Dermatology Weekly – Details, episodes & analysis

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented unique challenges for medical students applying to residency programs. In this episode, Candrice R. Heath, MD (@DrCandriceHeath), talks to Virginia Alvarado Jones, MD, MS (@GinaAlvaJones), and medical student Victoria Humphrey (@VictoriaSHumphrey) about their experience navigating the dermatology residency Match process during this application cycle. They provide tips and takeaways for the next group of applicants, including how to adapt to the virtual interview process and connect with mentors and fellow residents without regular in-person contact.

Dr. Heath also talks to residency program director Ilana Rosman, MD (@ilanarosman), about how the past year has opened the door for much needed changes in the residency application process (begins at 28:50). "We had two pandemics this year, right? We have COVID, and we have racial injustice. And I think that's not new. That's obviously not new at all. But I think it really has come to the forefront. And I think those two things together have made all of us much more cognizant of how we go about the process of residency selection and application making sure that we can make it equitable, inclusive, and sustainable moving forward," Dr. Rosman says. They also discuss a holistic approach to reviewing residency applicants and virtual mentorships.

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Host: Candrice R. Heath, MD (Temple University Hospital, Philadelphia)

Guests: Virginia Alvarado Jones, MD, MS (California Pacific Medical Center, San Francisco; University of Illinois at Chicago); Victoria Humphrey (University of Pittsburgh); Ilana Rosman, MD (Washington University, St. Louis)

Disclosures: Dr. Heath, Dr. Jones, and Dr. Rosman, as well as Ms. Humphrey, report no conflicts of interest.

Show notes by: Alicia Sonners, Melissa Sears

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You can find more of our podcasts at http://www.mdedge.com/podcasts     

Email the show: podcasts@mdedge.com

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Ethnic minorities and patients living in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas are disproportionately impacted by a growing national shortage of dermatologists. In this resident takeover, Sophie A. Greenberg, MD (Twitter: @sophiegreenberg; Instagram: @sophiegreenbergmd), talks to Soraya Azzawi, MD, about how dermatology residency can serve as an opportunity to address barriers to equitable care in these populations and enact change within the specialty: "There is a stark regional misdistribution of the dermatologic workforce, with specialists tending to concentrate in the urban areas, and more rural areas are largely underserved. And as we progress through residency and start thinking about the overall trajectory of our career, it's going to be important to consider how the imbalance of the dermatologic workforce will shape where we choose to practice and how that choice impacts vulnerable communities with the greatest unmet needs," Dr. Azzawi explains. They discuss various systemic factors that limit care in vulnerable communities and highlight ways that dermatology residents can work to better understand and meet the needs of underserved patient populations.

Article: https://www.mdedge.com/dermatology/article/238575/diversity-medicine/empowering-residents-address-socioeconomic-disparities

Downloadable PDF: https://cdn.mdedge.com/files/s3fs-public/CT107003043_e.PDF

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Host: Sophie A. Greenberg, MD (Columbia University Medical Center, New York)

Guest: Soraya Azzawi, MD (University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital)

Disclosures: Dr. Greenberg and Dr. Azzawi report no conflict of interest.

Show notes by: Alicia Sonners, Melissa Sears

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You can find more of our podcasts at http://www.mdedge.com/podcasts     

Email the show: podcasts@mdedge.com

Interact with us on Twitter: @MDedgeDerm

To truly increase diversity in dermatology, students of color need to be encouraged that dermatology is achievable. In this resident takeover, Sophie A. Greenberg, MD (@sophiegreenberg), talks to Nicole A. Negbenebor, MD (Instagram: @naijalatte), about her personal experience navigating dermatology residency as an applicant of color. "Dermatology is such a wonderful field and I feel that it has had the ability to impact so many different people, different socioeconomic statuses, different backgrounds, but unfortunately the workforce does not reflect the population sometimes that they're serving," Dr. Negbenebor notes. They also discuss the importance of mentorship and networking opportunities, and Dr. Negbenebor offers advice on the dermatology residency application process.

Article: https://www.mdedge.com/dermatology/article/235130/diversity-medicine/advice-applying-dermatology-applicant-color-keep-going?channel=64

Downloadable PDF: https://cdn.mdedge.com/files/s3fs-public/CT107001015_e.PDF

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Host: Sophie A. Greenberg, MD (department of dermatology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York)

Guests: Nicole A. Negbenebor, MD (department of dermatology, Brown University, Providence, R.I.)

Disclosures: Dr. Greenberg and Dr. Negbenebor report no conflict of interest.

Show notes by: Allegra Sparta, Melissa Sears

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You can find more of our podcasts at http://www.mdedge.com/podcasts     

Email the show: podcasts@mdedge.com

Interact with us on Twitter: @MDedgeDerm

Lorenzo Norris, MD, host of MDedge Psychcast, talks with Scott A. Norton, MD, MPH, MSc, and John Koo, MD, about delusions of infestation, weighing in on the diagnosis and management of patients with this challenging disorder, and more.

