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.

Wednesday, May 30, 2018

New York Times Publishes About Acne

Acne acceptance is the theme of a recent article by Andrea Cheng (“Is Acne Cool Now? How celebrities and influencer are changing the stigma of having acne.” May 28, 2018, https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/28/style/is-acne-cool-now.html ). It is definitely a “must read” for those with dermatology interest.

Tuesday, May 29, 2018

This is No Joke

UTMB MS3 Tyler Marion is the first author on a published report published this month in Online Journal of Community and Person-Centered Dermatology that analyzes the appearance of the Joker, of comic book and movie fame. He and coauthors Keven Cao and Dr. Jorge Roman analyze Joker’s “green hair, bleached white skin, and cherry red lips” from a dermatologic perspective. It is available at http://ojcpcd.com/roman-g/why-so-serious/

Wednesday, May 23, 2018

UTMB Dermatology Resident Elected House Officer Association Public Relations Officer

Dr. Julie Croley, and UTMB PGY2 dermatology resident, has been elected House Officer Association (HOA) Public Relations Officer for the upcoming 2018-2019 academic year. In her duties as the HOA Public Relations Officer, she will attend the GMEC Chief Resident/HOA Officers Subcommittee meetings and the GMEC meeting, along with other HOA duties.

PGY4 Dermatology Resident is UTMB Outstanding Resident of the Year

Congratulations to Dr. Chinelo Ikpeama for being awarded Outstanding Overall Resident of the Year by the UTMB Graduate Medical Education Committee. It is a rare honor to be selected for this highly regarded institutional award. The only previous dermatology resident to receive this award was Dr. John Stephens in 2011.


(Left to right) Drs. D. Callender (UTMB President), B. Gibson (UTMB Dermatology Chair ad interim), C. Ikpeama (UTMB PGY4 dermatology resident), R. Wagner (UTMB Dermatology Program Director), D. Jacobs (UTMB EVP and Provost), and T. Blackwell (UTMB DIO)

Monday, May 21, 2018

"Broad Based Clinical Year"

Many readers of this blog know that a PGY1 year is required before starting a PGY2 (“Advanced”) dermatology residency. What many do not know is that there are 6 specialties where the PGY1 year may be taken, in addition to the highly sought Transitional Year:

-Emergency Medicine
-Family Medicine
-General Surgery
-Internal Medicine (most popular)
-Obstetrics and Gynecology
-Pediatrics
-Transitional Year

The advantage of a PGY1 year in General Surgery or Obstetrics and Gynecology is that complete Medicare residency funding is still available for a dermatology residency if the applicant needs to reapply, since General Surgery receives 5 years of funding, and Obstetrics and Gynecology receives 4 years of funding. All of the rest (excluding the Transitional Year) only receive 3 years of funding, placing many dermatology reapplicants at a disadvantage if the dermatology residency they are interested in is precluded by their institution from considering applicants without complete Medicare funding.


UTMB MS3 Research Presented at 2018 Society for Investigative Dermatology Meeting

Congratulations to UTMB DIG President, MS3 Keith Wagner, for presenting his research poster, “Online Skin Disease Hoaxes: an Evaluation of Scope and Potential Impact” in Orlando, Florida this month (LB 1498). The poster reported preliminary results of his UTMB Dermatology Honors Research Thesis. The Society for Investigative Dermatology (SID) holds annual meetings each spring. This year, since the meeting was held jointly with The European Society for Dermatological Research and the Japanese Society for Investigative Dermatology, it has become known as the “International Investigative Dermatology (IID)” meeting. His co-author on this work was Dr. Janice Wilson, UTMB dermatology and dermatopathology Assistant Professor and Keith’s faculty advisor on his Dermatology Honors Research Project.


Thursday, May 17, 2018

UTMB MS2 Publishes Article in Cutis

Congratulations to UTMB MS2 Michael Ryan for his recently published article "Perianal Basal Cell Carcinoma Treated with Mohs Micrographic Surgery" that appeared in the May 2018 Issue of Cutis. 

The full article can be read online here: https://www.mdedge.com/cutis/article/164898/nonmelanoma-skin-cancer/perianal-basal-cell-carcinoma-treated-mohs-micrographic

Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Opportunity for VisualDx App


VisualDx has reached out to us and is offering free accounts to DIG members. VisualDx is a great app for forming differentials based on the appearance of skin lesions. It even has kodachrome-like quizzes to test your knowledge! If you are interested, email Ryan Lawrence at rylawren@utmb.edu and he can send your information to the company. Thanks!

