Dr. Julie Martin Publishes UTMB Dermatology Residency Scholarly Project

Dr. Julie Martin, currently in private dermatology practice in Austin, recently published her scholarly project entitled, “Dermatology Procedural and Surgical Skills Workshop for Medical and Physician Assistant Students,” in the Journal of Cosmetics, Dermatological Sciences and Applications (JCDSA, Volume 3, Number 3A2, 2013). Her coauthors on this educational research were UTMB MS4 DIG President Sheila Jalalat and Dr. Richard Wagner from the UTMB Department of Dermatology. This open access publication is available at: http://www.scirp.org/journal/JCDSA/ ( http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/jcdsa.2013.33A2011  ).

Dr. Martin completed three years of general surgery residency at UTMB before taking a one year fellowship in cutaneous oncology at Harvard and then starting dermatology residency at UTMB. She completed her dermatology residency at UTMB in June 2013.

Dermatology Research: Ways to Get Involved

Students interested in dermatology often ask how to get involved with research. Dr. Tyring’s clinical research fellow has given us some recommendations on ways students can find dermatology research opportunities:

1. Many faculty members have research opportunities for medical students but it must be sought out. A better approach may be meeting dermatology faculty at interest meetings, rotations, and inquiring in person or by email.
2. On 3rd/4th year medicine or ICU rotations patients will present with interesting dermatological complaints that can be written up as case reports. Express interest to your attending/resident that you would like to write your patient up.
3. Enroll in research elective during 4th year (details in previous DIG@UTMB blog post)
4. While generally reserved for residents, medical students can present patients at conferences (ie. Texas Dermatological Society meetings) if there is space and time available.
5. Some students applying to dermatology will elect to take a year off for research to make their application more competitive. Before considering this, talk to a mentor who can give you a realistic idea if you will match into dermatology given your current stats or if taking a year to conduct research would be beneficial.
6. Dr. Tyring is happy to have students rotate with him for a month to work in both his private clinic and do research.
1. His email address is styring@ccstexas.com. Just this year they had one UTMB medical student write and publish a paper in a major dermatology journal. It was accepted, too! Another student rotating for a month wrote a paper that was also recently accepted, helped input data for a project that residents were already working on, and presented a poster at the Texas Dermatological Society meeting.
2. Students can also contact Dr. Tyring’s clinical research fellow at cdowning@ccstexas.com to inquire about any projects. 

DIG would like to thank Dr. Tyring’s research clinical fellow for providing all of this helpful information!

UTMB Dermatology to Interview Internal Candidates for Residency Positions

UTMB Dermatology will interview all of its internal applicants for a dermatology residency position on Friday morning, December 6th. Invited to this interview are current UTMB MS4 ERAS applicants as well as ERAS applicants from within UTMB who have already graduated from medical school.

UTMB Dermatology Resident selected to serve as a member of AAD's Residents/Fellows Committee

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Lindsey Hunter-Ellul, UTMB PGY-3 Dermatology Resident, was recently appointed to serve as a member of the American Academy of Dermatology's (AAD) Residents/Fellows Committee from 2014-2016. This committee serves to support the interests of and address issues of concern to residents and fellows in training during post-graduate education.

Lack of Research Interest Among Medical Students Investigated

Researchers at King Edward Medical University in Pakistan conducted a case-controlled study in 2007 at their institution with MS4s about why some medical students were not interested in research. They found that student attitudes of considering research useless (odds ratio 4.570) and lack of internet facilities (odds ratio 0.218) were statistically significant. However, further research is needed to determine why some of their medical students view research as useless. This article, “Factors contributing to lack of interest in research among medical students,” was published in Advances in Medical Education and Practice 2013;4:237-243.