Dr. Norton is a dermatologist and preventive medicine specialist at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Md. Dr. Koo is professor of dermatology at the University of California, San Francisco, and is a dermatologist and board-certified psychiatrist.

Dr. Norton and Dr. Koo had no relevant disclosures. 

Reference

Delusional infestation surges during COVID-19 pandemic 

Mobile applications are useful to educate medical students and trainees; however, there is no objective method to assess their quality. Vincent A. DeLeo, MD, talks to Babar Rao, MD, about determining the usefulness and credibility of dermatology educational apps including factors such as affordability, accuracy, and ease of use. "I think we will be dependent on digital learning, so the only way to really move forward is to get involved. ... I think we have to get involved and make sure that what is available on these digital educational portals is also as relevant or as accurate as our printed material," Dr. Rao notes. They also discuss the shortcomings found in such apps, such as conflicts of interest and glitches in software performance.

Article: https://www.mdedge.com/dermatology/article/233009/aesthetic-dermatology/mobile-apps-professional-dermatology-education

Downloadable PDF: https://cdn.mdedge.com/files/s3fs-public/CT106006321.PDF

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Host: Vincent A. DeLeo, MD (University of Southern California, Los Angeles)

Guest: Babar Rao, MD (Center for Dermatology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, N.J., and the department of dermatology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York)

Disclosures: Dr. DeLeo is a consultant for Estée Lauder.  Dr. Rao reports no conflict of interest.

Show notes by: Allegra Sparta, Melissa Sears

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You can find more of our podcasts at http://www.mdedge.com/podcasts     

Email the show: podcasts@mdedge.com

Transcript of this episode is avaiable at: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/946600?src=

Access to dermatologic care in rural areas is a growing problem. Dr. Vincent DeLeo talks to Robert T. Brodell, MD; Cindy Firkins Smith, MD; and medical student Alexandra Streifel about the influence of rural clinical experiences during residency, which may increase the likelihood of trainees establishing a practice in these isolated areas. "Rural areas are tremendously underserved. [Patients] are waiting months to get appointments. And so if we can increase the number of rural dermatologists, it's primarily good for patients," Dr. Smith notes. They also discuss telemedicine and its role in rural dermatologic care.

Article: https://www.mdedge.com/dermatology/article/234121/health-policy/rural-residency-curricula-potential-target-improved-access

Downloadable PDF: https://cdn.mdedge.com/files/s3fs-public/CT107001054.PDF

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Hosts: Vincent A. DeLeo, MD (University of Southern California, Los Angeles)

Guests: Robert T. Brodell, MD (department of dermatology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson); Cindy Firkins Smith, MD (Carris Health, Willmar, Minn.); Alexandra Streifel, BA (University of North Dakota, Grand Forks)

Disclosures: Dr. DeLeo is a consultant for Estée Lauder.  Dr. Brodell, Dr. Smith, and Ms. Streifel report no conflict of interest.

Show notes by: Allegra Sparta, Melissa Sears

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You can find more of our podcasts at http://www.mdedge.com/podcasts     

Email the show: podcasts@mdedge.com

In the news:

Dermatologist survey spotlights psoriasis care deficiencies in reproductive-age women

Expert panel addresses gaps in acne guidelines

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There is strong evidence for a relationship between diet and various skin conditions. In this resident takeover, Daniel R. Mazori, MD, talks to Sophie A. Greenberg, MD (@sophiegreenberg), about the role of diet in acne, psoriasis, and atopic dermatitis. Because patients and parents of pediatric patients often inquire about diet in relationship to atopic dermatitis, Dr. Greenberg offers a closer analysis of the data on this association. "A small minority of patients can experience flares of their atopic dermatitis due to food allergies. And this is usually non–IgE-mediated allergen exposure. ... But I do think it's important to know that it's really a small minority that their skin disease flares in relationship to their diet, so I usually counsel patients that it's unlikely to be related to diet and I think it's important to be prudent in considering who you refer to an allergist to have a work-up for food allergies."

Article: https://www.mdedge.com/dermatology/article/233485/atopic-dermatitis/diet-and-skin-primer?channel=64

Downloadable PDF: https://cdn.mdedge.com/files/s3fs-public/CT106005031_e.PDF

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Hosts: Nick Andrews; Daniel R. Mazori, MD (State University of New York, Brooklyn)

Guest: Sophie A. Greenberg, MD (department of dermatology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York)

Disclosures: Dr. Mazori and Dr. Greenberg report no conflict of interest.

