Two Dermatology Posters Awarded at 2016 National Student Research Forum

Congratulations to Chi-Han Lu from Baylor College of Medicine for the first place poster award (“IL 10 SDF 1Alpha Overexpression Mechanisms Enhances of EPC Wound Mobilization Neovascularization and Recruitment via Regulation of VEGF and D,” and Jeffrey Smith from UTMB for his second place poster award (“Qualitative assessment of endothelial cell attachment in wound-healing biomaterials.” The National Student Research Forum is an annual event for medical students, graduate students, and residents in all specialties to present their research. The UTMB Department of Dermatology sponsors the dermatology awards each year.

UTMB MS3 Publishes in JAMA Dermatology Notable Notes

Congratulations to UTMB MS3 Jorge Roman. He published an original article entitled, “Beauty That is More than Skin Deep,” in the May 2016 issue of JAMA Dermatology (pages 562-563).

Dermatology Times Focuses on Dermatologist Burnout

According to the May 2016 issue of Dermatology Times, dermatologist burnout is increasing (Hilton, l. Why burnout is increasing among US dermatologists, pages 66-69). The causes of burnout are interactions between 5 factors: excessive workload, inefficiency, loss of autonomy, problems with work-life integration, and a loss of meaning in work. Multiple dermatologists in private and university settings were interviewed for this interesting article.

Volunteer Opportunities Available for Camp Dermadillo, Aug 6-12

Camp Dermadillo is currently looking for male volunteers for their summer camp session. The orientation is on Sat, Aug 6, so volunteers would need to be available from Sat, Aug 6- Fri, Aug 12.  They would be finished at least by noon on Friday. Please email Dr. Raegan Hunt at Raegan.Hunt@bcm.edu if you are interested in volunteering!

For those unfamiliar with Camp Dermadillo: This is a program supported by the American Academy of Dermatology. It is a one-week summer camp experience, where young people ages 8-16 with a chronic skin condition come together to participate in fun camp activities. It also offers volunteers an opportunity to learn more about the effects of dermatological conditions as they interact and work with camp participants. More information can be found at https://www.aad.org/public/kids/camp-discovery/about

Volunteers needed for skin cancer screening

The UTMB Department of Dermatology will be performing free skin checks on May 21st from 10-12 at the Stewart Road clinic. Medical students volunteers are needed for this event. Please email Kristyna Gleghorn (klglegho@utmb.edu) if you would like to volunteer. 

What is the h-index and Why does it Matter?

The h-index is a measure of publication quantity and impact (through citation). Research about h-index in dermatology departments was recently published by Dermatology Online Journal (http://escholarship.org/uc/item/1hx610pf#page-1). This study may be of interest to medical students and dermatology residents interested in academic careers.

Dr. Rebecca Philips Recognized

The UTMB DIG is pleased to report that UTMB’s PGY4 Chief Academic Resident has been named the outstanding dermatology resident for the 2015-2016 academic year. Nominations are based on multiple criteria, including leadership roles in state and national dermatology organizations, academics, volunteer activity, educational, and research during dermatology residency. Dr. Philips was previously the UTMB DIG President and Editor-in-Chief. She will remain at UTMB during the 2016-2017 academic year as one of two UTMB dermatopathology fellows.

UTMB DIG Presented "Stay Shady" at Holy Family Catholic School

On Thursday, April 14th, UTMB DIG members Paige Hoyer (MSII), Tara Akunna (MSII), and Seena Monjazeb (MSIII) presented "Stay Shady!" to the students at Holy Family Catholic School. This fun, interactive presentation is aimed at making kids aware of the damage that the sun can do to their skin and to inform them on how to protect themselves. The students gave the presentation and answered questions for 50 kids in total! They also helped them make UV bracelets out of beads that change color in the sun to raise awareness of sun damage and remind the kids to wear sunscreen. A special appreciation goes out to the students of Holy Family for being such a great audience and to our DIG volunteers!