UTMB DIG President Publishes Dermatology Education Article

Congratulations to UTMB MS4 Dermatology Interest Group (DIG) President, Sheila Jalalat on her new publication, “Medical student dermatology interest groups,” that was published in the September-October issue of Clinics in Dermatology (31:656-60. doi: 10.1016/j.clindermatol.2013.02.001). Her coauthors on this paper were Drs. Lindsey Hunter-Ellul, a second year dermatology resident at UTMB and Dr. Richard Wagner, UTMB dermatology program director. The abstract for this article is available at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24079594 and the entire article is currently available at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/0738081X

DIGA Posts Dermatology Residency Interview Calendar

As in past years, DIGA (Dermatology Interest Group Association) has posted a calendar and additional program information for the current dermatology match. It is available at: http://interviews.derminterest.org/ UTMB participated in the request for interview information, and our interview dates for nonrotating outside applicants (January 30 or January 31) are listed along with other participating programs. This calendar is especially useful for applicants trying to avoid interview conflicts, as it is often difficult to change an interview date once it is set.

Dr. Nate Davis Publishes UTMB Dermatology Residency Scholarly Project

Dr. Nate Davis, currently in private dermatology practice in Corpus Christi, recently published his scholarly project entitled, “Dermatology Resident Generated Textbook Questions as a Resident-centered Educational Strategy,” in the Journal of Cosmetics, Dermatological Sciences and Applications (JCDSA), Vol.3 No.3B, 2013). His coauthors on this educational research were Kimberly Cooper, UTMB Dermatology Residency Program Coordinator, and Drs. Erica Kelly, Sharon Raimer, and Richard Wagner from the UTMB Department of Dermatology. This open access article is currently available at: http://www.scirp.org/journal/JCDSA/ Dr. Davis’ UTMB residency group (Drs. Nate Davis, Ashley Group and Neda Nosrati) was the first from our medical school to have everyone in the class publish their scholarly project!

Medical School Graduates Without a Residency Offer an Increasing Concern

Atul Nakhasi, a medical student at Johns Hopkins, published an opinion piece in the October 31, 2013 Wall Street Journal (One Quick Fix to Ease the Coming Doctor Shortage, page A15). He reported that last year, 1761 MDs could not find residency positions. He thinks this situation may become worse as more US medical schools are opening (a 30% increase in the number of first year medical students by 2017) coupled with less federal funding for residency education (proposed $11 billion budget cut over the next 10 years).

Should Standardized Test Scores be Included in CV?

Should residency applicants include their Step scores in job resumes? How about MCAT scores, or going back further, SAT/ACT scores? The December 2013 issue of Kiplinger's published an interesting article by Knight Kiplinger (A College Degree Isn't Enough, page 16). Some applicants are now including their GRE scores to demonstrate that their GPAs are not inflated and that they are intellectually capable of doing the work demanded by employers. This article also mentions that some references provided by applicants are not reliable.

UTMB Graduate Medical Education (GME) Program Granted 7 Year Institutional Accreditation by ACGME

UTMB GME was recently awarded a 7 year cycle for institutional accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). This is the maximum accreditation possible for an institution. The next reaccreditation is scheduled for 2020. UTMB currently trains 572 residents, 11 of them in the UTMB dermatology program. In July 2014, the dermatology program will increase by one permanent resident, for a total of 12. This additional dermatology residency position has already been filled through the 2013 NRMP, when UTMB matched with 4 applicants for PGY2 positions.

St. Vincent’s WelFair: Volunteer Sign-Up

DIG is looking for volunteers for the St. Vincent’s WelFair 2013. DIG is hosting a table to educate people on the ABCDEs of skin cancer and how to properly use sunscreen to prevent sun damage. 

This event will be on Sat Nov 9, 10AM-2PM at St. Vincent’s Clinic 2817 Post Office St. Galveston, TX. 

Please sign up via this link:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AuFbNEN2oojIdDdyTXhLamdIRDVjay1XYklncEZXcUE&usp=sharing#gid=0

 

Email dhmac@utmb.edu if you have any questions.

