Dr. Anthony Perri on Second Magazine Cover this Year

The latest issue of Dock Line (Lake Conroe Edition) features a photo of Dr. Perri, a UTMB Dermatology Alum, with his dermatology staff and an article on pages 8-11 of the October 2010 issue.

18th Annual John M. Knox Lecture

The Houston Dermatological Society is holding its 18th Annual John M. Knox Lecture on Saturday, November 13, 2010 at UTMB in the 5th Floor UHC Building at 8 am (registration). Patient viewing will be from 8:30-9:30 am and patient discussion will follow at 10 am in the Clinical Science Auditorium. The featured speaker this year is Dr. Bruce Thiers, the Chair of Dermatology at the University of South Carolina and the Editor of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (JAAD). Dr. Thiers is scheduled to give a lecture entitled, “Best of JAAD” at 11:15 until noon.

Why won’t dermatology program directors write back, return my phone calls and seem to be avoiding me after my interview?

A recent article (October 2010) in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (JAAD) from the University of Florida and Stanford (Sbicca JA, Gorell ES, Kanzler MH, Lane AT. The integrity of the dermatology National Resident Matching Program: Results of a national study. J Am Acad Dermatol 2010;63:594-601) advised that no post interview contact by “…program directors or other program personnel…” take place because it is considered “…undue pressure…” on applicants. The authors also advise that second visits to dermatology programs by applicants should not be allowed, because “…second visits would require post-interview contact by program directors or other program personnel…” These rules could prove to be a major challenge for students who have applied to their home program. What if your program director is also your faculty advisor? The JAAD may be interested in hearing timely responses and concerns from readers and other stakeholders in the NRMP about the value and practicality of these recent recommendations.

G-Town in the News

Sadly, there have been two negative reports recently about Galveston.

Earlier this year, Galveston found itself on the list of 10 dying cities the U.S: http://finance.yahoo.com/banking-budgeting/article/110479/americas-10-dying-cities-from-detroit-to-new-orleans. Hurricane Ike (2008) resulted in Galveston’s decreased population, but much of Galveston has already been rebuilt and is recovering. Summer tourism has recovered nicely.

Today the Galveston Daily News reported that in 2008 one neighborhood in Galveston was among the top 25 dangerous areas nationally: http://galvestondailynews.com/story/181342. However, following Hurricane Ike, crime in Galveston is down.

And according to one website, Galveston is haunted as well: http://www.hauntedamericatours.com/toptenhaunted/toptenhauntedcities/

Don’t believe everything you read!

10 Years in a Row!

Congratulations to Drs. Cameron Coury, Julie Fridlington and Ryan Matherne for passing the certification examination given by the American Board of Dermatology on their first attempt! Their success marks ten years of all of UTMB’s completing dermatology residents passing their boards the first time they took them! Dr. Coury is now in private dermatology practice (Richardson, Texas) as is Dr. Fridlington (Austin, Texas). Dr. Matherne is one of the current UTMB dermatopathology fellows and also on the UTMB dermatology faculty.

This Thursday - Meet the PGY-2 Dermatology Residents!

We are very excited to have Drs. Mara Dacso, Leslie Scroggins, and Julie Martin as our special guests this Thursday, October 7th,  at 6:00 PM in the Dermatology Conference Room (McCullough 4.112)! Come find out a little bit about who they are and how they got to where they currently are. Everyone is welcome to attend!

More Dermatology Programs Requesting Secondary Materials from Applicants

Several dermatology programs are now requesting supplemental materials from applicants in addition to the universal ERAS application. Given the deep academic talent in the current pool of dermatology applicants and the widespread strategy employed by applicants of applying to almost every training program, it is understandable why some programs are especially interested in understanding why an applicant may be interested in their particular residency. Some programs have unique training environments and specific institutional goals, and may be looking for the “best fit” with applicants. Although such secondary requests are still the exception, it is possible that more programs may soon ask for additional materials as well and use this information as another tool to select applicants for an interview. UTMB does not currently request supplemental information from its dermatology applicants.

206 Dermatology Residency Applicants

206 dermatology residency applicants have already submitted their complete ERAS dermatology applications for three NRMP Categorical dermatology positions. However, at UTMB, dermatology residency applications are not reviewed until the November 1st deadline.

