 Election Results

 DIG 2025-26 Election Results

President

Madelyn Schmidt

Vice President

Alekhya Gurram

Secretary 

Casey Brusen 

Research

Chair: Shawn Lim

Committee: Fatima Naqvi, Smiti Gandhi, Gengi Kleto

Dermatology-Rheumatology Pharmacy at St. Vincent’s clinic 

Lead: Katherine Benandi

Intern: Jun Park

Stay Shady 

Chair: Kassianna Elizondo 

Committee: Inchara Raj, Sarah Muir, Blanche Behohon

Education 

Chair: Dani Miller

Committee: Nicole Kuol, Zainab Yousaf, Presley Limon

Melanoma Walk

Chair: Lynchi Nguyen 

Committee: Joel Joy, Matthew De La Garza, Gaby Villa

Psoriasis Walk

Chair: Ria Kanotra

Committee: Andrew Spires, Shelby Devin, Nikitha Adari, Sarah Ahmed

UTMB DERMATOLOGY RESEARCH GUIDELINES

1. All research with our department should be reviewed by Dr. Mary Cavanagh. This means that she is the first person any medical student must contact before starting research that involves our residents or faculty. An exception will be made when faculty or residents have a project with specific medical students.
2. Priority will be given to MS3s/rising MS4s and those who are part of the UTMB DIG. Of course, MS1s and MS2s will be given opportunity as well. Please identify by name and MS year when sending emails.
3. Medical students should contact Dr. Cavanagh with a defined research idea and at least 3 references on which their research will be based on.
4. If the research project uses the TriNetX database, it must only include one medical student.
5. Unless it is an urgent matter, students must contact Dr. Cavanagh via email, and only on non-holiday Friday afternoons.
6. If a project is intended for a poster/presentation at a conference, it must be started at least 2 months before the submission deadline.
7. Progress on research must be reported every 2 weeks to faculty, residents involved and Dr. Cavanagh. 
8. Once the research project is approved, all parties will be notified and it will be a Department of Dermatology project, failure to meet quality standards and/or deadlines may result in dismissal of the student from the project.
9. If multiple medical students are involved, they must decide on specific tasks for each student for the project and report it to the faculty, residents involved, and Dr. Cavanagh. 

2025 UTMB National Student Research Forum

Congratulations to the UTMB students, residents, and faculty who presented research at the 2025 UTMB National Student Research Forum!

 

Poster Presentations

AI-Assisted Teledermatology for Underserved Populations: A Review of Diagnostic Accuracy, Patient Outcomes, and Implementation Challenges. Katherine Benandi, Andrew Spires, Gabriela Villa, Kristin Wolf.

Between Fear and Facts: Topical Steroid Withdrawal Discourse on Social Media. Presley Limon, Shawn Lim, Renat Ahatov, Anthony Linfante.

 Shining a Light on UV Filter Regulation: A Narrative Review on the U.S. vs. South Korea. Shawn Lim, Jun Park, Janice Wilson.

Periorbital Granulomatous Reactions to Dermal Fillers: A Review of Management Strategies. Daniel Cho, Luke Hamilton, Victoria Cuello, Evan Pistone, Antonio Jimenez, Anthony Linfante.

Representations of Alopecia and Trichotillomania in Children’s Literature. Alekhya Gurram, Fareen Momin, Md Ibrahim Tahashilder, Richard Wagner.

Dermatomyositis and Hematological Malignancies: A Case-Based Systematic Review on Demographics, Clinical Features, and Outcomes. Casey Brusen, Jun Park, Jairy Medina, Claire Chaljub, Alyssa Hansen, Juan Pinto-Cuberos, Kathleen Kroger.

A Systematic Review on Skin of Color Representation in Diabetic Foot Ulceration Literature. Lynchi Nguyen, Alice Lee, Sarah Kesaria,  Janice Wilson, Daniel Jupiter.