 

Thank you,

 

DIG officers

UTMB DIG President Publishes Case Report

Congratulations to Sheila Jalalat, our UTMB MS4 Dermatology Interest Group President, for her interesting recent case report about vitiligo associated with Gefitinib treatment that was published in the October 2013 (Volume 19, Issue 10) of Dermatology Online Journal. Her coauthor on this case report was Dr. Philip Cohen. This article is available online at: http://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/758988k7 

Dermatology Professional Office Attire Featured in Bloomberg Businessweek

The October 21, 2013 issue of Bloomberg Businessweek featured Dr. Peggy Fuller, a dermatologist in Charlotte, NC in their “What I Wear to Work” feature (page 95). She was wearing a yellow outfit from the Banana Republic with a stethoscope around her neck, but without a white doctor’s coat. Her shoes were Prada, and she also wore a Cartier ring, vintage bracelet and ear rings, and a Baum & Mercier watch. The interviewer, Arianne Cohen also asked, “Is the dermatology lifestyle as great as reputed?” In part, Dr. Fuller’s responded, “…you can be a physician but also have a life.” Dr. Fuller founded the Esthetics Center for Dermatology seven years ago.

What was your Interviewer’s Eye Color?

An article from the October 21^st issue of Bloomberg Businessweek suggests that if you can’t recall your interviewer’s eye color, you may not be making enough eye contact (Jessica Grose, Look Away! Eye contact is overrated, page92 ). Of course, too much eye contact is not good either.

New UTMB Dermatology Research and Case Report Opportunities

Research and publications are important components of medical student applications for dermatology residency positions. With this in mind,  Dr. Lindsey Hunter-Ellul, PGY-3 UTMB Dermatology Resident, has created a “Dermatology Research and Case Report Opportunities” list of dermatology projects (i.e., research, case reports, posters, presentations, and resident scholarly projects) for UTMB and rotating medical students interested in pursuing dermatology research opportunities. The list provides a brief project description, the faculty and residents involved in the project, how much time the project will require, IRB requirements, and the number of students allowed per project. This list is available on the Resident Bulletin Board within the UTMB Department of Dermatology and will be updated weekly. This is also a great way for medical students to get involved and interact with dermatology faculty and residents. Medical students interested in a particular project listed on the bulletin board should contact the faculty and resident involved with the project for further information.

 

UTMB offers medical students several research electives for students to have protected time for scholarly activities in addition to the Honors Research Program. Research electives include: the UTMB Medical Student Summer Research Program (MSSRP) (an 8 week elective) between first and second years of medical school; DERU-4015 elective (4-8 week elective), which requires research elective committee approval 1 month prior to the rotation, and DERU-4004, a BSHS selective which requires a C-form. Students who wish to participate in the Honors Research Program must apply for entry by submitting a research proposal that has been approved by a Research Director, a full time faculty member under whom the student will perform the research. 

395 Completed ERAS Applications Received for 4 UTMB Dermatology Residency Positions

Applications for UTMB’s four dermatology residency positions offered through the 2014 NRMP continue to increase prior to the November 1, 2013 application deadline. In addition, 5 additional applications have been received but were not complete last week. The UTMB dermatology selection committee will begin reviewing applications on Monday, November 4^th  for outside students who did not take a dermatology elective at UTMB during 2013 and hope to send out invitations for a late January interview by the end of December.

Texas Medical Board Considers Restrictions on Dermatology Practice

In a move that could adversely impact dermatology practice in Texas for patients, the Texas Medical Board (TMB) is considering a proposal that would limit the amount of local anesthesia used in dermatology offices across the state. The proposed amendments to §192.1 and §192.2 currently read:

 

CHAPTER 192. OFFICE BASED ANESTHESIA 22 TAC §192.1 The Board proposes amendments to §192.1, relating to Definitions. The amendment add language providing that the administration of certain local anesthesia, peripheral nerve blocks, or both in a total dosage amount that exceeds 50 percent of the recommended maximum safe dosage per outpatient visit is a level II service, in accordance with SB 978 (83rd Reg. Session).

 

CHAPTER 192. OFFICE BASED ANESTHESIA 22 TAC §192.2

The Board proposes amendments to §192.2, relating to Provision of Anesthesia Services in Outpatient Settings.