From left to right: Seena Monjazeb, Paige Hoyer, Tara Akunna

AIM for the Cure Melanoma 5K Walk and Fun Run 2016

The UTMB Dermatology Interest Group is hosting the annual AIM for the Cure Melanoma 5K Walk and Fun Run to take place on Saturday May 21th at 7:30AM at the UTMB Alumni Field House. To register to run/walk or to donate, visit https://walk.aimatmelanoma.org/Galveston2016/Static/Event-Info. If you would like to register with the DIG team, choose the “UTMB Dermatology Interest Group” team when prompted.

If you would like to participate as a volunteer at this event, email Dung Mac at dhmac@utmb.edu. Don't miss out on this opportunity to help raise funds for the AIM at Melanoma Foundation, which aims to lead the battle against melanoma through research, education, and caregiver support!

If you have any additional questions, contact Dung Mac (dhmac@utmb.edu) or Paige Hoyer (pehoyer@utmb.edu).

Dermatology Resident Evaluation of Quality Improvement (QI) Curriculum

University of Colorado were generally positive about their QI curriculum according to a recent article in Dermatology Online Journal  (see http://escholarship.org/uc/item/78q2r5j7#page-1 ). Residents worked in groups on different projects. They thought that QI project participation related to the ACGME categories of practice-based learning and improvement, systems-based practice, 

patient care, and medical knowledge.

UTMB Selects Dates for 2017 Dermatology Residency Applicant Interviews

The UTMB Dermatology Department has already selected dates for its 2017 interviews of dermatology applicants. 

 

UTMB internal applicants will be interviewed on Friday morning, January 27, 2017. Please keep this interview date in mind when scheduling interviews at other programs. If outside programs are only offering January 27 to interview, you will be able to make other arrangements to meet with all of the UTMB dermatology faculty and residents at mutually convenient times.

 

Outside applicants will be offered Thursday/Friday morning interviews that are scheduled for February 2nd and 3rd. 

 

Invitations to interview are usually sent in December.

Dr. Sharon Raimer Stepping Down from UTMB Dermatology Chair Position

UTMB Dean Danny Jacobs notified the UTMB community that UTMB Dermatology Chair, Dr. Sharon Raimer, will be stepping down from the chair position on June 1, 2016. We are all very grateful for the leadership and vision that she provided for UTMB dermatology, especially following the retirement of our previous Chair, Dr. Edgar B. Smith in 1999 and during department recovery and expansion following Hurricane Ike in 2008. Fortunately for UTMB and our department, Dr. Raimer will continue to educate medical students and dermatology residents and care for patients at UTMB as a dermatology faculty member.

UTMB DIG Announces 2016 Dermatology Resident and Faculty Teaching Awards

Congratulations to Drs. Helen Malone (PGY4 dermatology resident) and Brent Kelly (dermatology faculty) for receiving the annual teaching award from the UTMB Dermatology Interest Group (DIG). Each year the current MS4 members of the DIG vote to recognize their best dermatology teachers at the resident and the faculty level. Thanks to all of UTMB’s dermatology residents and faculty for their excellent teaching throughout the academic year!

 

left to right: Dung Mac (UTMB DIG President 2015-2016), Dr. Brent Kelly (UTMB Faculty Award recipient), Dr. Helen Malone (UTMB Resident Award recipient) and Kristyna Gleghorn (UTMB DIG President 2016-2017)

Dermatology Alumnae Returns to Galveston for a Brief Visit

Dr. Mika Yamazaki (photo), a UTMB Department of Dermatology Resident graduate in 2011, returned to Galveston recently to visit with Dr. Erica Kelly, one of our UTMB dermatology faculty. She is currently in dermatology private practice at Straub Clinic & Hospital in Aiea, Hawaii.

UTMB Dermatology Residents and Faculty Teach Medical Students Procedural Skills

The annual dermatologic procedures workshop sponsored by the UTMB DIG was a huge success again this year. 6 UTMB medical students (MS2s and MS3s) learned injection techniques, superficial biopsy techniques, punch biopsies and suturing on a tomato and pig’s foot. Thank you Dr. Janice Wilson (PGY-4 Dermatology resident), Dr. Adrian Subrt (PGY-2 Dermatology resident), and Dr. Richard Wagner (our DIG faculty advisor) for volunteering to teach dermatology procedure skills, and thank you Kristyna Gleghorn (MS3) for organizing this educational event! 

