Editors



Current Editors: Fareen Momin and Jane Onyemachi

(Please email editors if there is blog-worthy news that you would like to see shared)

Past Editors: Andrea Francis, Renat Ahatov, Michael Phan, Elise Weisert, Michael Ryan, Keith Wagner, Tim Allen, Kristyna Gleghorn, Dung Mac, Alex Acosta, William Tausend, Sheila Jalalat, Rebecca Philips, Chelsea Altinger, Lindsey Hunter, Alison Wiesenthal, Leslie Scroggins, Mara Dacso, Ashley Group, Fadi Constantine, Emily Fridlington, Joslyn Witherspoon, Tasneem Poonawalla.

Monday, April 24, 2017

3 UTMB Dermatology Faculty Visit Mt. Everest

Following volunteer dermatology clinics abroad, three of our UTMB dermatology faculty (right to left: Drs. Ashley Group, Michael Wilkerson, and Brandon Goodwin) visit Mt. Everest. They will return to Galveston during the first week of May.

Thursday, April 20, 2017

Recap of DIG meeting from 4/12/17

Officer Elections
Congrats to the new 2017-18 Officers! We know y'all will do a great job!
President - Timothy Allen (MS3)
Vice President - Keith Wagner (MS2)
Sun Protection Chair - Michael Ryan (MS1), Joshua Hays (MS3), Eric Mong (MS2), and Caroline Crain (MS1)
Melanoma Chair - Paige Hoyer (MS3), Ryan Lawrence (MS2), Eduardo Rodriguez (MS3), and Ben Falck (MS3)
Psoriasis Chair - Tara Akunna (MS3), Jacob Benavidez (MS2), and Morgan Arnold (MS3)
Fundraising Chair - Uloma Ibezim (MS2)

Advice from matched MS4s
Current MS4s Kristyna Gleghorn, Seena Monjazeb, and Jorge Ramon took time out of their busy schedules to offered advice for hopeful students. Some of the highlights included:
 
  • Application numbers
    • At minimum, applicants should have 8+ leadership/extracurricular experiences, 8+ research experiences, and 10+ volunteer experiences
    • Students should apply to all Derm programs (112) and between 10 and 40 Prelim/Transitional Year programs
    • Can use IM or Derm letters for Pre-lim or TY programs
    • Some programs may require a secondary
  • Letters
    • Make sure the writer knows you well and can write a strong letter
    • All Dermatologists should be from Academic medicine
    • If you need a letter from Internal Medicine, you can ask the Chair
  • Away Rotations
    • Be fun to work with while there
    • Do at least 1 out of state away
    • Do aways at programs that offer interviews to their rotators
  • Overall Advice
    • Be fresh/fun
    • Research the Programs before you go
    • Review your CV and research
    • Make sure to elaborate on your hobbies/interests
    • Some programs may want your Step 2 score (but it is ok to not release it)
  • Interview Questions
    • Wide variety of questions with topics that investigate your personality as well as your aspirations
    • Some examples include:
      • Why Derm?
      • Why not anything else?
      • How would you handle the following situation?
      • Teach me something in 60 seconds.
      • Tell me a joke.
      • Tell me a time you were unhappy with an attending or with a patient.
      • Tell me about a patient encounter where you failed, where you were unhappy, or where you did an amazing job. 
      • Why this program?
      • What would be your superpower?
      • What type of cheese, cereal, or wine would you be?
      • What do you want to be famous in Derm for?
      • What are your future plans?
  • Personal Statement
    • Should be less than a page with the format of: 
      • How you got interested
      • Why Derm?
      • What you give to Derm and your skills
      • What you want out of a program
  • What the interviews are generally like
    • General structure is 8-10 interviews that last 10-15 mins
    • Usually meet everyone in the program
    • Can be 2-on-1 or group-on-1
    • Always attend the night before dinner if possible (offers insight into the program and a chance to meet the residents the night before)
  • Stuff you should ask the Interviewers
    • How life is outside the residency
    • Where the program is going
    • Faculty accessibility
    • Do they offer feedback and/or autonomy
 

Upcoming Psoriasis Talk in Houston, TX (More than Skin Deep)
On 5/6/17, the Psoriasis National Foundation will host a speaker and breakfast in Houston from 930am-1230pm. It'll take place at the Holiday Inn Houston (S-NRG/Medical Center) at 8111 Kirby Drive Houston TX 77054. Please use the following link to receive a ticket to the event if interested. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/more-than-skin-deep-2017-houston-tx-registration-32279398550

American Board of Dermatology Changes Resident Testing in 2018

On Thursday, April 12, 2018 PGY2 dermatology residents will take a new informational test administered by the American Board of Dermatology (ABD) at their residency programs, similar to previous ITE exams. No pass/fail grades will be given.

A practice CORE Exam will be given to PGY3 and PGY4 dermatology residents on Thursday, March 8. It will be similar to previous ITE exams but it may be taken at home or in office via remote proctoring.

