2025-26 DIG Officer Applications

DIG is opening its 2025-2026 election! Applicants are welcome to apply for more than one position. Application will close on April 11th at 5PM. Paragraphs from each applicant will be sent out by April 13th and voting will occur from April 14-16th. Results will be posted on April 17th.

 

Current officer roles are posted here:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Nh6V8lRmxpwdq_rmQRTJXy2WOrzVr4CIE5hFdDxunts/edit?usp=sharing

 

If you have any questions about any of the  officer roles please feel free to reach out to any of the current officers (listed here): https://digutmb.blogspot.com/2024/04/dig-2024-25-election-results.html

 

Application link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfxBXVEVaeXuWQxgGYBN8oZ0M7J6Cu6tisUPnypxUryB6DRBg/viewform?usp=dialog

UTMB Dermatology Resident and Faculty Awarded by Saint Vincent’s Hope Clinic

Congratulations to dermatology PGY2 Alyssa Hansen MD (Beach Award) and dermatology Assistant Professor Anthony Linfante, MD (Healthcare Hero).

UTMB Students Publish Research

Congratulations to Katherine Benandi (MS2), Madelyn Schmidt (MS3), and Dr. Frank Winsett (Assistant Professor in Dermatology) for their recent publication titled, “Advancing Skin Cancer Awareness: Implementation of the Block the Blaze Program in Galveston Schools” in the Online Journal of Community and Public Centered Healthcare.

 

Link: https://ojcpchc.com/elpern-d-j/advancing-skin-cancer-awareness-implementation-of-the-block-the-blaze-program-in-galveston-schools/

 

UTMB PGY3s Transition into 2025-2026 Academic Year PGY4 Chief Roles

Congratulations to our 6 new incoming Dermatology Chief Residents!

Academic  Chief:  Dr. Woolridge

 

Scheduling  Chief: Dr. Kesaria

 

Friday  Chief: Dr. Scholl

 

Medical Student Chief: Dr. Nguyen

 

Social/Wellness Chief: Dr. Ahatov

 

Research Chief: Dr. Cavanagh

Successful Thesis Defense

Congratulations to MS4 Michael Adkison for his successful thesis defense on Friday, March 21, 2025 on the topic of “Standardizing and Streamlining Documentation of Patients with Psoriasis, Psoriatic Arthritis, and Atopic Dermatitis: A Novel Approach Using SmartPhrases within the Electronic Medical Record.” His supervising faculty was Janice Wilson, MD (UTMB Associate Professor of Dermatology) and his ad hoc  thesis committee members were Dr. Wilson,  Kathleen Kroger, MD  (UTMB Assistant Professor of Dermatology), Lindy Ross, MD (UTMB Assistant Professor of Dermatology), and Ayezel Munoz, MD (UTMB Assistant Professor of Dermatology). The ad hoc committee advised the UTMB Honors Research Steering Committee that Mr. Adkison should receive Magna Cum Laude graduation research honors for his work, and their recommendation was supported by the the institutional committee.

UTMB Dermatology Announces Dermatology Residency Class of 2029

Congratulations to our six applicants who successfully matched into the UTMB dermatology residency commencing on July 1, 2026. The new residents are (alphabetical order):

 

Michael Adkison (UTMB)

 

Brook Bartley, MD (UT Houston)

 

Megan Bradley (UTMB)

 

Morgan Hammack, MD (Baylor)

 

Jane Onyemachi (UTMB)

 

Nicole Remmert (Texas Tech)

UTMB MS4s Successfully Match into Dermatology Residencies

Congratulations to our MS4 UTMB medical students for their successfully NRMP for advanced dermatology residency positions that start in July 2026. They are (alphabetical order):

 

Michael Adkison (UTMB)

 

Megan Bradley (UTMB)

 

David Garate (UT Southwestern)

 

Victoria Katei (UT Houston)

Jane Onemachi (UTMB)

MS2s Presented at Local Community Health Seminar

Congratulations

 to Danielle Miller (MS2) and Alekyha Gurram (MS2) for delivering an informative presentation titled "Taking Our Best Shot at Health Conversations: Skin Cancer Prevention and Sun Safety." Their presentation focused on sun safety practices, skin cancer prevention strategies, and dispelling common misconceptions about skin cancer. Attendees also received sunscreen samples to reinforce the importance of daily sun protection. This presentation was delivered on 3/05 at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute in Galveston, TX as part of the Taking Our Best Shot (@takingourbestshot) initiative, a community engagement effort aimed at increasing scientific trust and promoting public health practices in Galveston County.

UTMB Fills all PGY2 Dermatology Residency Positions for July 1, 2026

Congratulations to the UTMB Department of Dermatology for filling all of their advanced PGY2 dermatology residency positions!

MS4 Schedules UTMB Dermatology Honors Research Project Thesis Defense

All interested DIG members and the UTMB community are invited to attend UTMB MS4 Michael Adkison’s Honors Dermatology Honors Research Project Thesis Defense on Friday, March 21 (Match Day), from 12:30–1:30 pm in Galveston at the McCullough Building (Room 5.124). A virtual option via Teams is also available for anyone unable to attend in person: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_YjRiZGMxY2MtMzhmZS00YTQ4LWIxMTgtNzlmY2I3NzU1ZWJm%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%227bef256d-85db-4526-a72d-31aea2546852%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%229288389d-280b-4cf9-85b9-7bd1bb38aaef%22%7d  Mr. Adkison’s research presentation is “Standardizing and Streamlining Documentation of Patients with Psoriasis, Psoriatic Arthritis, and Atopic Dermatitis: A Novel Approach Using SmartPhrases within the Electronic Medical Record.” His supervising faculty is Janice Wilson, MD (UTMB Associate Professor of Dermatology) and her thesis committee members are Kathleen Kroger, MD  (UTMB Assistant Professor of Dermatology), Lindy Ross, MD (UTMB Assistant Professor of Dermatology), Ayezel Munoz, MD (UTMB Assistant Professor of Dermatology), and Richard Wagner, MD (Professor Dermatology).