The amendment provides that rules under Chapter 192 do not apply to outpatient settings in which only local anesthesia, peripheral nerve blocks, or both are used in a total dosage amount that does not exceed 50 percent of the recommended maximum safe dosage per outpatient visit, in accordance with SB 978 (83rd Reg. Session)

 

These new regulations would restrict the use of local anesthesia to doses that are 50% or less of the maximum does, even though there is much evidence based medicine that the maximum does is safe in Level 1 outpatient settings (see Arch Dermatol 2004;140:1379-1382). According to the new proposal, local anesthetic in excess of half the maximum does would require additional patient monitoring (Level 2), that is not currently available in most dermatology offices. This new regulation could greatly limit the availability of Mohs surgery for Texans with skin cancer, since Mohs surgery may require multiple excisions under local anesthesia on the same day to completely remove the skin cancer and additional local anesthesia for the wound repair. Those interested in contacting the TMB about this matter may email them by November 29, 2013 at: Rules.Development@tmb.state.tx.us  The TMB will meet on December 5, 2013 about this new proposed regulation at the William P. Hobby Building, 333 Guadalupe Street, Tower 2, Suite 225, Austin, Texas, 78701. Those who want to voice their opinion at this public meeting to the TMB may signup to do so.

UTMB Dermatology Residents Achieve 70% Percentile Rank on 2013 Dermatology Certification Examination

According to the American Board of Dermatology, our three recent dermatology graduates achieved a percentile rank of 70 on the 2013 certification exam (“the boards”). This means that their examination score average was equal or higher than 70% of other dermatology programs participating in testing. There were 118 participating programs during 2013, including UTMB. Congratulations for our residents for doing so well!

Tougher Grading Standards Anticipated for Dermatology Resident Milestones

Presentations at the Association of Professors of Dermatology (APD) last month indicates that more stringent evaluation of dermatology resident milestone competencies are expected from those creating the evaluation tools that will be used starting in July 2014. Evaluation forms presented at the 2013 APD meeting had ratings ranging from “1” (“below expected first year”) to “9” and “10” (mastery level). It was clear from the educational presentation that most residents would never achieve mastery level during residency because the comparison is senior dermatology faculty. A rating of “8” denotes “ready for unsupervised practice” and has been the standard for program completion. Ratings of “6” or “7” are “senior resident performance.” PGY2 dermatology residents are expected to be achieve a rating of either “2” or “3” (“beginning resident level”).

2013 Texas Legislature Protects Texas Medical Schools

Medical schools in the Caribbean often need clinical clerkship positions in the US for their students and are willing to pay for them. According to an article in the October 2013 issue of Texas Medicine (Texas first: Legislature preserves training spots for Texans, pages 49-53), our 2013 legislature “… passed legislation barring foreign medical schools from buying up core clinical training spots at Texas teaching hospitals and institutions.” During 2013, 94%  of US allopathic MS4s matched for residency, while only about 50% of US citizens attending international medical schools were able to do so.

UTMB Dermatology Department hosted Texas Dermatological Society Fall Meeting Oct 4th-5th

The University of Texas Medical Branch Dermatology Department hosted the Texas Dermatological Society fall meeting October 4th-5th at the Moody Gardens Hotel. It was one of the largest meetings with over 200 registered attendees. 

The meeting transported attendees to the UTMB Dermatology Clinic Saturday morning for 12 live patients viewing and 9 virtual cases.

Patient Cases Included:

1.Inflammatory Eruptive Porokeratosis

Rebecca C. Philips, M.D. and Bernard R. Gibson, M.D.

2.Nail-Patella Syndrome

Rebecca C. Philips, M.D., Ashley Group, M.D., Bernard Gibson, M.D., and Sharon Raimer, M.D.

3.Alopecia Mucinosa

Brandon Goodwin, M.D. and Sharon Raimer, M.D.

4.Lepromatous Leprosy Presenting as a Reactional State

Brandom Goodwin, M.D. and Ashley Group, M.D.

5.Darier Disease

Jason K. Jones, M.D., and Erica Kelly, M.D.

6.Congenital Erythropoietic Porphyria

Jason K. Jones, M.D. and Michael Wilkerson, M.D.

7.Diffuse Plane Xanthoma

Tanya Trynosky, M.D., and Michael Wilkerson, M.D.