Tuesday, April 18, 2017

UTMB MS4 Presents Dermatology Research Honors Thesis

Please join Kristyna Gleghorn and her UTMB Dermatology Research ad hoc faculty committee for the defense on her thesis, “Severe Cutaneous Drug Reactions, such as Steven-Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis, in Pediatric Patients with an Emphasis on Recently Approved Medications,” on Monday, April 24, 2017 at 11 am in the Dermatology Conference Room, 4.130 McCullough Bldg. Her dermatology faculty advisor on this research was Dr. Brent Kelly, and her ad hoc thesis committee members are Drs. M.K. Peek, J. Wilson, and R. Wagner. Ms. Gleghorn is the immediate past president of the UTMB Dermatology Interest Group (DIG) and the only MS4 in the UTMB SOM Class of 2017 to participate in the dermatology honors research program. It is the 29th dermatology research thesis presented by a medical student since the UTMB department of Dermatology started participating in this university program in 2001. Following her PGY1 year in California, Dr. Gleghorn will return to UTMB in July 2018 for dermatology residency. UTMB medical students who are interested in learning more about this university sponsored research program for non-PhD students may be especially interested in attending this presentation.

Friday, April 14, 2017

Mohs Fellow Nominated for UTMB’s 2016-2017 Outstanding Fellow Award

Please congratulate Dr. Helen Malone for her recent nomination for UTMB’s 2016-2017 Outstanding Fellow Award. Nominees and recipients will be honored at a luncheon and ceremony scheduled May 24th at noon in the Caduceus Room.

UTMB Dermatology Resident Nominated for 2016-2017 Outstanding Resident Award

Please congratulate Dr. Chinelo Ikpeama for her recent nomination for UTMB’s 2016-2017 Outstanding Resident Award. Nominees and recipients will be honored at a luncheon and ceremony scheduled May 24th at noon in the Caduceus Room.

Thursday, April 13, 2017

New UTMB Dermatology Research Honors Project Approved

Congratulations to UTMB MS1 Michael Ryan for approval of his UTMB Dermatology Research Honors Project entitled, “A Disturbing Dichotomy: Dermatologic Depictions in Animated Movies.” His research faculty advisor on this study is Dr. Richard Wagner, the UTMB Dermatology Program Director. His thesis committee is composed of Dr. M.K. Peek and ad hoc dermatology faculty committee members, Dr. B. Kelly and Dr. J. Wilson.

Saturday, April 08, 2017

UTMB Dermatologists Publish Innovative Wound Repair

Congratulations to UTMB Mohs Fellow, Dr. H. Malone, UTMB MS4 Drew DeCrescenzo, PGY3 Dermatology Resident Dr. Adrian Subrt, and Dr. Richard Wagner our UTMB Dermatology and Mohs Fellowship Director. They co-authored, "Rhinophyma graft for repair of the phymatous nasal ala" in the April 2017 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 76(4):e123. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2016.10.003(PMID:  28325413). This article is available at http://www.jaad.org/article/S0190-9622(16)30893-3/abstract 

Friday, April 07, 2017

2017 ITE Scores Released to Dermatology Residents

Dermatology residents received their 2017 ITE scores from the February 16, 2017 test this week. UTMB residents were able to score above the 90th percentile in dermatopathology and basic science this year.

Wednesday, April 05, 2017

Broadcast and Print Media Interested in UTMB Movie Research

Within hours of embargo end, major news outlets from around the world have published stories about the newly published dermatology research about skin disease representations in movie villains and its potential social impact on people with skin diseases ( see http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamadermatology/fullarticle/2614259 ). First author Dr. Julie Croley, a UTMB PGY1 in the UTMB Department of Internal Medicine, will begin dermatology residency at UTMB this July. Her co-authors on this publication were Drs. Vail Reese (San Francisco, California) and Richard Wagner (Galveston, Texas). Here is a sampling of articles related to this original UTMB Department of Dermatology research:










Landmark Research Article Published by UTMB Dermatology

Incoming UTMB Dermatology Resident and current PGY1 Internal Medicine Resident Julie Amthor Croley is the first author on an important original research article entitled, “Dermatologic Findings in Classic Movie Villains: The Face of Evil,” that has been published in the prestigious peer-reviewed dermatology journal, JAMA Dermatology that was published online this month (please see http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamadermatology/fullarticle/2614259 ). Her coauthors on this research are Drs. Vail Reese (publisher of skinema.com) and Richard Wagner, the UTMB Dermatology Program Director. This project grew out of a research essay that Dr. Croley wrote for Dr. Wagner’s popular UTMB didactic film class (DERU-4007 and DERU-4051) while she was a UTMB MS4. Many of Dr. Wagner’s film class students have published original research related to this class in peer-reviewed medical journals. Congratulations to Dr. Crowley for this amazing professional achievement so early in her dermatology career!

Monday, April 03, 2017

DIG Meeting on Wednesday, April 12th at 5 pm: Advice from matched MS4s & Officer Elections

UTMB DIG is hosting a meeting on Wednesday, April 12th at 5 pm in the Dermatology Conference Room (4.112 McCullough). MS4s who applied for dermatology residency this past year will be attending the meeting to give advice to future dermatology applicants. We will also be electing new DIG officers. The available positions include the following: 
- President 
- Vice President 
- AIM for the Cure Melanoma Walk Fundraising Chair
- Sun Protection Officer
- Psoriasis Awareness Chair

Please contact Kristyna Gleghorn (klglegho@utmb.edu) with any questions! We hope to see you at our meeting. 

Dermatology Night At St. Vincent's on 4/6/17

Join UTMB Dermatology residents and faculty for the upcoming dermatology night (Thursday, April 6th) at St. Vincent’s Clinic. Please see the calendar link below to reserve your volunteering spot:
When: Thursday, April 6th, 5:30-8:30PM (volunteers should arrive at 5:15)
Where: St. Vincent's House, 2817 Post Office Street, Galveston, Texas 77550