UTMB MS3 Tyler Marion Completes Dermatology Honors Research Program

On May 11, 2018 UTMB MS3 Tyler Marion presented his UTMB Dermatology Honors Research Thesis, titled “Dermatologic Features in Good Film Characters Who Turn Evil: The Transformation.” His faculty committee was comprised of Dr. Peek (Institutional Representative) and ad hoc dermatology committee members, Drs. Richard Wagner (faculty advisor), Janice Wilson, and Brent Kelly. Mr. Marion was awarded Magna Cum Laude graduation research honors for his excellent work. 


Tuesday, May 15, 2018

Recently Published UTMB Dermatology Article Receives Praise

MS4 Josh Hays’ original observation about the risk of reactive eccrine syringofibroadenoma causing confusion with basal cell carcinoma during Mohs surgery drew the praise of Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minnesota) dermatologic surgeon Dr. Jonathan Lopez in his companion Commentary to the report in the May 2018 issue of Dermatologic Surgery (44: 740-741). Dr. Lopez commended the authors and wrote, “Their astute observation prevented unnecessary tissue removal…” Josh’s coauthors were Drs. Malone, former UTMB dermatology resident and UTMB’s first Micrographic Surgery Fellow, Brandon Goodwin, UTMB dermatology and dermatopathology faculty, and Richard Wagner, UTMB Micrographic Surgery Fellowship Director.

UTMB MS3 Publishes Humanism Essay

Congratulations to UTMB MS3 Keith Wagner for his recently published essay, “The Soul in the Machine,” that appeared in Online Journal of Community and Person-Centered Dermatology.

Thursday, May 10, 2018

UTMB Dermatology 2019 Dermatology Applicant Interview Dates



UTMB Dermatology will interview dermatology residency applicants for residency positions that start on July 1, 2020 on:

-Friday morning, January 25 (internal applicants only)

-Thursday or Friday morning on February 7 and 8 (external rotators and outside applicants)

To be considered for an interview, a complete application through ERAS must be received no later than October 31, 2018. USMLE Step 1 scores are required. UTMB Dermatology typically receives over 400 applications for only 4 available positions. They usually offer about 30 interviews to external rotators and outside applicants.

UTMB MS4s and other internal applicants should reserve January 25,, 2019 for their UTMB dermatology interview and schedule other dermatology residency interviews on a different day.

UTMB Dermatology Authors Publish Article about Split Ear Lobe Repair

Congratulations to UTMB PGY3 dermatology resident Dr. Vlad Codrea for his co-authorship of  “Split ear lobe repair with piercing preservation and optimal ear lobe aesthetics” that was published in J Am Acad Dermatol 2018 Apr 30 pii: S0190-9622(18)30646-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2018.04.042. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 29723558. The first author was Dr. CH Malone, former UTMB dermatology resident and fellow in Micrographic Surgery and Dermatologic Oncology who is now dermatology faculty at Baylor in Houston, Texas. Dr. Richard Wagner, UTMB Professor of Dermatology also co-authored this article.

UTMB Dermatology “Film Crew” Respond to New Publication About 21st Century Movies

UTMB dermatology is quickly developing expertise and an international reputation in the area of skin disease depictions in movies. In addition to first author Dr. Vail Reese from San Francisco, California and Editor-in-Chief of ww.skinema.com, UTMB MS2 Michael Ryan, PGY2 dermatology resident Dr. Julie Corley, and dermatology faculty Dr. Richard Wagner coauthored a response to a letter that was published in Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (JEADV). Its citation is J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2018 Apr 28. doi: 10.1111/jdv.15015. [Epub ahead of print] 

Wednesday, May 09, 2018

Dermatology Horror Story

In the May 2018 issue of Dermatology Times (page 10), Dr. Zoey Draelos wrote about how vertical integration of healthcare may drastically change current dermatology practice. It starts with the purchase of national pharmacy chains and large physician practices by insurance companies. These insurance companies then set up medical clinics in all of their pharmacies, with staffing by nurse practitioners. Nurse practitioners would diagnose and treat skin disease utilizing medicine conveniently available in the pharmacy. A lower cost of care for patients in this setting could financially incentivize them to use these facilities. It is projected that almost half of all visits would be skin disease related. The only patients that would be referred to a dermatologist would be those failing to respond to treatment, and referrals would only be made to dermatologists employed by the insurance company. These dermatologists would be limited to prescribing medicines that financially benefit the insurance company due to prior pharmacy-benefit manager relationships.