8.Refractory Prurigo Nodularis Treated with Lenalidomide

Tanya Trynosky, M.D., Erica Kelly, M.D., prepared by Amber Gill, M.D.

9.Infantile Digital Fibromatosis

Helen Malone, M.D., and Ashley Group, M.D.

10.Infantile Perianal Pyramidal Protrusion

Helen Malone, M.D., and Ashley Group, M.D.

11.Erosive Pustular Dermatosis

Megan Moody Neill, M.D. and Brent Kelly, M.D.

12.Transient Myeloproliferative Disorder of Infancy

Megan Moody Neill, M.D., Bernard Gibson, M.D., and Brent Kelly, M.D.

13.Lymphomatoid Papulosis Type C

Samantha Robare-Stout, M.D., and Brent Kelly, M.D.

14.Inflammatory Vitiligo

Samantha Robare-Stout, M.D and Sharon Raimer, M.D.

15.Reed Syndrome

Janice Wilson, M.D. and Ashley Group, M.D.

16.Kaposi Sarcoma

Janice Wilson, M.D., Michael Wilkerson, M.D., prepared by Amber Gill, M.D.

17.Adult Onset Still’s Disease

Lindsey Hunter-Ellul, M.D., and Sharon Raimer, M.D.

18.Acquired Spiny Keratoderma

Lindsey Hunter-Ellul, M.D., and Bernard Gibson, M.D.

19.Telangiectasis Macularis Eruptiva Perstans

Lindsey Hunter-Ellul, M.D., and Ashley Group, M.D.

20.Morphea in Osteogenesis Imperfecta Type 1

Audra Clos, M.D., Brent Kelly, M.D., and Michael Wilkerson, M.D.

21.Brooke-Spiegler Syndrome

Audra Clos, M.D and Aaron Joseph, M.D.

UTMB Resident and Faculty presentations included:

Great Pediatric Cases

Sharon Raimer, MD

When Better is Small

Michael Wilkerson, MD

What’s New in Non-Prescription Skin Care

Erica Kelly, MD

An Evidence-Based Approach to Brittle Nails

Alma Berlingeri, MD

Oral Care for Patients with Oral Dermatosis

Tanya Trynosky, MD

Internal Medicine: The Skin and the Kidney

Brent Kelly, MD

UTMB Medical Student (MS4) Podium Presenter

Exacerbation of Bullous Pemphigoid After Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease

Sheila Jalalat, BS

Case with: Lindsey Hunter-Ellul, MD, and Michael Wilkerson, MD

The Department of Dermatology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX

UTMB Poster presentations

Linear IgA Dermatosis Secondary to Amlodipine

Tanya Trynosky MD, Adrian Subrt BA, Conner Chan MD, Ramon Sanchez MD, Carlos Nousari MD

A Rare Case of Cutaneous Metastases from Cholangiocarcinoma

Lindsey Hunter-Ellul MD Kathrene Tajnert, Brent Kelly MD, Vicki Schnadig MD, Ranjana Nawgiri MD

1^st  place podium presentation:

Serving the Underserved: How to make a low cost sunscreen with natural ingredients

Maria Elena Miyar, MD

University of Texas Southwestern

Austin, Austin, TX

1^st Place Poster

Development of new melanomas and progressive dysplasia in pre-existing nevi in patients undergoing BRAF-inhibitor therapy

Lotika Singh, MD

UT-Houston

2^nd Place Poster

Chronic erosive pustular dermatosis of the scalp: emphasizing frequent follow-up and low biopsy threshold for the practicing dermatologist

Rod Mahmoudizad, MD

Scott & White Healthcare

3^rd Place Poster

Efficacy and Safety of Field Treatment With Ingenol Mebutate Gel After Cryosurgery for Actinic Keratosis: Comparison With Phase 3 Results for Ingenol Mebutate Monotherapy

Whitney LaPolla, MD

UT Houston

We would like to thank those who helped make this meeting a success. A special thank you also goes out to the DIG members who volunteered their time to help direct meeting attendees around the UTMB campus.  

Thinking about Practicing Medicine in Texas?