Exploring the Psychosocial Impact of Giant Congenital Melanocytic Nevi in Children. Pooja Enagala, Luke Hamilton, Elise Weisert, Lindy Ross.

Understanding and Addressing the Need for Sun Safety and Skin Cancer Education: A Systematic Review of Analyses and Current Initiatives at Student and Volunteer-Led Free Clinics. Smiti Gandhi, Roxana Zaman, Madelyn Schmidt, Peter Nugyen, Juan Pinto Cuberos, Ayezel Munoz, Gonzalez.

 

Oral Presentations 

Evaluating the Image-Based Diagnostic Accuracy of ChatGPT in Dermatology: A Comparative Analysis Between AI Models. Madelyn Schmidt, Janice Wilson.

 

Congratulations Dr. Quincy Seigel!

The DIG has learned that Dr. Seigel, UTMB SOM Class of 2024 and current PGY1 in the UTMB Department of Internal Medicine, accepted a PGY2 dermatology residency position at the University of Vermont starting this July. Congratulations!

Texas Dermatology Society Spring 2025 - Congratulations to all participants!

Please join DIG in congratulating all UTMB faculty, residents, and medical students at the Texas Dermatology Society (TDS) Spring meeting hosted in Galveston, TX on April 4th and 5th!

 

AWARDS

 

1st Place Resident Podium Presentation: Flap-tastrophe: When Patients Take Surgery Into Their Own Hands. Marie Vu, Smiti Gandhi, Frank Winsett.

 

3rd Place Resident Poster Presentation: Dermatomyositis and Hematological Malignancies: A case-based systematic review on associations, demographics, clinical features, and outcomes. Alyssa Hansen, Casey Brusen, Jun Park, Jairy Medina, Claire Chaljub, Juan Pinto-Cuberos, Kathleen Kroger.

 

Top 2 Medical Student Podium Presentations: Cardiovascular Effects of JAK Inhibitors in Atopic Dermatitis: A Retrospective Cohort Study. Luke Hamilton, BS, Antonio Jimenez, MD, Amina El Ayadi, PhD, Michael Wilkerson, MD.

 

FACULTY PODIUM PRESENTATIONS

 

UTMB Multi-Specialty Lecture on Hidradenitis Suppurativa. Kathleen Kroger, MD, Damien Fisher, PharmD, and Ludwik Branski, MD.

 

Updates in the Genetic Landscape of Melanocytic Lesions, for Clinicians. Janice Wilson, MD. 

 

History of Dermatology. Michael Wilkerson, MD.

 

From Collagen to Chaos: Menopause and the Skin. Erica Kelly, MD. 

 

Things I Learned in Prison. Brent Kelly, MD.

 

Dermoscopy and Confocal Microscopy. Anthony Linfante, MD.

 

Pediatric Dermatology Pearls for the General Dermatologist. Lindy Ross, MD.

 

Updates in Derm Surgery and Clinical Pearls. Frank Winsett, MD. 

 

Social Media Skin Trends to Know. Janice Wilson, MD.

 

Updates from the APD. Janice Wilson, MD.

 

RESIDENT CASE PRESENTATIONS

 

A Pain in the Neck. Mary Cavanagh, Brent Kelly, Ayezel Munoz Gonzalez.

 

Claws and Effect. Brinda Chellappan, Sarah Muir, Kathleen Kroger, Brent Kelly.

 

From Bushes to Breakout. Katherine Woolridge, Sonia Patel, Anthony Linfante, Erica Kelly.

 

Floaters and Flashes: What Caused the Sparkle in One Man’s Eye. Matthew Scholl, Brent Kelly, Anthony Linfante, Brandon Goodwin.

 

Unfashionable Fishnets: A Case of Retiform Macules. Alyssa Hansen, Ayezel Munoz Gonzalez, Brent Kelly.

 

Beneath the Skin: Solving the Mystery of Panful Subcutaneous Nodules. Antonio Jimenez, Luke Hamilton, Brandon Goodwin.