More UTMB Branding News

From youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnYcR9ca6Ow

Don’t Worry

Tomorrow, Tuesday, Sept. 28, the UTMB Police Department will conduct a training exercise involving a simulated shooting incident in the Jamail Student Center. The building will be closed to all students, staff and personnel not involved with the exercise from 2 to 6 p.m. that day. This is a training exercise only and will not be a real emergency situation. Many other emergency agencies, including the Galveston Fire Department and Galveston EMS, will be included in the exercise.

Learning from Zombies

Dr. Steven C. Schlozman, a visiting lecturer from Harvard Medical School, will be speaking on Tuesday, October 19th, 2010 at 5:30 pm in Levin Hall. Halloween costumes are optional, but there will be prizes for the best in three categories (medical, traditional and humorous). While the focus of this lecture is on the neurologic and behavioral abnormalities of zombies, this material is also expected to be of interest to dermatologists because zombies are rarely known to have normal skin.

DIG@UTMB reaches a record number of subscribers!

The editors of the DIG@UTMB blog are happy to announce that we have reached over 125 blog subscribers. Our subscribers include current and former UTMB dermatologists, residents, and medical students, residents and practicing physicians from other institutions, as well as non-medical subscribers interested in Dermatology. If you know anyone else that is interested in Dermatology, please spread the word!

We would like to thank everyone for their continued interest and support.

If you would like to subscribe to our e-mail list, or if you have any suggestions or comments, please contact us at utmbdig@gmail.com.

Sincerely,
UTMB DIG 2010-2011 Officers

DIG@UTMB has a new look!

We've redesigned the look and feel of our blog. From the burnt orange flare to the new RSS feed, easy search feature, social sharing tools, and a little bit of UTMB history, we hope that the DIG@UTMB blog will be even more user friendly and evident of our UTMB pride!

We'd love to hear your thoughts! Contact us at utmbdig@gmail.com, or share our posts on facebook or twitter using the icons below.

JAMA Publishes Demographic Information about Dermatology Residents

As of December 2009, there were 112 ACGME dermatology residency programs with 1080 residents. There were 687 women in this group. 1024 had graduated from US medical schools, 15 from osteopathic schools, and 40 from international medical schools (page 1256). This information was extracted from the September 15, 2010 issue of JAMA (“Graduate Medical Education, 2009-2010,” Volume 304, pages 1255-1270). 764 dermatology residents were White, 203 were Asian, 62 were Hispanic and 57 were Black (page 1265).

Good Source for Dermatology Information

DIG members may be interested in the link for The American Board of Dermatology, Inc. public website (http://www.abderm.org/), especially the “Newsletter” section. Did you know that for the last academic year, there were 445 PGY2 dermatology residency positions filled?

Third MS4 Dermatology Honors Research Thesis Approved for SOM Class of 2011

Congratulations to Melissa Efron, the UTMB DIG Austin Campus President, on the UTMB Honors Research Committee’s approval of her proposal entitled, “Dermal Scatter Reduction in Human Skin as a Method to Increase Efficacy of Laser Tattoo Removal.” Ms. Efron’s dermatology faculty advisor on this research is Dr. Dayna Diven, the UT-Southwestern-Austin Dermatology Program Director and expert on laser applications in dermatology. Her ad hoc thesis committee members, in addition to Dr. Diven, are from UTMB (Drs. Simon Lewis, Sharon Raimer, and Richard Wagner).

PGY3 UTMB Dermatology Residents Win Gold Medals

Congratulations to Drs. Ashley Group and Nate Davis for their gold medal wins over the weekend at the 2nd Annual Galveston Rebirth Races! This race commemorates Galveston’s Rebirth following Hurricane Ike in 2008.

Dr. Julie Fridlington Featured in UTMB Medical School Applicant Materials

Dr. Julie Fridlington (third from the left), a June 2010 graduate from the UTMB Dermatology Residency Program now practicing in Austin, is featured in UTMB Medical School Applicant materials that are given to premedical students visiting our campus for their medical school interviews. It was great seeing you again!

Dr. Ryan Matherne Accepts UTMB Dermatology Faculty Position

Congratulations to Dr. Ryan Matherne, one of the current UTMB Dermatopathology Fellows. He accepted a Department of Dermatology faculty appointment and held his first UTMB dermatology clinic since completing the UTMB dermatology residency in June 2010. We all look forward to interacting with you in the clinic and behind the microscope!

UTMB Increases House Staff Paycheck in October 2010

Learn more about Hurricane Ike (2008) through Film

Ball High School’s acclaimed film, “Ike: The Documentary” will be shown at the Grand 1894 Opera House (2020 Postoffice Street) on Monday, September 13 at 7 pm. This showing is free to the public, and commemorates the 2nd year anniversary of Hurricane Ike.