It is never too early for our medical students and residents to learn about the medical licensing requirements for Texas. On Wednesday, October 16, 2013 representatives from the Texas Medical Board will make a presentation from 2-4 pm in the Levin Hall Main Auditorium about medical licensing in Texas.

Increased Numbers of Dermatology Residency Applications at UTMB

Although the application deadline for dermatology applicants is not until November 1, 2013, the UTMB Department of Dermatology has already received 377 applications. This is an increase from the number of applications received by the deadline last year (355). Four dermatology PGY2 positions will be offered through the NRMP in 2014. Five visiting medical students who took 4 week rotations in the UTMB dermatology department have already been interviewed for residency positions.  Internal UTMB applicants are interviewed in December through January, and outside applicants who did not do rotations are scheduled for interviews at the end of January 2014.

Concerns about Dermatology in the House of Medicine

The October 2013 online issue of Dermatology World has an important article about perceptions of dermatologists by other physicians (“A Matter of Perception,”  http://www.aad.org/dw/monthly/2013/october/a-matter-of-perception ). The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) surveyed physician leaders from other specialties about dermatology to learn their views. These leaders recognized the  significant contributions made by dermatologists in skin cancer prevention and treatment, as well as their role in the management of chronic skin diseases. However, these physicians voiced several concerns about dermatology as well. Limited patient access, preference for surgical dermatology, nonacceptance of insurance, cosmetic emphasis, and lack of participation in community service and medical societies were identified. Now that the AAD has identified these issues, it is working toward solutions.

Think Tank Advocates Demise of Specialty Medicine in United States

Citing poor efficiency, high cost and equivalent outcomes without high tech medical interventions, authors Shannon Brownlee, Joseph Colucci, and Thom Walsh from the New America Foundation (“Productivity and the Health Care Workforce,” October 2013, see http://growth.newamerica.net/publications/policy/productivity_and_the_health_care_workforce) recommend no federal funding for additional graduate medical education residencies. They also propose that fee-for-service healthcare models should diminished or eliminated.

UTMB Dermatology Film Class Award Leads to Publication

Dr. Alex Holliday, previously recognized in this blog for his 2012 UTMB SOM Graduation Award for the best Skin Disease Depicted in Film essay during the 2011-2012 academic year, has published an article co-authored by UTMB dermatology faculty Dr. Richard Wagner. The article, “Kaposi’s Sarcoma in Film” reviews 10 US films released from 1985 to 2008 that depicted Kaposi’s sarcoma. The article was published in volume 9 of the Journal of Medicine and Movies. The article is available at: http://revistamedicinacine.usal.es/index.php/volumenes/volumen9/num3/748 

UTMB Dermatology Faculty Promoted, Tenured and Receives Professorship

Congratulations to Dr. Michael Wilkerson, who was recently promoted to professor with tenure at UTMB. He was also named as the first recipient of the Sharon and Ben Raimer Professorship in Dermatology.

Texas Dermatological Society Meeting Volunteers Needed!

The UTMB Department of Dermatology will be Hosting the Fall Meeting of the Texas Dermatological Society on October 4th and 5th. Volunteers are needed on October 5th at 7:30 AM to prepare the Dermatology clinic. This is a great opportunity to interact with residents, faculty, and community dermatologists from throughout the state of Texas. By volunteering, you will be allowed to attend meeting events (lectures, podium presentations, and posters).  If interested please email Sheila Jalalat (szjalala@utmb.edu) or William Tausend (wetausen@utmb.edu). 

UTMB Dermatology Residents Score Well on 2013 American Board of Dermatology Certification Examination

As previously reported on this blog, UTMB dermatology residents had a 100% pass rate on the 2013 certification examination given by the American Board of Dermatology (ABD) during July 2013. In addition, according to the ABD,  the 3 graduating UTMB residents taking the test in 2013 achieved the 70^th percentile for dermatology residency programs out of the 118 reporting! Congratulations on this outstanding academic achievement!