 

Shedding Some (Intense) Light. Elise Weisert, Janice Wilson, Brandon Goodwin.

 

Rock Hard Abs. Peter Nguyen, Whitney Harrell, Anthony Linfante, Erica Kelly.

 

Ink-Credible Dilemma. Oliva Chukwuma, Janice Wilson, Frank Winsett, Kathleen Kroger.

 

Tracing the Unexpected: A Tattoo That Told a Different Story. Renat Ahatov, Michael Adkison, Mary Cavanagh, Corely Pruneda, Juan Pinto-Cuberos, Kush Maheshwari, Anthony Linfante, Richard Wagner.

 

Bilateral Birth Marks. Kristin Geh, Diego A, Ramos-Briceno, Ayezel Munoz Gonzalez.

 

The Plaque Thickens: An Unusual Pediatric Presentation. Benjamin Andres Garcia, Diego A. Ramos-Briceno, Azazel Munoz Gonzalez, Anthony Linfante. 

 

Small Patient, Big Clues: Solving a Neonatal Mystery. Marie Vu, Megan Bradley, Frank Winsett. 

 

Long-Standing Soft Tissue Mass in a 7-Year Old. Travis Dowdle, Diego A. Ramos-Briceno, Janice Wilson, Ayezel Munoz Gonzalez.

 

A Bloody Mystery: When Lymphedema Takes A Dark Turn. Kristen Kay, Anthony Linfante.

 

Blue B-ALLs in the Dark. Sarah Rivera De Pena, Claudia N. Bubocq Ortiz, Frank Winsett, Anthony Linfante, Janice Wilson, Brent Kelly.

 

Fatal Magnetic Attraction. Juan Pinto-Cuberos, Frank Winsett.

RESIDENT PODIUM PRESENTATIONS

 

Flap-tastrophe: When Patients Take Surgery Into Their Own Hands. Marie Vu, Smiti Gandhi, Frank Winsett. 

 

Mohs From Mohs to Toes: Mapping the Impact of Tumor Location on Surgery Stage Requirements. Travis S Dowdle, Ryan Koch, Corley Pruneda, Juan Pinto Cuberos, Renat Ahatov, Frank Winsett, Richard Wagner. 

 

RESIDENT POSTER PRESENTATIONS

 

Dermatomyositis and Hematological Malignancies: A case-based systematic review on associations, demographics, clinical features, and outcomes. Alyssa Hansen, Casey Brusen, Jun Park, Jairy Medina, Claire Chaljub, Juan Pinto-Cuberos, Kathleen Kroger. 

 

A Rare Case of Dapsone Hypersensitivity Reaction in a Patient with Henoch-Schönlein Purpura.

Antonio Jimenez, Luke Hamilton, Anthony Linfante. 

 

Bridging the Cost Divide: Comparing Veterinary and Human Dermatologic Drug Pricing. Travis S Dowdle, Madelyn Schmidt, Nicole Remmert, Ayezel Munoz Gonzalez.

 

Characterizing the Mpox Pandemic: A Retrospective Review of Cases in one United States County.  Brenda Carrillo, Jonathan Pavia, Anthony Linfante, David Reynoso. 

 

MEDICAL STUDENT PODIUM PRESENTATIONS

 

Sun Safety Education and Skin Cancer Prevention at St. Vincent’s Student-Led Clinic: Promoting Awareness in Underserved Communities Through A Waiting Room Program. Smiti Gandhi, Madelyn Schmidt, Roxana Zaman, Peter Nguyen, Juan Pinto Cuberos, Ayezel Munoz Gonzalez. 

 

Innovative Dermatologic Approaches to Burn Wound Healing: 3D Imaging Insights into MAP Hydrogel Treatment. Alekhya Gurram, Isabelle Bergman, Juquan Song, Kan Nakamoto, Julia Kleinhapl, Michael Wilkerson, Steven Wolf, Amina El Ayadi. 

