INTRODUCTION
The Department of Dermatology at Texas Tech University
Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) has a long history of excellence in serving the residents of west Texas and eastern New Mexico. Positioned as a major referral
center, the department provides care to a significant majority
of patients who live in primarily rural areas with limited access to dermatological services.
The residency program is composed of nine residents, three in each year of training. Our four full-time faculty members include
one general dermatologist, one fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon, and two fellowship-trained dermatopathologists. In addition to our outstanding faculty, there are six part-time clinical associate professors, community physicians who contribute
their time to teaching in the department and staffing clinics when needed. The TTUHSC is the primary site of training,
boasting over 15,000 patient visits each year. The adjacent University Medical Center provides the setting for our inpatient consult service. Other associated sites of training include the Lubbock VA Outpatient Clinic, the City of Lubbock STD Clinic, the Schwartzentraub podiatry clinic, and Laser Dynamics, a community laser treatment center. A robust teledermatology practice serving incarcerated patients, as well as pediatric patients
at an established medical site in El Paso, Texas, further extends the reach of the department, and allows the residents to provide care for additional underserved individuals.
Didactics at TTUHSC include a weekly textbook review, clinical
dermatology lectures by faculty, a rotating weekly chief
lecture, procedural dermatology lectures and hands-on labs, journal club, and dermatopathology conference with weekly unknowns. Grand rounds occurs each Friday, with patients presenting from our primary clinical sites, as well as from community physician offices. These sessions are highly educational,
and often present uncommon to rare cases. Residents additionally attend the Texas Dermatological Society meeting twice yearly, and all residents are able to attend the American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting.