Image 1: Left- Janice Wilson (PGY-4 Dermatology Resident), Middle- Drew Decrescenzo (MSIII), Right- Lauren Williams (MSIII)

Image 2: Left- Tara Akunna (MSII), Right- Adrian Subrt (PGY-2 Dermatology resident)

Image 3: Left- Dr. Richard Wagner (UTMB DIG Advisor and Dermatology Director), Middle- Paige Hoyer (MSII), Right- Kristyna Gleghorn (MSIII)

UTMB Dermatology Poster Presentations at 2016 Spring Texas Dermatological Society Meeting

UTMB was once again well-represented by its medical students, residents, and faculty at the fall TDS meeting in Houston, Texas last weekend. 12 out of the 34 posters at the meeting were from UTMB. Congratulations to Dr. Janice Wilson (UTMB PGY4 dermatology resident), Kristyna Gleghorn (UTMB MSIII), and faculty supervisor Dr. Brent Kelly for winning 2nd place in the poster competition at this meeting! 

Authors of the 12 UTMB poster presentstions were: 

Janice M Wilson MD, Kristyna L Gleghorn BS, Brent C Kelly MD

Title: Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis: A Retrospective Study

Dung Mac BS, Paige Hoyer BS, Karl E Anderson MD

Title: Erytheropoietin Therapy for Porphyria Cutanea Tarda in Renal Disease

Andrew DeCrescenzo BS, Elizabeth Schepp MD, Michael Wilkerson MS MD

Title: Atypical mycobacterial infection arising after sclerotherapy

Seena Monjazeb BBA (UTMB MSIII), Rebecca Philips MD, Michael Wilkerson MD

Title: Leukocytoclastic Vasculitis Following Influenza Vaccination. 

William Tausend MD, Kristyna Gleghorn MD, Richard Wagner MD

Title: ... And the Award Goes to: A Review of Academy Award Winning Best Pictures Featuring Skin Conditions

Kevin G Sharghi MD, Rebecca C Philips MD, Ashley R Group MD

Title: Adult-Onset Parry-Romberg Syndrome 

Emily Grimshaw MD, Michael Wilkerson MS,MD 

Title: Hailey-Hailey complicated by secondary herpes simplex viral infection 

Skyler White BS, Rebecca Philips MD, Erica Kelly MD

Title: Pityriasis Rubra Pilaris-Like Eruption During Ponatinib Treatment 

Lindy Ross MD, Richard Wagner MD, K Alexandra Acosta MD

Title: Perception and Influence of Jersey Shore Tanning Behaviors: A model for media influence on tanning behavior

Lauren William s BA BS, Chinelo Ikpeama MD MBA, Meredith Revell, MPAS PA-C, Bernard Gibson MD

Title: A 5-month-old female with hypoplastic nails

Ashley Davis, Chinelo Ikpeama MD MDA, Michael G Wilkerson MD

Title: EGFR-Induced Trichomegaly and Xeroxis 

Alison Lowe MD, Barrett Riddle MS, Helen Malone MD

Title: Painful Purple Palmar Plaques: A Unique Presentation of Kaposi Sarcoma

Image 1: Left: Kristyna Gleghorn (UTMB MSIII), Right: William Tausend (UTMB PGY2 Dermatology Resident)

Image 2: Kristyna Gleghorn (UTMB MSIII)

Image 3: Left: Paige Hoyer (UTMB MSII), Right: Dung Mac (UTMB MSIV)

Image 4: Seena Monjanezeb (UTMB MSIII)

Utility and Cost of Dermatology Certification Examination Questioned

A resident podium presentation by Texas A&M Scott &White at the Texas Dermatological Society 2016 spring meeting in Houston explored the costs and value of the annual certification examination given by the American Board of Dermatology (Mansouri B, Walker GD, Fiala K. The estimated cost and overall value of the American Board of Dermatology Certification Exam, April 15, 2016). In recent years, the failure rate for first time test takers has been low (below 2%).  The authors reported that that cost of failing the exam ranged from $204,000 to $1.6 million. Cost cutting measures were suggested, including use of the ITE examination offered by the American Board of Dermatology throughout all three years of residency training instead of the certification examination that is given each summer following completion of residency. Perhaps certification could be more efficiently achieved by receiving a certain “cutoff” score (20^th percentile?) on each of three ITE tests during the three years of residency. That strategy would limit expensive testing with a low failure rate to “at risk” candidates who have not consistently performed well on the ITE examination throughout dermatology residency.  