 

A Systematic Review on Skin of Color Representation in Diabetic Foot Ulceration Literature. Lynchi Nguyen, Alice Lee, Sarah Kesaria, Janice Wilson, Daniel Jupiter. 

 

Gimmick or Game Changer: Illuminating the Impact of Red Light Therapy on Acne and Wrinkles. Parul Raj, Inchara Raj, Alexandra McLennan, Hafsa Hassan, Jane Onyemachi, Daniel Najafali, Linda Phillips. 

 

Post-Operative Inflammatory Complications Do Not Increase the Risk of Skin Cancer Recurrence. Madelyn Schmidt, Travis S. Dowdle, Richard Wagner.

 

Method Development for Multiplex, In-Situ, and Real-Time Detection of Herpesvirus Reactivation in Spaceflight Crews using Nanopore Sequencing. Quincy Seigel, Meryl Musicante, Patrick Rydzak, Christian Castro, Hang Nguyen, Audrey Almengor, Sara Stahl-Rommel, Satish Mehta, Douglass Diak, Miten Jain, Stephen Tyring, Brian Crucian, Sarah Castro-Wallace.

 

Cardiovascular Effects of JAK Inhibitors in Atopic Dermatitis: A Retrospective Cohort Study. Luke Hamilton, BS, Antonio Jimenez, MD, Amina El Ayadi, PhD, Michael Wilkerson, MD.

 

MEDICAL STUDENT POSTER PRESENTATIONS

 

Comparative Analysis of Drug-Induced Lupus Rates among Various Biologic Injections: A Retrospective Study using TriNetX. Meagan Carter, Alyssa Hansen, Kristin Geh, Kathleen Kroger.

 

Reflectance Confocal Microscopy Used to Measure Cosmetic Interactions. Inchara Raj, Lilia Correa. 

 

Differentiating Atypical FIbroxanthoma From Atypical Cellular Neurothekeoma: A Comprehensive Diagnostic Approach. Katherine Benandi, Andrew Spires, Diego Alvarez, Anthony Linfante.

 

Cardiovascular Risk in Patients with Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis: A Retrospective Cohort Study. Manav Patel, Shawn Lim, Amr Ahmed, Sophia Choi, Wei-Chen Lee.

 

Psychosocial and Emotional Impact and Stigma of Alopecia; A Review. Areeba Navroz.

 

Examining the Association Between PTSD and Skin Conditions: A Retrospective Cohort Study. Casey Brusen, Kassiana Elizondo, Charlena Melynk. 

 

Evaluating the Impact of Vitamin D Deficiency on Skin Cancer Risk: A Retrospective Cohort Study. Katie Chen, Casey Brusen. 

 

Hypopituitarism is Associated with a Decreased Risk of Dermatologic Conditions. Madelyn Schmidt, Kristen Kay, Anthony Linfante. 

 

Assessing Cardiovascular and Metabolic Risks in Dermatopolymyositis Patients on TriNetX. Fatima Naqvi, Shelvy Devin, Kristen Kay, Ayezel Munoz Gonzalez. 

 

Challenges in Diagnosing Malignant Melanoma in Tattooed Skin: A Case Report and Discussion of Delayed Detection Mechanisms. Gabriela Villa, Katherine Benandi, Andrew Spires, Katherine Martin, Krisin Wolf.  

 

Isotretinoin-Induced Psychosis: Exploring the Psychiatric Impact of a Dermatological Treatment. Shelby Devin, Inchara Raj. 

 

Representations of Alopecia and Trichotillomania in Children’s Literature. Alekhya Gurram, Fareen Momin, Ibrahim Tahashilder, Richard Wagner.

 

Eosinophilic, Polymorphic, and Pruritic Eruption Associated with Radiotherapy (EPPER) in a Patient with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. Neha Sohail, Quincy Seigel, Mary Cavanagh, Anthony Linfante. 