Show notes by: Allegra Sparta, Melissa Sears

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You can find more of our podcasts at http://www.mdedge.com/podcasts     

Email the show: podcasts@mdedge.com

Interact with us on Twitter: @MDedgeDerm

In the news:

Pityriasis rosea carries few risks for pregnant women

Adjuvant nivolumab plus ipilimumab shows strong results in resected stage IV melanoma

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Because psoriasis and atopic dermatitis (AD) can greatly affect quality of life in pediatric patients, the development of treatments with low-side effect profiles and less laboratory monitoring is essential. Vincent A. DeLeo, MD, talks to Amy S. Paller, MD, and Jennifer B. Scott, MD, about biologics approved for psoriasis and AD in the pediatric population. "Progressively, we've seen the newer biologics being more and more effective in both adults and in children, so we're able to take some of the more effective ones and apply them to our children and adolescents with psoriasis ... We keep raising the bar in children as well as adults," Dr. Paller reflects. They also discuss the advantages and pitfalls of biologics versus traditional systemic treatments as well as therapies on the horizon.

Article: https://www.mdedge.com/dermatology/article/231217/atopic-dermatitis/biologics-pediatric-psoriasis-and-atopic-dermatitis

Downloadable PDF: https://cdn.mdedge.com/files/s3fs-public/CT106005224.PDF

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Hosts: Nick Andrews, Vincent A. DeLeo, MD (University of Southern California, Los Angeles)

Guests: Amy S. Paller, MD (department of dermatology and the department of pediatrics, Northwestern University, Chicago) and Jennifer B. Scott, MD (department of dermatology, Northwestern University)

Disclosures: Dr. DeLeo is a consultant for Estée Lauder. Dr. Paller has been an investigator and/or consultant for numerous companies. Dr. Scott reports no conflict of interest.

Show notes by: Allegra Sparta, Melissa Sears

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You can find more of our podcasts at http://www.mdedge.com/podcasts     

Email the show: podcasts@mdedge.com

Interact with us on Twitter: @MDedgeDerm

In the news:

Baseline body surface area may drive optimal baricitinib responses

Avoiding atopic dermatitis triggers easier said than done

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Psoriasis patients often have additional comorbidities that put them at higher risk for developing COVID-19. In this episode, Candrice R. Heath, MD (@DrCandriceHeath), talks to Mark G. Lebwohl, MD, about the benefits of continuing biologic therapies for psoriasis during the COVID-19 pandemic. They discuss findings from registry data in Italy and New York City and how the data have impacted the latest guidelines for treatment. "The [National Psoriasis Foundation COVID-19 Task Force] has come out with a recommendation that strongly encourages patients on biologics to take [the COVID-19] vaccination and to not interrupt your biologic therapy," Dr. Lebwohl explains. They also discuss how dermatologists can counsel patients about the safety of biologics so they feel comfortable continuing treatment during the pandemic.

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Hosts: Nick Andrews; Candrice R. Heath, MD (Temple University Hospital, Philadelphia)

Guests: Mark G. Lebwohl, MD (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York)

Disclosures: Dr. Heath reports no conflict of interest. Dr. Lebwohl is an employee of Mount Sinai and has received research funds and consulted with numerous pharmaceutical companies.

Show notes by: Alicia Sonners, Melissa Sears

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You can find more of our podcasts at http://www.mdedge.com/podcasts     

Email the show: podcasts@mdedge.com

Interact with us on Twitter: @MDedgeDerm

Dermatology News:

Swedish registry study finds atopic dermatitis significantly associated with autoimmune diseases

Guidance issued on COVID vaccine use in patients with dermal fillers         

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Dermatologic adverse events can present differently in patients with skin of color (SOC) than in White patients. In this episode, Candrice R. Heath, MD (@DrCandriceHeath), talks to Sarah J. Noor, MD, and medical student Dulce Barrios about how skin toxicities from systemic cancer therapies and radiation treatment manifest in SOC patients, particularly in the form of pigmentary changes. "We really need to understand the pathogenesis or etiology of this discoloration, because I think when this is the initial presenting feature, it's possible … even though it looks more just like hyperpigmentation on the skin, that there is some underlying inflammatory process going on," Dr. Noor explains. They also discuss barriers that limit participation of SOC patients in oncology clinical trials.

Dr. Noor and Ms. Barrios's poster from the Skin of Color Society (@SkinOfColor) Scientific Symposium won the Best Oral Presentation Advancing Skin of Color Dermatology "Facing the Future Award."

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Hosts: Nick Andrews; Candrice R. Heath, MD (Temple University Hospital, Philadelphia)

Guests: Sarah J. Noor, MD (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York); Dulce Barrios, MS (State University of New York, Syracuse)

Disclosures: Dr. Heath reports no conflict of interest. Dr. Noor participated in an advisory board for Kyowa Kirin. Ms. Barrios reports no conflict of interest.

Show notes by: Allegra Sparta, Alicia Sonners

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You can find more of our podcasts at http://www.mdedge.com/podcasts

Email the show: podcasts@mdedge.com

Interact with us on Twitter: @MDedgeDerm