One Year Family Medicine Sponsored Fellowship in San Antonio

Family medicine physicians usually see lots of patients with skin diseases. UTHSC-San Antonio Family Medicine sponsors a 1 year “Underserved Dermatology Fellowship in Family Medicine” for Family Medicine physicians who have completed residency. No dermatology boards or certifying exam needed! For additional information, please see: https://nf.aafp.org/Directories/Fellowship/Detail/efa9713c-f470-4a0d-94e2-c264eb6d3d4c and http://profiles.uthscsa.edu/?pid=profile&id=1400082IQ

Tuesday, May 08, 2018

UTMB Dermatology Expands DERU-1050 for First Year Medical Students

UTMB has expanded the opportunity for UTMB MS1s to take DERU-1050 during 4 week rotations in May and June. The number of students accepted to this rotation is now 4 (instead of 2). Completion of these rotations not only introduces our first year medical students to specialty dermatology practice, but also counts as elective credit towards graduation.

Monday, May 07, 2018

UTMB Dermatology Faculty Elected to AOA

Congratulations are in order for Dr. Brandon Goodwin, for his recent election as faculty to the Texas Alpha Chapter of Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society. UTMB students of UTMB’s AOA chapter nominated and elected Dr. Goodwin for his “excellence in scholarship, gifted teaching, high professionalism, and leadership.” 

Sunday, May 06, 2018

Two UTMB DIG Members Receive 2018 Osler Medallion Awards

Congratulations to UTMB MS3 Keith Wagner and MS2 Michael Ryan for their 2018 Osler Student Society Medallion Awards. This is a peer award honor given by UTMB medical students in recognition for service to Osler Student Societies on campus. Previous DIG members who have won this award are Paige Hoyer as a MS2 in 2016 and Kristyna Gleghorn as a MS3 in 2016.

Tuesday, May 01, 2018

UTMB DIG Members Present at National Student Research Forum 2018


This past April 26th and 27th, several DIG members attended the annual NSRF meeting in Galveston, Texas. UTMB DIG Members Michael Ryan (MS2) and Keith Wagner (MS3) won the awards for the best dermatology oral and poster presentation respectively. Priscilla Ly (MS3) won the award for best oral presentation in microbiology and immunology. Keith Wagner also won the NSRF Oslerian Award for Translational Research.


Best Dermatology Oral Presentation:

1420    Michael Ryan  
University of Texas Medical Branch          
Dermatologic Depictions in Animated Movies      
(Oral Session A)



Best Dermatology Poster Presentation:

1580    Keith Wagner  
University of Texas Medical Branch          
SkinHoax.com: A New Public Resource to Address Online Dermatologic Hoaxes      
(Poster Session B)



Best Immunology and Microbiology Oral Presentation:

1436    Priscilla Ly       
University of Texas Medical Branch          
Intestinal Myiasis caused by Sarcophaga sp. in Peru: A Case Report and Review of the Literature    
Oral Session B



There were many students presenting their research at the conference including


1472    Matthew LaCour         
University of Texas Medical Branch          
A Case of Erosive Pustular Dermatosis of the Scalp in a Pediatric Patient   
(Oral Session E)



1552    Ryan Lawrence
University of Texas Medical Branch
Non-testicular Scrotal Mass in Borderline Lepromatous Patient    
(Poster Session A)

1570    Ryan Lawrence
University of Texas Medical Branch          
The Effects of Interferon Regulatory Factor Gene Knockouts in Murine Macrophages Infected With Zika Virus               
(Poster Session A)



1429    Priscilla Ly       
University of Texas Medical Branch          
Rhabdomyolysis Attributed to Terbinafine: A Rare Occurrence that can be Mistaken for Terbinafine Induced Hepatotoxicity  
(Poster Session A)

1454    Priscilla Ly       
University of Texas Medical Branch          
A Rare Case of Multicentric Reticulohistiocytosis   
(Oral Session A)



1523    Tyler Marion   
University of Texas Medical Branch          
Dermatologic Features in Good Film Characters Who Turn Evil: The Transformation            
(Poster Session A)




1532    Caitlin Pekowski
University of Texas Medical Branch
Lupus Erythematosus Panniculitis Presenting to Wound Care Clinic as Upper Arm Ulceration            
(Poster Session A)

1533    Caitlin Pekowski
University of Texas Medical Branch          
Clinically Amyopathic Dermatomyositis with Associated Invasive Malignancy         
(Poster Session A)