 

Shining a Light on UV Filter Regulation: A Narrative Review on the U.S. vs. South Korea. Shawn Lim, Jun Park, Janice Wilson. 

 

Between Fear and Facts: Topical Steroid Withdrawal Discourse on Social Media. Presley Limon, Shawn Lim, Renat Ahatov, Anthony Linfante.

 

Are You Buying It? A Mini Review of Oral Over The Counter Beauty Supplements. McKenzie DiLeo, Maryam Niazi, Avery White, Rashid Rashid. 

 

Rates of Dermatological Complications Following Orthopedic Cast Immobilization in a Pediatric Population: a Single Center Prospective Study. Lynchi Nguyen, Alice Lee, Sydney Smith, Kelly Carmicheal. 

 

Dermatological Intervention is Not Enough: The Need for a More Comprehensive Approach to Treat Prurigo Nodularis. Ria Kanotra, Joel Joy, Shelby Devin. 

 

Granuloma Annulare in Pediatric Patients: Two Case Reports Highlighting Variations in Presentations Across Skin Types. Zainab Yousaf, Diego Ramos, Alyssa Hansen, Ayezel Munoz Gonzalez, Anthony Linfante, Brent Kelly. 

 

The Overlooked Connection: Hyperhidrosis and Mental Health Disorders. Brook Thimmig, Presley, Limon, Navin Oorjitham. 

 

Multidisciplinary Management of Severe, Treatment-Resistant Hidradenitis Suppurativa in a Young Male: A Case Report. Gengi Keito, Ayezel Munoz Gonzalez. 

UTMB PGY4 Dermatology Resident Receives Thayer Award

UTMB PGY4 Dermatology Chief Resident for Medical Education, Dr. Antonio Jimenez, has been selected for the Spring 2025 Thayer Award for Excellence in Teaching by the UTMB John P. McGovern Academy of Oslerian Medicine. The Thayer Award is given in recognition for “…residents and fellows who demonstrate sound scientific knowledge, compassion toward patients, and dedication to learning and teaching.”  The UTMB DIG sends our congratulations! We are happy that you will remain in the UTMB Department of Dermatology as a Dermatopathology Fellow for the upcoming 2025-2026 academic year!

Galveston's 19th Annual Steps Against Melanoma Walk

The Dermatology Interest Group and Plastic Surgery Interest Group are partnering with the AIM at Melanoma Foundation to host the 19th annual Steps Against Melanoma Walk! It is completely free to register but those who donate $50 or more will get a T-shirt. The event includes a 1-mile walk and a 5K run to support those affected by melanoma and contribute to ongoing research efforts.

 

We are honored to have Dr. Anthony Linfante and Shelby Devin (MS2) as our opening speakers before the walk begins to talk about the importance of the work AIM At Melanoma does! There will also be a raffle day-of with amazing prizes like gift cards and skincare bundles!!

 

We’d love for you to join us in bringing awareness to melanoma and supporting this important cause. Feel free to invite friends and family to participate or donate!

 

Save the date: Sunday, April 27 at 9 AM

Location: Galveston Seawall (starting across from Salsa’s Restaurant – 4604 Seawall Blvd, Galveston, TX 77501)

Dermatology Medical Student Virtual Symposium 2025

Brigham and Women's Hospital Department of Dermatology is proud to announce its Fifth Annual Medical Student Virtual Research Symposium taking place on Wednesday, May 28 2025 from 11AM to 3PM EST.

BWH Dermatology has a longstanding tradition of supporting inquiry, investigation, and innovation in dermatology and is recognized as a leader the field. We are pleased to host this unique Virtual Research Symposium exclusively dedicated to highlighting medical student research accomplishments in dermatology in a national forum. We welcome submissions from a broad variety of research topics and look forward to showcasing your accomplishments.

Submissions are due Friday, April 11, 2025 at 11:59 PM EST.

