Mentee: Renee Haughton, MD
Mentor: Andrew Alexis, MD, MPH, FAAD
Weill Cornell Medicine
I had a wonderful learning experience working with Dr. Alexis in his clinic for two weeks. He is the only dermatologist at his clinic location which is about a 20-minute walk from the York St. site where the resident hub is. He has a close-knit team of medical assistants, administrative assistants, and scribes that keep the clinic functioning very smoothly. His schedule was always packed and the days were fast paced which I appreciated because I was able to get the most out of my short time there. Dr. Alexis has a great bedside manner and I learned so much about his thought process just from how clearly he communicated his clinical reasoning and management plans to his patients.
I rarely needed to ask questions because of this but when I did, he was a thoughtful teacher, often recommending books and chapters in his library to look at. He sees a mix of general dermatology and cosmetic dermatology. I saw a broad range of pathology in diverse skin tones with the most common being dyschromias such as lichen planus pigmentosus and alopecias. On the cosmetics side, I learned more about how lasers worked and how to perform lasers safely in skin of color. During clinic, I would often be tasked with doing quick literature searches to help with counseling and management. It was also very hands-on, as I had the opportunity to assist with cosmetic procedures as well as biopsies. One day a week, I joined Dr. Alexis when he oversaw the resident continuity clinic. This was where I had the opportunity to staff patients, show my clinical reasoning skills, and develop my own management plans.
Dr. Alexis also had a team of research fellows who I was able to interact with. I sat in on informal research meetings and learned about their on-going clinical trials and other clinical project ideas. There was ample opportunity to collaborate with their team. I was able to discuss two of my proposed research projects with Dr. Alexis which are underway. Overall, I highly recommend this experience and I am very thankful for the Skin of Color Society and Dr. Alexis for supporting me.
Mentee: Nia James
Mentor: Lynn McKinley-Grant, MD, FAAD
Howard University
I spent my SOCS observership with Dr. McKinley Grant in Washington D.C. During this time, we had the opportunity to work closely on a project of equal interest and enthusiasm: Art and Dermatology. During my observership we created a bridge between the Howard School of Medicine, and Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts. Through several planning meetings, and exchange of ideas, we put together the Art and Dermatology grand rounds event. We brought dermatology residents, attendings, and medical students from Howard, Georgetown, and GW to the Howard University Art Gallery for a morning of teaching and art observation. The Art and Dermatology grand rounds consisted of lectures on color theory, history, photography, and a special word from the Dean of Fine Arts, Phylicia Rashad. After this, trainees went to the gallery, where they broke up into small groups, each led by an art student. Groups analyzed each painting, taking careful note of color, undertones, shape, movement, and texture, then presented their thoughts to the larger group. This activity was designed to help students grow their descriptive terminology, refine the eye, become comfortable with ambiguity, and increase empathy. Residents remarked that the event was insightful in serving as a catalyst to expand their clinical descriptions of skin presentations and adopt a more detailed approach when looking at gross and microscopic pathology.
Through my SOCS observership with Dr. McKinley grant I gained a profound understanding of the symbiotic relationship between the realms of art and dermatology. The experience allowed me to witness the transformative power of interdisciplinary collaboration. Working on the grand rounds project not only honed my organization and planning skills, but also deepen my appreciation for the potential impact of merging seemingly disparate fields. This event enhanced my ability to appreciate the intricate details of both dermatology and fine art, fostering a more nuanced and empathetic approach to dermatologic diagnosis. I was encouraged to transcended traditional boundaries, refine my observational skills, confront my own relationship with ambiguity, and ultimately recognize the broader connections in the realm of health care and education.
Lastly, from this experience I've had the invaluable opportunity to form a relationship with a mentor with similar interests and values. I'm excited to continue working on projects involving art and dermatology with Dr. McKinley Grant. As we continue to create an exchange between the school or art, and the school of medicine here at Howard, I continue to learn just how integrated these two fields are. This experience has afforded me the opportunity to seek guidance in a mentor who has a long-standing interest in this area of education. The SOCS observership has granted me with this invaluable experience and relationship, and I look forward to the future projects that are in store.
Mentee: Harry Liu, MD
Mentor: Michi Shinohara, MD, FAAD
University of Washington
I had the privilege of being selected for the Skin of Color Society (SOCS) Observership Grant and spending two weeks at the Division of Dermatology of the University of Washington in Seattle under the mentorship of Dr. Michi Shinohara. She is triple-board-certified in internal medicine, dermatology, and dermatopathology, and runs the cutaneous lymphoma clinic at the Fred Hutchison Cancer Center in Seattle. My mentorship experience was centered around skin of color (SOC) and quality of life regarding cutaneous lymphoma.
Dr. Shinohara built a diverse, meaningful, and educational schedule tailored to my academic interests. Before meeting her, she shared articles on SOC and quality of life in cutaneous lymphoma with me and I developed a stronger background understanding of the health disparities regarding the diagnosis and treatment of cutaneous lymphoma. At her lymphoma clinic, the learning was phenomenal, and I saw various kinds of common and rare cutaneous T-cell and B-cell lymphomas. I was truly amazed by her exceptional bedside manners and communications skills as she was able to explain the complex diagnoses of cutaneous lymphomas to patients from all backgrounds and provided individualized treatment plan with her patients via shared decision-making. She is an amazing teacher who is kind and truly cares about her learners. Besides the discussion we had after each patient encounter, she sat down with me to share her experiences, clinical pearls, and consideration of treating SOC patients with cutaneous lymphoma and improving their quality of life.