American Board of Dermatology 2013 Board Certification Test Passing Rate

The American Board of Dermatology (ABD) reported to the Association of Professors in Dermatology (APD) at their 2013 annual fall meeting in Chicago that of the 446 applicants taking the one day examination during July, 435 passed (97.5%). However, the pass rate was higher for first time test takers (99.8%).

2013 NRMP Dermatology Analysis

Attendees at the annual fall Association of Professors of dermatology (APD) look forward to annual presentations by Dr. Alexa Kimball, the Senior Vice President of Mass General Physicians Organization and Vice Chair of Dermatology at Harvard Medical School. In the 2013 match, matching senior US medical students received a median of 10 interviews, while those who failed to match received 5. Independent dermatology applicants (those who were not US MS4s) received fewer interviews than US MS4s, and those matching were offered a median of 6, while those that did not match were only offered 1 interview. Only 50% of independent applicants matched last year, which may indicate that it is becoming more difficult for independent dermatology applicants to obtain a dermatology residency position. Last year, dermatology programs only needed to rank three applicants to fill each position that they offered in the NRMP.

New Approach to Dermatology Residency Interview at Loma Linda University

A presentation at the September 2013 Dermatology Teachers Exchange Group meeting in Chicago detailed a novel approach to dermatology interviews for residency positions at Loma Linda University (Leong T, Pugliese S, Torres A. A Unique Interview Requirement) over the past 7 years. Those invited to interview are required to present a brief PowerPoint presentation about themselves to those interviewing resident applicants. The authors thought that this interview requirement provided additional information about applicants related to success in residency, including skill in public speaking and social interactions.

Dermatology Interest Group Association (DIGA) Officer Positions

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. I am a previous Dermatology Interest Group Association (DIGA) board member who will now be assisting the president this year. Due to transitioning issues, DIGA started the 2013-2014 academic year slower than in previous years. We are currently seeking medical students interested in a dermatology career to serve as a DIGA officer in the positions of: Vice President, Public Relations/Fundraising, Midwestern Regional Director, and Western Regional Director. A brief summary of each positions' roles is provided below. If you are interested in applying to one of these positions, please complete and send DIGA's Officer Application with a copy of your CV to 4griffijlg@gmail.com. Applications will be reviewed and candidates selected on a rolling application basis.

To receive the application, please send an email to utmbdig@gmail.com

Brief Statement of Duties:

Vice President - This person will learn how to perform the duties of the President through assisting the President and Webmaster in the management of the organization and selection of next year's officers. Requirement: 1st to 3rd year medical student. 

Public Relations/Fundraising: The position's primary responsibility is continuing and starting new fundraising initiatives. He/she will also assist the Secretary in the management of DIGA's facebook page/twitter account and creation of semi-annual newsletters/emails to Dermatology Interest Groups (DIGs). These newsletters will include DIGA's activities, affiliated DIGs initiatives, and relevant/interesting updates in the field of dermatology. 

Regional Directors: Officers for each respective region of the country are responsible for collecting DIGs contact information. In addition, he/she will assist the Interview Database Director in contacting regional dermatology residencies to inquire about the program's participation in the Residency Interview Database this year. Participating programs will complete a brief (less than 1 minute) online survey as to the date of their interviews, pre-interview dinner requirements, etc.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me via email.

Best,
Jim

James L. Griffith, MD
DIGA Board Member
Email: 4griffijlg@gmail.com

UTMB Medical Student Presents Research At Dermatology Teachers Exchange Group

Sheila Jalalat, UTMB MS4 and DIG President presented podium and poster educational research at the September 2013 meeting of the Dermatology Teachers Exchange Group in Chicago. Her presentation was titled, “University of Texas Medical Branch Department of Dermatology Procedural and Surgical Skills Workshop.” Her coauthors on the presentation were Drs. Julie Martin and Richard Wagner. Dr. Martin is currently in private dermatology practice in Austin, Texas and Dr. Wagner is the Edgar B. Smith Professor of Dermatology and UTMB Dermatology Program Director.

Notes from DIG Meeting with Dr. Wagner on 9/17/13

UTMB DIG would like to thank Dr. Wagner for his very informative Q&A session on Dermatology residency and other related topics such as research, fellowships and electives. Below is a summary of the items Dr. Wagner discussed with the Dermatology Interest Group on 917/13.