University of New Mexico Dermatology Residency Program News

The UTMB DIG was sad to learn that the University of New Mexico Dermatology Residency Program is closing soon. We hope that their current dermatology residents there are able to transfer to other programs so that their dermatology training can be completed. UTMB has a strong historic connection to the New Mexico program because our former chairman, the late Dr. Edgar B. Smith was the Chairman of the Dermatology Department in New Mexico prior to his Chair appointment at UTMB. Following retirement from UTMB, he returned to New Mexico to be their dermatology program director.

UTMB ITE Scores Back

The American Board of Dermatology administers an annual voluntary ITE exam (“mock boards”) annually to give individual dermatology residents and dermatology residency programs information about their educational progress. Areas tested are general dermatology, pediatric dermatology, dermatopathology, basic science, surgery, visual recognition and applied knowledge. This year the highest individual scores were achieved in surgery  and pediatric dermatology.

New GME Policies for UTMB House Staff on Drug Screening and Rehabilitation

As of April 8, 2016 UTMB has new institutional policies for house staff regarding institutional drug screening procedures for probable cause and post rehabilitation. Details may be found in UTMB's GME Institutional Handbook.

Sharp Injuries to Dermatology Residents

Dermatology residents continue to suffer sharp injuries during training. A survey on this topic was recently published by Nambudiri VE, et al (Sharp injuries among US dermatology trainees: A cross-sectional study, J Am Acad Dermatol 74:756-758, 2016). 76% of surveyed dermatology residents reported a sharps injury. Injury during suturing was most common. Recapping needles and “cleaning up” accounted for 12% of reported injuries. The authors advised more safety training for dermatology residents as well as reducing “rushing” during procedures.

Costs of Dermatology Residency Application

According to a recently published analysis by Mansouri B et al (The cost of applying to dermatology residency: 2014 data estimates, J Am Acad Dermatol 74:754-758, 2016), the average matched dermatology applicant spent $11,324 and unmatched applicants spent $9058. Suggestions to decrease application costs were to limit the number of programs where applicants could apply, regional interviews by multiple residency programs within a close geographic region within a narrow timeframe, video-conference interviews, capping the number of interviewees at programs based on the number of available residency positions, and increasing program transparency about selection criteria for applicant selection. Interviews were estimated to cost $500 each, and away rotations for one month were estimated to cost $2142.

Annual Dermatological Procedure Workshop

DIG will be hosting its annual dermatological procedure workshop on April 18th at 5:30 pm in the Dermatology Conference Room (4.130 McCullough). Dr. Wagner and UTMB Dermatology Residents will be teaching injection techniques, superficial and punch biopsies, and suturing. Please email Kristyna Gleghorn (klglegho@utmb.edu) if interested in participating in this educational workshop. 

Mui Awarded 2016 UTMB Dermatology Research Graduation Honors

The UTMB DIG congratulates UTMB MS4 Uyen Ngoc Mui on the presentation of her thesis, “An evaluation of patients’ habits and knowledge regarding sunscreen and factors that influence their choice,” on April 1, 2016. She was awarded Magna Cum Laude research honors for her original work. Her ad hoc committee members were Drs. A. Group (faculty advisor), B. Kelly, and M.K. Peek (Chair of UTMB Honors Committee). This year marks 15 years of UTMB medical students participating in the UTMB Dermatology Honors Research Program.

