DERMATOLOGY SUBSPECIALTY EXPERIENCE

Dermatopathology

Residents spend two hours every Tuesday reading the histopathology of the biopsies done in the resident clinics. This provides residents the opportunity to correlate the histopathology of the lesions they biopsy in clinic. This time is also spent on formal didactics. Dr. Manjunath Vadmal reviews the Lever dermatopathology text with glass slides and lecture. Residents also spend two days per month reviewing “unknowns” with a private dermatopathologist, Dr. Dong Chang.

The residents review dermatopathology slides through the
multi-headed microscope with Dr. Manjunath Vadmal.

Dermatologic Surgery and Procedural Dermatology

Under faculty supervision, residents spend two half-days per week for three years peforming surgery on their own patients. This includes all wound closures. This is an unopposed program without a Mohs/surgical fellow, so the residents schedule, plan, and operate on all dermatology patients treated at the LAC+USC Medical Center.

The dermatology department has two lasers that are used two half-days per week: the V-beam and Nd:YAG lasers. Other procedures performed in the clinics include: chemical peels, dermabrasion, scar revision, electro-loop cautery, liposuction, and hair transplantation.

Mohs micrographic surgery exposure is obtained monthly at the Edward E. Roybal Clinic, and 1-2 times per week during the second and third year of residency at the Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center and the City of Hope Medical Center.

Dr. Han Lee teaches during surgery clinic.

Dr. David Friedman draws a surgical flap with senior resident Carl Chang

Pediatric Dermatology

Residents spend every Wednesday morning for three years at either the pediatric dermatology clinic at the LA County Women’s and Children’s Hospital, or at the Childrens Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA). The Women’s and Children’s dermatology clinic is a high-volume clinic with primary pediatric dermatologic problems. The CHLA dermatology clinic is a tertiary referral center for the greater Los Angeles area, and this clinic is known for serving rare dermatologic diseases and treatment challenges.

Hansen's Disease

The LAC+USC Medical Center has more registered leprosy patients than any other leprosy clinic in the country. This clinic is staffed by one of the world’s leading experts in leprosy, Dr. Thomas Rea. He has been a faculty member with the Department of Dermatology for over 35 years. The residents work in the clinic every Wednesday morning during the two months of their inpatient consult month.

HIV Dermatology

Residents spend every Friday morning for two months each year at the HIV dermatology clinic. This clinic is housed in the 5P21 building, which was created to serve HIV patients in the greater Los Angeles area. It is a multi-disciplinary clinic offering all aspects of HIV care. Services include primary HIV care, subspecialty HIV services like dermatology clinic and Kaposi’s sarcoma clinic, as well as social and psychiatric services.

Dr. David Sawcer works with a medical student in the HIV clinic.

Immunobullous Disease

The LAC+USC Medical Center has a monthly clinic that specifically treats patients with autoimmune bullous diseases. This is one of the only clinics of this kind in the country. In this clinic, we treat patients with pemphigus, epidermolysis bullosa acquisita, and bullous pemphigoid, among others. Dr. David Woodley is a leading researcher in this field, and he is an expert in this area. The residents work one-on-one with Dr. Woodley once per month throughout all three years.

« Back to Residency