1. Residency/Applicant Information:
a.   Dermatology is an extremely competitive field. Applicants who match into dermatology often have many publications, research experiences, volunteer activities, superior USMLE Step 1 scores, and belong to the AOA Medical Honor Society.  Many schools have USMLE Step1 cutoff to decrease the application pool. Of note, the dermatology department at UTMB interviews all of their fourth year medical student applicants. Overall, UTMB interviews around 30 applicants per year. In addition, UTMB is one of the few schools that offer the opportunity to do an Acting Internship in Dermatology as well as other courses such as Dermatology in the Cinema.

2. Research
a.   Research is highly encouraged for dermatology applicants and there are many opportunities to get involved in research at UTMB, both within and outside of the dermatology department. The key is to develop a project that matches your interests. There are diverse interests represented in the UTMB dermatology department that you can pursue, such as topics in general adult and pediatric dermatology, dermatopathology, dermatologic surgery and cosmetic dermatology.
b.   It is never too early to start a research project – you can even start during your first year. Working on case reports and reviews is a great way to start learning to research articles and work on writing skills. The UTMB School of Medicine allows you to participate in a 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 have the opportunity to get published. You can also participate 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. This research is typically completed and presented by April of the fourth year.

3. Step 2:
a.   Some students with lower step1 scores can take advantage of the opportunity of doing very well on step2 and in a sense “make up” for their former standardized test score.
b.   Step 2 scores are not required in order to apply for or to receive interviews from residency programs, but some programs are required to have your step 2 scores in order to rank you.

4. Don’t get in the first time?
a.   If you don't match the first year and dermatology is really your passion, don’t give up. It is very possible to match into Dermatology the second or third time around. There are a number of Dermatology research fellowships in the country that you can pursue after your intern year. The important thing is to be productive throughout the fellowship with multiple publications and the opportunity to become an expert on a particular topic of interest will add to your application. There are also alternative routes to becoming a dermatologist. For example, a pathologist who has completed a dermatopathology fellowship or a pediatrician may be attractive applicants to certain programs.

5   5. Dermatology Fellowships:

     a.   There are a number of fellowships that you can pursue after a dermatology residency, such as Pediatric Dermatology, Dermatopathology, Procedural Dermatology and Immunodermatology.

California Medical Student Co-authors Goeckerman Regimen DVD

Rishu Gupta has published a 12 minute DVD (“The Goeckerman Regimen for the Treatment of Moderate to Severe Psoriasis”) about the Goeckerman Regimen that was co-authored by Drs. John Koo and Wilson Liao from the University of California San Francisco Psoriasis and Skin Treatment Center. This DVD was mailed to dermatology program directors for teaching the Goeckerman Regimen to dermatology residents.

UTMB Now Charging Visiting Medical Students for Electives

The UTMB DIG has learned that UTMB is now charging visiting U.S. medical students a $50 "course fee" for elective rotations in addition to several other administrative charges ($5 for pager rental and $5 for a UTMB identification badge).

UTMB's Chief Financial Officer Resigns

According to last week's Galveston Daily News (Elder, L. UTMB's CFO Elger resigns: Officials mum about mundane aspects of departure. Galveston Daily News, Friday, September 20, 2013, pages A1, A4). Mr. William Elger started working for UTMB in 2009.

Front Page Story About MD Anderson Faculty in Houston Chronicle

The Thursday, September 19, 2013 edition of the Houston Chronicle  has a front page story by reporters Eric Berger and Todd Ackerman (M.D. Anderson chief under fire from faculty, Houston Chronicle, 9/19/13, pages A1, A14). Results from a new faculty survey that were presented at the 9/18/13 faculty senate meeting indicated that faculty thought current administrative demands for more clinical revenue were compromising  patient safety. In addition, 70% of the faculty responding to the survey indicated they were considering leaving the institution. University of Texas System Chancellor, Dr. Francisco Cigarroa, attended the faculty meeting. The updated article is available at: http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/M-D-Anderson-president-comes-under-fire-at-4825992.php