Questions? Email bwhderm@bwh.harvard.edu

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Key Information

What: A 4-hour Virtual Research Symposium dedicated to medical student research in dermatology. See full agenda below; the day will include research plenary sessions, breakout poster sessions, and short spotlight talks from select BWH Dermatology Faculty aimed at medical students with a clinical interest in dermatology.

Research categories include:

• Medical Dermatology
• Surgical Dermatology
• Pediatric Dermatology
• Dermatopathology
• Basic Science
• Health Policy, Services, and Systems
• Medical Education
• Technology, AI, Devices and Innovation in Dermatology

Types of research that will be considered include laboratory-based investigations, epidemiologic studies, quality improvement work, medical education projects, or any other scholarly projects. Based on the number of submissions, certain categories may be combined.

Additionally, we will have a separate category for Case Reports/Case Series.

All submissions will be reviewed by a committee including members of the Brigham Dermatology Faculty, Fellows and Harvard Dermatology Residents. Up to 10 of the highest rated submissions will be selected for plenary oral presentation. We anticipate research investigations will be the majority of plenary presentation.

Please Note: Medical students may serve as the first author on only *1* submission for the Symposium. They may serve as co-authors on any number of other submissions.

Who: Any current medical student engaged in dermatology-related research is eligible to submit projects for consideration. Trainees who have already completed medical school by the time of the project submission are not eligible to participate. 

When: Wednesday, May 28, 2025 -- 11AM to 3PM EST. Abstract submissions are due by Friday, April 11 at 11:59 PM EST.

Why: To highlight the multifaceted scholarly accomplishments made during the course of the 2024-25 academic year by medical students dedicated to research in dermatology

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Preliminary Agenda 

Subject to Change

• 11:00 AM: Welcome and Introductory Remarks
• 11:05 AM: 5 Plenary Talks by Outstanding Research Abstracts winners
• 12:00 Noon: Interactive Poster Session - grouped by Research Category
• Attendees will have the opportunity to share highlights of their research and view others’ projects
• BWH Dermatology Faculty and Harvard Dermatology Residents will join interactive session
• 1:05 PM: BWH Derm Faculty Presentations with Audience Q&A
• 2:00 PM: 5 Plenary Talks by Outstanding Research Abstracts winners
• 2:55 PM: Closing Remarks

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Submit Abstracts Here:

Interested in registering and submitting an abstract for the symposium? Review the following abstract requirements, and then click on the link below to submit!

*All abstracts must use the required template, which can be downloaded here as an editable Word document and converted to PDF.*

 ABSTRACT REQUIREMENTS

• All files must be text-only and submitted in *PDF* format
• Do not include tables, figures, images, or other graphics
• The abstract must fit on *ONE* single page
• Please include the following sections in the abstract:
• TITLE
• ABSTRACT TEXT (please limit Abstract Text to 250 words)
• REFERENCES
• To facilitate blinded review, do NOT include the authors’ names in the PDF submission. Please make sure the TITLE of the abstract exactly matches the TITLE entered on the registration form.

 All abstracts must be submitted by Friday, April 11 at 11:59 PM EST. 

***Link to register and submit research abstracts***

Thanks so much for your interest! Feel free to spread the word!

Questions? Email bwhderm@bwh.harvard.edu

March CODE BB

CODE BB posted its final bulletin board of the year at Crenshaw Elementary/Middle School. The board features fun facts to help students learn more about their skin. A big thank you to everyone who made CODE BB possible! We look forward to continuing to educate Galveston youth about dermatology next year! 

Feel free to reach out to Casey Brusen (cabrusen@utmb.edu) or Lynchi Nguyen (lypnguye@utmb.edu) if you have any questions!

Skin of Color Symposium

The 2025 virtual Skin of Color Symposium will be hosted by the department of dermatology at the University of Oklahoma on May 9th from 7 am to 4 pm. Please see the attached flier for more details.

Registration link: https://ouhsc.cloud-cme.com/course/courseoverview?P=5&EID=14459