Do I Need 250 or more on Step 1 and AOA to Match in Dermatology?

No, but obviously it helps to be a superstar student with high Step 1 scores and with grades/leadership skills that have been recognized by your medical school (AOA). Those stats will certainly be rewarded by lots of interview opportunities. However, since 50% of dermatology positions go to medical students who are not in AOA, there is still a good chance of matching if you are able to distinguish your application with excellent letters of support by faculty who know you well, and you can demonstrate that you have success in research, especially if it is dermatology related. Advanced research degrees may also be of help here, but they are not required. It is usually more important that you are able to demonstrate academic productivity through publications than having the degree itself. Of course it may take several years of work to produce a curriculum vitae that will excite the academic dermatology community. Another unique statistic of the NRMP for dermatology is that at least 10% of available dermatology positions go to those who are not MS4s. This represents the group of applicants who are in their PGY1 year when applying, in dermatology fellowships, or those who either are completing or have completed residencies/fellowships in other specialties. In many instances, this applicant pool has substantial dermatology research experience or a highly sought skill-set such as dermatopathology board certification. The good news is that dermatology programs are still very open minded about the residency selection process, and want the best applicants that they can find for the specialty.

First Year Dermatology Resident on NIH R21 Grant

The DIG congratulates PGY2 dermatology resident Dr. Mara Dacso for her collaboration on Buruli Ulcer that focuses on early diagnosis through signal processing technology. The proposal was ranked in the 6th percentile for funding.

Second Dermatology Research Honors Project Approved for SOM Class of 2011

Congratulations go out to MS4 Kehinde Ogunmakin for her Dermatology Research Honors Project entitled, “Co-morbid psychiatric dysfunction in patients with keloids using GHQ-12: a comparison to patients with psoriasis.” Her ad hoc Honors Committee faculty members are Drs. Erica Kelly (Advisor), Simon Lewis, Sharon Raimer and Richard Wagner. We are all looking forward to your thesis presentation later this academic year!

9-2 DIG Meeting Recap

We had a great turn out at yesterday's meeting! DIG would like to thank Dr. Wagner for his very informative talk about getting into a Dermatology residency and the UTMB Dermatology Residency program. Below is a summary of the items Dr. Wagner discussed, followed by a meeting summary.

Summary of Dr. Wagner's Talk:
1.) UTMB is the only school that offers and Acting Internship in Dermatology! The AI is offered the first 5 periods of 4th year, and is a really good way to get to know the Dermatology faculty and residents in addition to getting exposure to Dermatology.

2.) The UTMB Department of Dermatology has a wide variety of electives, ranging from Clinical Dermatology and Research, to Dermatopathology and Dermatology in the Cinema.

3.) Dermatology is an extremely competitive field. 4th year students who match into dermatology often have many publications, research experiences, volunteer activities, superior USMLE Step 1 scores, and 50% belong to the AOA Medical Honor Society. If you don't match the first year, work on getting things published during your intern year, then reapply. Don't give up! It is very possible to match into Dermatology the second or third time around.

4.) Consider participating in the Honors Research Program in Dermatology. The official deadline for the Honors Proposal is 12/31 of the third year, but extensions may be possible with permission from Dr. Simon Lewis.

5.) The UTMB School of Medicine allows you to participate in a 6-8 week summer research elective between 1st and 2nd year. This is a good way to gain a research mentor, compete for various research awards, and perhaps even the opportunity to get published.

6.) PA students can rotate through the Dermatology clinic too!

7.) 1st year medical students can sign up for a 4 week pre-clinical Dermatology preceptorship at the end of the year. There are only 4 spots, but you can volunteer at the clinic if you want exposure to Dermatology.

8.) St. Vincent's Free Health Clinic has a Dermatology night once per month with a UTMB Dermatology faculty member who supervises students. This is a good way to gain experience in Dermatology and serve the community.

9.) UTMB Dermatology is one of the few programs to offer a dermatologic surgery rotation to medical students, as well as telederm/prison derm to both students and residents.

10.) Remember, the Dermatology faculty are here to help!

