Resident Rounds Part I. The State University of New York Downstate Medical Center Dermatology Residency Training Program

May 2014 | Volume 13 | Issue 5 | Features | 607 | Copyright © May 2014


Jaimie B. Glick MD and Ravneet Ruby Kaur MD

Department of Dermatology, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY

Abstract
Resident Rounds is a section of the JDD dedicated to highlighting various dermatology departments with residency training programs. Resident Rounds includes three sections: (1) a program spotlight highlighting pertinent information about the department and residency training program; (2) a section presenting study materials used by residents at the program; and (3) a section designed to highlight recent interesting cases seen at the institution. This issue of Resident Rounds features the State University of New York Downstate Medical Center Dermatology Residency Training Program. The editor of Resident Rounds is Dr. Ali Alikhan. If you are interested in highlighting your training program in a future issue, please contact Dr. Alikhan at alialikhan1@yahoo.com.
The Dermatology Residency Training program at the State University of New York (SUNY) Downstate Medical Center was established in 1964 and remains the only dermatology residency program in Brooklyn, New York providing a broad range of dermatologic services to Brooklyn's diverse patient population. In 1975, Dr. Alan R. Shalita became Associate Professor and Head of the Division of Dermatology and remained chairman of Dermatology until his passing in February of this year. The Department of Dermatology flourished under Dr. Shalita’s leadership and grew from four full-time faculty and six residents in 1975, to eight full-time faculty, 21 residents, four fellows in dermatopathology and one procedural dermatology fellow. Our faculty have expertise in the fields of medical dermatology, pediatric dermatology, dermatopathology, immunodermatology, dermatologic surgery (aesthetic and micrographic) and cosmetic dermatology.
A pioneer in the field of acne, Dr. Shalita continues to be recognized nationally and internationally for his expertise as a clinician, researcher, and educator. Our acting chairman, Dr. Ed Heilman, is no stranger to our program as he is a former Downstate resident and has been the chief of dermatopathology since 1981. He has worked closely for years with our Program Director, Dr. Sharon A. Glick, a well-established pediatric dermatologist with expertise in genetic analysis.
The Downstate Dermatology Residency program trains approximately seven residents per year. The program comprises a number of clinical facilities, including several ambulatory and consultative inpatient services at Kings County Hospital (KCHC), University Hospital, the Brooklyn branch of the New York Harbor Health Care System (NYHHCS, formerly the Brooklyn Veteran’s Administration Hospital), Brookdale Hospital Medical Center, Woodhull Medical Center, Maimonides Hospital Center, North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System (Northshore-LIJ), and St. Alban’s Medical Center. Each medical center has a unique patient population and residents frequently encounter complex and rare dermatologic conditions. In fact, our program has reported five cases of leprosy to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in just the last two years.
Given the large number of clinical training sites, our rotations are divided into blocks ranging from four to seven weeks. The bulk of our surgical training is performed at NYHHCS, where one resident from each level of training comprises a three member surgical team. Every year each resident spends at least two block rotations as a member of the team performing excisions and Mohs micrographic surgery. In addition, the Pigmented Lesions Clinic at this facility gives residents the opportunity to get hands-on training in dermoscopy, optical coherence tomography and confocal microscopy.
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