DIG Bake Sale a Success!

We are thrilled to share the success of today's DIG Bake Sale! Thanks to your generosity, we raised $323, which will directly support Camp Dermadillo; a one-day camp designed not only for children living with skin conditions but also for their parents, caregivers, and siblings. This camp offers a unique experience for entire families affected by skin conditions to come together, find support, and enjoy a day of fun and understanding.​

A special acknowledgment to DIG member Alekhya Gurram for her leadership and dedication in championing this bake sale. Her hard work was instrumental in making this event a success!

Photo 1 from left to right: Jane Onyemachi MS4 (DIG President), Blanche Beohon MS1, Danielle Miller MS2, Alekyha Gurram MS2, Andrew Spires MS2 (Psoriasis Chair), and Jun Park MS1

Photo 2 from left to right: Jane Onyemachi MS4 (DIG President), Alekyha Gurram MS2, Sarah Ahmed MS1, Nicole Kuo MS1, Andrew Spires MS2 (Psoriasis Chair), and Kassiana Elizondo MS1

Pediatric Dermatology Session Led By Dr. Ross at AAD

On Monday March 10th, Dr. Ross presented on a topic titled "Little Zebras, Ponies, and Pearls: Instructive Pediatric Dermatology Cases":

The session on pediatric dermatology provided an engaging review of case-based scenarios involving skin disorders in children and adolescents. Attendees explored the differential diagnosis of various dermatologic findings in this population and discussed approaches for evaluation and management. The lecture covered laboratory testing strategies, shared updates from recent medical literature, and offered clinically useful "practice pearls." Topics ranged from inflammatory, infectious, neoplastic, and genetic skin diseases to birthmarks and infestations. Through real-world cases, participants gained valuable insights into diagnosing and managing pediatric skin conditions effectively.

Dr. Ross at the Podium

Presentation Title Page

From left to right: Dr. Raegan Hunt (Texas Children's Hospital Faculty), Dr. Wilkerson, and Dr. Ross

UTMB Presentations & EPosters at AAD 2025

The AAD 2025 Meeting took place from March 7-11 in Orlando, Florida. Congratulations to our faculty, residents, and medical students who presented and showcased their ePosters at this year's conference!

Presentations

 

A Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study Evaluating the Impact of Tranexamic Acid on Melanoma Risk

Authors: Madelyn Schmidt, Marie Vu, and Michael Wilkerson

 

Category: Pharmacology

 

Systematic Review of the Role of Tranexamic Acid in Skin Cancer Prevention, Treatment, and Complications

Authors: Smiti Gandhi BS, Marie Vu MD, Madelyn Schmidt BS, and Michael Wilkerson MD, MS, FAAD

 

Category: Pharmacology

 

A case of folliculocentric extragenital lichen sclerosus: a rare variant and clinical presentation

Authors: Olivia Chukwuma M.D., Kathleen Kroger M.D., Brent Kelly M.D., and Bethel Desta B.A.

 

Category: Clinical Dermatology & Other Cutaneous Disorders

 

Vulvar Calcinosis Cutis in a Pediatric Population

Authors: Sarah Kesaria MD, Morgan Hammack MD, Brandon Goodwin MD, and Lindy Ross MD

 

Category: Pediatric Dermatology

 

E-Posters

 

Examining Representations of Alopecia and Trichotillomania in Children’s Literature

Authors: Alekhya Gurram BA, Fareen Momin MD, and Richard Wagner MD, JD

 

Category: Pediatric Dermatology

 

A Systematic Review Evaluating the Role of Optical Coherence Tomography in Enhancing Mohs Micrographic Surgery

Authors: Marie Vu MD, Madelyn Schmidt BS, Smiti Gandhi BS, Juan Pinto-Cuberos MD, and Richard Wagner Jr. MD

 

Category: Surgery — Dermatologic

 

Risk of Venous Thromboembolism in Patients with Vitiligo and Alopecia Areata: A Large Population-Based Cohort Study

Authors: David Garate BS, Jenny Lai PhD, Christopher Thang BS, Elise Weisert MD, Katherine Woolridge MD, Michael Wilkerson MD, and Ayezel Munoz-Gonzalez MD

 

Category: Clinical Dermatology & Other Cutaneous Disorders

 

Association between acne and risk of stress fractures: a population based cohort study

Authors: Christopher J. Thang BS, Jenny Lai PhD, David Garate BS, George Golovko PhD, Michael G. Wilkerson MD, and John S. Barbieri MD, MBA

 

Category: Acne

 

Streamlining Documentation of Patients with Psoriasis, Psoriatic Arthritis, and Atopic Dermatitis: A Novel Approach Using Severity Scoring Systems within the Electronic Medical Record

Authors: Michael Adkison BS, Andrew Spires BS, Benjamin Garcia MD, and Janice Wilson MD

 

Category: Digital/Electronic Technology

 

Cannabis, treating or increasing risk for inflammatory skin conditions?

Authors: Madelyn Schmidt BS and Kathleen Kroger MD

 

Category: Clinical Dermatology & Other Cutaneous Disorders

 

Pictured: Smiti Gandhi

 

Pictured: Madelyn Schmidt