DIG Presents Stay Shady at Satori Elementary and Crenshaw Elementary School

On Tuesday, March 8th, and Friday, March 11th, UTMB DIG members Paige Hoyer (MSII), Tara Akuna (MSII), and Tim Allen (MSII) presented "Stay Shady!" to the students at Satori and Crenshaw Elementary School. This fun, interactive presentation is aimed at making kids aware that the sun can damage their skin and inform them how to protect themselves. The students gave the presentation and answered questions for 100 kids in total as well as a couple teaachers! They also helped them make UV bracelets out of beads that change color in the sun to raise awareness of sun damage and remind the kids to wear sunscreen. A special appreciation goes out to the students of both Satori and Crenshaw Elementary School for being such a great audience and to our DIG volunteers!

DIG Meeting Summary April 4, 2016 (Featuring Advice for applications and interviews from MS4s preparing for Dermatology Residency)

1. Advice from MS4s preparing for Dermatology Residency

a.     It is important to set yourself up for success during your rotations at home and during aways. Do as many away rotations as will fit in your schedule, even if they are later in the year. Consider doing away rotations at a variety of programs. Ideas to consider include location variety and programs that have previously accepted UTMB or Texas students.

b.     Research is an important part of your application. Dermatology looks highly at research projects specifically focused in dermatology. Make sure to keep your CV updated with all posters, oral presentations, case reports, abstracts, and pending manuscripts. Each poster presentation, even if it is the same poster at a different conference, should be included. All awards from conferences should be noted in your application as well.

c.     Apply to as many dermatology programs as possible.

d.     Interview questions:

                                              i.     Standard interview questions/mainly want to get to know you

                                            ii.     Strengths & Weaknesses

                                          iii.     Why do you want to be a dermatologist

                                            iv.     Favorite movie/book

                                              v.     Know your application well and be able to talk about each event/experience on it

                                            vi.     Situational questions

e.     A unique personal statement can help you stand out.

f.      With dermatology becoming increasingly competitive, it is important to consider a back up plan.  For someone who doesn’t match major decisions will be made in a very short amount of time so some forethought on what you would do in this situation could be beneficial. Options for someone who does not match into dermatology include completing an internal medicine or surgery prelim year and reapplying, taking a year for research, or dual applying initially.

2AAD Summary from Kristyna Gleghorn and Julie Croley

AAD is a great way for medical students interested in dermatology to learn about new innovations in dermatology, explore specific dermatology interests, and to get a better idea of what life as a dermatologist is like. One of the sessions they highly recommended is the Hot Topics Sessions where the forefront of dermatology research and pharmaceutical developments were discussed. An abundance of other informative topic specific presentations were held. Another benefit of attending AAD is presenting research in a poster format or oral presentation in the Gross and Microscopic Symposium. 

3  TDS Spring Meeting 2016

a.     April 15-16 at The Omni Hotel in Houston, Texas

b.     To register as a student email Sylvia Hall (Sylvia.hall@texmed.org)

4 Dermatology Night at St. Vincent’s 4/7/16
a             Sign up at http://www.stvsc.org/index.php/students/
5Stay Shady presentation at Holy Family Catholic School coming up in April- details TBA

Congratulations to the 2016-2017 DIG Officers

DIG recently had an officer election for the 2016-2017 school year. Congratulations to the following officers:

President: Kristyna Gleghorn

Vice President: Tim Allen

Fundraising/AIM Melanoma Walk Chairs: Dung Mac, Paige Hoyer

Sun Protection Chairs: Tara Akunna, Barrett Riddle

Psoriasis Awareness Chairs: Seena Monjazeb

Dermatology Night at St. Vincent’s Clinic on April 7th, 2016

Join UTMB Dermatology residents and faculty for the upcoming dermatology night at St. Vincent’s Clinic. Please see the calendar link below to reserve your volunteering spot:

When: Thursday, Apr 7th, 5:30-9PM (volunteers should arrive at 5:15)
Where: St. Vincent's House, 2817 Post Office Street, Galveston, Texas 77550
Volunteer link: http://www.stvsc.org/index.php/students/

Sun Safety at the Senior Care Health Fair

DIG members volunteered at the Senior Care Health Fair in Galveston, TX on April 2, 2016 as part of UTMB’s United to Serve initiative. We provided education on sun safety, answered numerous questions regarding sunscreen use, and handed out sunscreen samples to senior participants at the fair. Thanks to our volunteers for a job well done! 