UTMB DIG Meeting Summary:
1.) The UTMB DIG has a Facebook Group! Check it out: UTMB Dermatology Interest Group

2.) The UTMB DIG will be volunteering at the La Porte Health and Safety Fair on 9/25/2010 at La Porte Junior High, 9 – 1 PM

3.) Contact Melissa Efron (mfefron@utmb.edu), the UTMB DIG Austin President, for information on how to get involved with the UTMB DIG in Austin.

4.) The American Contact Dermatitis Society Meeting will be in Dallas, TX this year, October 14-16th. Contact Chelsea Altinger (cealting@utmb.edu) if you would like to attend.

5.) Upcoming meetings will include a "Meet the 1st year Derm Residents" session and a pig foot suturing session (this spring)

6.) DIG has openings for several committees, e-mail the officers to join or find out more information:

a.) Miles for Melanoma Committee - contact Auris (aohuen@utmb.edu) or Kenne (koogunma@utmb.edu)

b.) Stay Shady! (Sun Protection/Skin Cancer Awareness) Committee - contact Michaela (mrmarek@utmb.edu) or Kris (kbmccall@utmb.edu)

c.) Allied Health Outreach Committee - contact Lindsey (lihunter@utmb.edu)

New Research Grant Program from the Melanoma Research Foundation

In collaboration with Dermatology Interest Group Association (DIGA), the Melanoma Research Foundation (MRF) has opened up a new medical student research grant program. This program provides opportunities and funding for medical students to engage in short clinical or laboratory-based research projects focused on better understanding the biology and treatment of melanoma. Grant awards are $3000. The application process is open now and will close on October 31st. For more information about the grant program, please visit the Melanoma Research Foundation (MRF) website:

http://www.melanoma.org/research/mrf-medical-student-research-grant

DIG Meeting - Location Change

Please note that tonight's UTMB DIG meeting will now be held in the Dermatology Conference Room, 4.130 McCullough, at 5 PM.

Reminder: DIG Meeting Tomorrow

The UTMB DIG will have its first meeting tomorrow evening, September 2nd, at 5:00 PM in Joe's Cafeteria. Our guest speaker will be Dr. Richard Wagner, the UTMB Residency Director for the Department of Dermatology. Dr. Wagner will cover topics including the residency selection process and what the UTMB Dermatology department has to offer medical students. We look forward to seeing you!

Questions? Comments? Please email UTMBDIG@gmail.com

Two UTMB Dermatology Residents Coauthor Cutting Edge Research

DIG congratulations go out to coauthors Dr. Leslie Markle, a PGY2 UTMB dermatology resident, and Dr. M. Petitt, a PGY4 UTMB dermatology resident, for their excellent publication in the September 2010 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, the leading dermatology publication. Dr. Brent Kelly was the first author on this research, and other UTMB coauthors were Dr. J. Vickers (currently a PGY2 dermatology resident at New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY), Dr. S. Raimer (UTMB dermatology chair) and Dr. C. McNeese, a former UTMB dermatopathology fellow. The complete citation to this article is: Kelly BC, Markle LS, Vickers JL, Petitt MS, Raimer SS, McNeese C. The imbalanced expression of matrix metalloproteinases in nephrogenic systemic fibrosis. J Am Acad Dermatol 2010;63:483-9.

Liz Carmichael Joins UTMB Dermatology Clinic

Liz Carmichael, RN, MSN, FNP-C is well known to the Galveston community through her past work in the UTMB dermatology clinic (certified as a dermatology nurse by the Dermatology Nurses Association) and more recently in the UTMB Department of Family Medicine as a certified Family Nurse Practitioner. Ms. Carmichael, who holds her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and her Master’s degree in Nursing from UTMB’s School of Nursing, has accepted a clinical position in the UTMB Dermatology Clinic starting in September 2010. Welcome back to dermatology, Ms. Carmichael! We all missed you and are very happy to have you back!

UTMB DIG meeting on Thursday, September 2nd!

Join us for the first UTMB DIG meeting of the year! Our guest speaker will be Dr. Richard Wagner, the UTMB Residency Director for the Department of Dermatology.

Where: Joe's Cafeteria

When: Thursday September 2, 2010 @ 5:00 PM

RSVP to Lindsey Hunter: lihunter@utmb.edu

Questions? Comments? Please email UTMBDIG@gmail.com

UTMB Welcome Weekend

The UTMB Welcome Weekend was a huge success this past Saturday at the Moody Gardens Convention Center. Many student organizations and local businesses were present to meet and greet incoming UTMB students. The UTMB Dermatology Interest Group is excited to welcome nearly 50 new blog subscribers who signed up at this event!