Besides Dr. Shinohara’s lymphoma clinic, I had the great pleasure of getting more exposure to SOC at other different clinics run by her colleagues, including the HIV clinic, the hidradenitis suppurativa clinic, and the melanoma clinic at several hospitals. In addition, I absolutely enjoyed learning at the Merkel cell carcinoma clinic, dermatopathology sign-out sessions, and inpatient rounding to appreciate the full spectrum of dermatology care. I felt very welcomed at every clinic I went to and all the attendings and residents I met were extremely friendly.
This observership program is certainly a highlight of my whole dermatology residency. Besides the educational aspect of the two weeks, I appreciated Dr. Shinohara spent time providing mentorship to support my career development. I would also like to thank SCOS for this memorable experience. I am confident I will be able to provide better and culturally competent care for SOC patients when I start practicing next year.
Mentee: Alexander Bang, BS
Mentor: Bernice Kwong, MD, FAAD
Stanford University
I am extremely grateful to have been a recipient of the SOCS Observership Grant, and had the opportunity to spend 3 weeks rotating with my SOCS mentor, Dr. Bernice Kwong, at Stanford University. During my time with Dr. Kwong and the department, I learned how cutaneous toxicities from cancer therapies may present differently in patients with skin of color and may be underrecognized by clinicians. Rotating with Dr. Kwong was such an enriching experience in my journey as a future dermatologist, as she allowed me to independently care for patients and walked me through her thought processes on how she takes care of her patients. During my first week, I presented a patient with skin of color with dupilumab-induced psoriasis from immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy at Stanford Dermatology’s first in-person grand rounds, and met many faculty in the department who were incredibly supportive and helpful with regards to providing our patient with potential management options.
My research projects with Dr. Kwong were also completed during rotation, with two submitted manuscripts that focus on dermatological conditions that disproportionately affect skin of color patients (erythema dyschromicum perstans and vitiligo) within the supportive oncodermatology space. Our hope is that clinicians will be able to recognize these conditions in patients on specific cancer treatments and learn how to manage them.
Outside of clinical and research endeavors, I met with Dr. Kwong frequently during the rotation where we also spent time discussing my career goals and preparing my residency application. I learned a lot from her on how she navigated her career while also maintaining an enriching personal life that I hope to emulate in the future.
Thank you to the SOCS for supporting my career and supporting my goal to eventually become a leader in the skin of color space within supportive oncodermatology. I hope to be able to give back as a mentor of the SOCS in the future. I would also like to thank Dr. Bernice Kwong for her unwavering support for me, and all the attendings and residents that I had the opportunity to learn from at Stanford Dermatology.
Mentee: Alicia Edwards, MS
Mentor: Adam Friedman, MD, FAAD
George Washington School of Medicine
I had the privilege of shadowing Dr. Adam Friedman at George Washington through the Skin of Color Society Grant and the experience has been both enlightening and transformative. This one-page summary encapsulates the invaluable insights and rich learning experiences gained during my time with Dr. Friedman and his dedicated team.
From day one, the entire team at George Washington Dermatology, including the staff, residents, nurses, rotators, and attending physicians, welcomed me with open arms. Their willingness to share their personal journeys into dermatology, answer my questions, and provide guidance created a conducive and supportive learning environment.
Dr. Friedman emerged as an outstanding mentor, characterized by his patience, directness, and infectious enthusiasm. His dedication to his job, thorough patient care, and strong patient-physician relationships were evident, serving as a beacon for aspiring dermatologists like myself. Witnessing complex dermatologic cases broadened my understanding of variations in diagnoses and reinforced the importance of meticulous attention to detail in dermatological practice. I had the privilege of observing impactful patient encounters, including one where a patient credited Dr. Friedman with changing and saving her life. Dr. Friedman's empathy and expertise during a challenging time for his patient, had a great impact on improving her quality of life, illustrating the profound difference a dermatologist can make.
Whenever I encountered a question or found myself uncertain about how to approach a task, he demonstrated a genuine eagerness to assist and offered support in a non-judgmental manner. He provided expert guidance in navigating the art of formulating an effective survey for our research project focused on pain management in pregnant women with Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS) that we are currently undertaking. Under his mentorship, I gained valuable insights into the intricate process of collecting relevant data, thereby significantly enhancing the prospect of successful publications for this project and, optimistically, for future projects that I may have the opportunity to contribute to.
The experience extended beyond George Washington dermatology department, as I collaborated and learned from different departments. I attended Howard’s grand rounds, worked on case reports with the rheumatology dermatology, and participated in Kodachromes, where residents from all over D.C. convened to discuss complex cases and learn from renowned lecturers. I also had the opportunity to collaborate with rotators from diverse institutions. This collaboration allowed me to gain insights into their experiences applying to dermatology and completing away rotations, broadening my understanding of the field.
I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to witness the collaborative and dedicated approach of the George Washington Dermatology team. I aspire to continue learning from their expertise and contribute to the field of dermatology in the future. This shadowing experience has not only deepened my understanding of dermatology but has also inspired and motivated me to pursue excellence in the field. I eagerly anticipate the possibility of future learning opportunities with the exceptional team at George Washington Dermatology.
Gratitude to the Skin of Color Society for an unforgettable experience. Your unwavering dedication to supporting aspiring medical students, like myself, in reaching our dreams is truly commendable. I am committed to giving back and contributing to your mission. Recognizing the duty to uplift others as I ascend, I pledge to do so every step of the way.