Photo: DIG members, Seena Monjazeb (Left, MS3) and Dung Mac (Right, MS3) at the Sun Safety table.

UTMB Dermatology Research Honors Project Presentation

Don’t miss your opportunity to  see the only MS4 UTMB Dermatology Research Honors Project scheduled for presentation this academic year. Uyen Ngoc Mui will present her thesis, “An evaluation of patients’ habits and knowledge regarding sunscreen and factors that influence their choice” on Friday, April 1, 2016 in the dermatology conference room at 2 pm. All DIG members are invited to attend, especially those considering future participation in the UTMB Dermatology Research Honors Program. Dr. Ashley Group is Ms. Mui’s UTMB dermatology faculty advisor for this research.

Dermatology Residency—Is it Worth Waiting and Hoping For?

As dermatology residencies become more and more competitive, very qualified applicants fail to match on their first attempt as MS4s. A few years ago it was very uncommon for MS4 applicants with Step 1 scores of 250 and higher as well as AOA membership and dermatology research not to match. No so today.

Some dermatology applicants are willing to keep applying for a dermatology residency despite initial or repeated rejections from residency programs. This can be a very difficult path for a number of reasons. It is hard to substantially improve application credentials during the PGY1 year due to clinical responsibilities. Often the preliminary or categorical PGY1 year in primary care specialties such as family medicine, internal medicine, and pediatrics will count against the full 3 years of dermatology residency funding, preventing some dermatology programs from even considering applicants in this situation.  Family and social pressure to finish residency and “get a job” is a factor for some, especially with student loans looming. Dermatology clinical fellowships do not often guarantee admission to a dermatology residency program, and dermatology applicants may need to spend years doing this type of clinical research at different institutions until they are able to find a program that will accept them into residency.

It is becoming more common for dermatology applicants to also interview for a “backup” residency in another specialty in case they fail to match in the first cycle. Two of the ROAD specialties (“road to happiness”), radiology and anesthesiology,  remain a relatively easy match for most dermatology applicants due to more available positions. Others, anticipating the potentially delayed path into dermatology, try to match into a surgery residency where dermatology funding is not an issue as long as the resident does not stay past the PGY2 year of surgical training. It is very important for those with a career interest in dermatology to consider these issue prior to applying to dermatology residency, so they will be better able to plan their professional future if they do not match into dermatology as a MS4.

UTMB Dermatology Residency Among Most Competitive Matches at UTMB in 2016

According to statistics compiled by the UTMB Graduate Medical Education office, UTMB Dermatology matched with all of its 4 highest rank list applicants in 2016. Other departments on campus that matched exclusively with their highest ranked applicants were: urology (1) and vascular surgery (1). Overall UTMB matched for 135 new residents, with 37 from UTMB and 42 from other Texas medical schools.

Senior Care Health Fair Volunteering on Saturday, April 2nd

DIG will be participating in the Senior Care Health Fair as part of the United to Serve initiative at UTMB (a huge campus-wide initiative to get students out in the Galveston community to volunteer on April 2nd). We will be providing sun health education. Please sign up in the volunteer link below: 
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1R_H2bUmBom8GE-unczyoHL_UEw2ZVB-uDr08prrHZuE/edit?pref=2&pli=1#gid=0 

Volunteers will need to attend one of the mandatory info meetings on Monday 12-1pm (3/28) or Friday 12-1 (4/1) in room 3.204 in the SHP/SON building. 