UTMB DIG Galveston President, Lindsey Hunter (Left), and Vice President, Rebecca Philips (Right), above at the UTMB Welcome Weekend recruiting new members.

Bug (2007) Incorporated into Film Course

Bug, a 2007 horror film about delusions of parasitosis, has become the 15th required film for DERU-4051 and DERU-4007 beginning in Period 4 (starts on September 20th). Dr. Wagner wanted to include the horror film genre in the course syllabus of required film analysis, so that the medical students would have an opportunity to understand how representative skin diseases are depicted in a variety of films.

DIG Officers' Meeting Recap, 8/19/2010

The DIG officers’ meeting was a productive one! For more information on items discussed, see below.

1.) UTMB DIG to join Facebook - Stay tuned for more information on how to join the UTMB DIG Facebook group.
2.) Community Outreach – This year, DIG will continue educating the public on the importance of sun protection and skin cancer awareness at local schools, health fairs, and other community events. We also have plans to start a psoriasis education and awareness project.
3.) UTMB Welcome Weekend – Lindsey Hunter and Rebecca Philips to promote DIG this Saturday, August 21, 2010, at the Moody Gardens Convention Center from 10:45 – 12:45 PM.
4.) Miles for Melanoma – TBA
5.) *New* Contact Dermatitis Outreach Chair – Chelsea Altinger, MS2, to help DIG with a contact dermatitis education and awareness project!
6.) Upcoming meetings - Tentatively scheduled for September 2, 2010, October 7, 2010, and November 11, 2010.

To get involved with the UTMB DIG, e-mail Lindsey Hunter at lihunter@utmb.edu.

Dermatology Film Class Goes to Monday/Thursday Schedule

DERU-4051 and DERU-4007, UTMB’s popular film class that studies movie depictions of skin diseases, will start meeting on Monday and Thursday mornings at 10 am starting Period 3 (beginning on August 23). Dr. R. Wagner, the course director, said “Many of the MS4 film students have residency interviews on Fridays, so moving the class to meetings on Mondays and Thursdays will permit more medical students to participate in the class discussions, which are integral to the class.” This class also has a teleconferencing option, so that students not on the Galveston campus may participate in class discussions by phoning into a conference call that is available for each class meeting. If students are unable to participate in class discussion, they may make up the missed class through a writing assignment that is detailed in the course syllabus.

UTMB Dermatology Volunteers Return From Camp Dermadillo

UTMB PGY4 dermatology residents, Drs. Matt Petitt and John Stephens, and MS4, Rod Mahmoudizad, recently returned from Camp Dermadillo, held in Burton, Texas for children with skin diseases. Thanks for contributing your skills this summer!

UTMB has a New Name!

The UT regents have approved a new name for The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB). We will now be known as “utmb Health.” According to utmb Health President David Callendar, the historical name was confusing to the public because they did not understand what a “medical branch” was.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7151432.html

Dr. Monica Scheel’s Clinical Observation Published in Dermatology Times

Dr. Monica Scheel, UTMB Dermatology Residency Class of 1999, has been quoted about her followup care for melanoma patients in Hawaii. In the August 2010 issue of Dermatology Times (Volume 31, Number 8, page 13), Dr. Scheel advises checking vitamin D levels in patients with a history of melanoma. She has found that 50% of these patients in her solo private practice are low in vitamin D, a surprising finding due to her geography.

Annual UTMB Dermatology Residents and Faculty Survey

Pooled anonymous data from UTMB dermatology and faculty gathered through New Innovations surveys indicated that both residents and attendings alike are pleased with the current quality and direction of the UTMB dermatology residency program. The survey is administered yearly to provide anonymous resident and faculty input so that program changes may be made if needed. One faculty commented that three major strengths of training in dermatology at UTMB were: “1. Academic quality of residents and faculty; 2. Comprehensive didactic education; 3. Exceptionally strong dermatopathology, consultation dermatology, pediatric dermatology and dermatologic surgery training.”

UTMB Dermatology Discontinuing Angleton Dermatology Clinic Next Month

In the aftermath of Hurricane Ike (2008), UTMB Dermatology established a satellite clinic in Angleton, Texas. Since that time, the UTMB Dermatology Clinic in Bay Colony (League City) was built, with the capacity to absorb the Angleton dermatology practice. By the end of September 2010, all of the current Angleton Clinic dermatology patients will be transferred to the Bay Colony Clinic.