Also, volunteers will need to sign up below for their free T-shirts:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1HmMA0I4AMiyRzxxRUB48HdDxQSd9ymPAhoAakR2fmP0/viewform

Dermatology Acting Internship Still Popular at UTMB

Nine UTMB MS3s have already signed up for the dermatology acting internship (DERU-4007) during the upcoming 2016-2017 academic year when they are promoted to the final year of medical school. UTMB’s dermatology acting internship is offered during Periods 1 through 7, and has a maximum capacity for 14 students each year. It is not available during Period 13, the holiday Period. For the first time, during this upcoming academic year, the acting internship is also available for interested UTMB MS3s on a space availability basis. Please remember that a signed C Form is required from students registering for DERU-4006. For additional information about the DERU-4006, please see http://ar.utmb.edu/04-05review/bdisplay.asp?rec=499

Dr. Helen Malone to Present Scholarly Project About Skin Flap and Graft Education

Dr. Helen Malone, current UTMB PGY4 Dermatology Resident and the first UTMB Micrographic Surgery and Dermatologic Oncology (Mohs) Fellow in July 2016 will present her educational research about improving skin graft and skin flap clinical education. Her presentation will be given  to the UTMB Department of Dermatology and includes rotating medical students, dermatology residents, and dermatology faculty at 8 am on Friday, March 25th in the dermatology conference room. Interested DIG members are welcome to attend.

Should Quality Improvement be Taught During Medical School?

All UTMB house staff and at least one department member of each residency program must complete training offered by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) in Quality Improvement (QI). Should formal QI training begin earlier than residency? British medical students advocate development and implementation of a QI curriculum in their medical schools in Advances in Medical Education and Practice 2016:7, pages 171-172 (see https://www.dovepress.com/articles.php?article_id=26065 ). As first year medical students at Imperial College (London), they learned about QI during the first year. They reported, “The most beneficial aspect of this integrated module was the opportunity provided to actively participate in finding solutions for real problems in the clinical setting, of which some ideas have been formally implemented by hospitals.”

Rating Dermatology Residency Websites

Dermatology residency applicants regularly view departmental websites for program information. Some websites are not rated as highly as others. As far as Texas programs go, the following ratings were reported:

A+:         UT Southwestern
A:            Baylor (Houston)
B:            Baylor (Dallas), Texas A&M, Texas Tech, UTMB, UT Houston
C:            UT San Antonio

The full article from the March 2016 issue of Dermatology Online Journal is available at: http://escholarship.org/uc/item/7rx3j2dn

Cautionary Letter Published About Medical Student Research

Dermatology Online Journal co-authors Jordan V. Wang and Matthew Keller remind academic dermatology residency programs to be aware that some applicants may exaggerate their research activity. This action could potentially create an unfair advantage in the residency selection process. They advise, “…residency program directors should think twice about the possibility of research falsification until functional checkpoints can be built-in to the application process and until the inclusion of ‘submitted’ works are no longer permitted.” Their letter from the March 2016 issue of Dermatology Online Journal is available at: http://escholarship.org/uc/item/56x1t7ww

Congratulations to Kristyna Gleghorn and Lauren Williams for their selection as 2016-2017 DIGA Officers!

The UTMB DIG congratulates UTMB MS3 Kristyna Gleghorn and Lauren Williams for their recent selection as officers in the Dermatology Interest Group Association (DIGA) as Southern Regional Director and Residency Interview Database Director, respectively. The Dermatology Interest Group Association (DIGA) is a student run, non-profit corporation committed to providing volunteering, networking, and research opportunities to students interested in dermatology. Their first meeting was held at the Annual American Academy of Dermatology Conference in Washington D.C. on March 5th, 2016. A full list of 2016-2017 DIGA officers can be seen at the following website:  http://www.derminterest.org/People/CurrentOfficers.aspx

2016 UTMB Dermatopathology Resident Board Examination Review

The 16th annual UTMB Dermatopathology Resident Board Examination Review will be held on Saturday, May 14, 2016. This year’s exceptional faculty include Drs. Brent Kelly, Maria Colome, Ramon Sanchez, Alma Berlingeri, Matthew Petitt, Palak Parekh, and Anisha Pate. 150 representative glass slides and Kodachrome will be reviewed during this course. Cost is $50 for residents and fellows, and $140 for those in-practice. Breakfast and a box lunch will be served. For additional information please contact Ms. Kimberly Cooper at kjcooper@utmb.edu. Unfortunately, due to space limitations, no medical student registrations will be permitted.