Clinical Training

The staff of 33 clinical dermatologists (18 UC Davis-based faculty and 15 volunteer faculty), 3 dermatopathologists, 4 dermatologic surgeons, 10 residents, and 1 procedural fellow handle an annual caseload of over 30,000 outpatient visits and 400 inpatient consultations. Residents see patients at both university-based and VA clinics.

In each year of training, residents rotate through 2 months of dermatologic surgery (including Mohs surgery), 2 months of inpatient consult service, 4 months of university-based clinics, and 4 months of VA clinics. These various rotations expose the residents to diverse patient populations while allowing them to observe attendings' diverse therapeutic and practice styles. Many faculty members were selected for their unique interest in different areas of dermatology. The result is one of the most diverse clinical training environments in the United States.

Specialty clinics within these blocks include Mohs micrographic surgery, pigmented lesions, mycosis fungoides, psoriasis, cosmetic procedures, wound care, and pemphigus. Residents staff 8 half-day clinics per week, with the remaining time spent in didactics.

In the clinical setting, residents participate actively in the teaching of medical students and residents from other disciplines. Residents are expected to see the patients first and then to present the patient along with a treatment plan to the attending dermatologist.

In addition, residents staff their own continuity clinics, with increasing autonomy and patient load reflecting their level of training. This clinic provides an invaluable opportunity for both resident independence and continuity of care. Likewise surgical duties reflect levels of comfort and training. The resident continuity clinics are held on average two half-days a week. These clinics allow the residents to follow their own patients and make decisions regarding their care under supervision by faculty.

Didactics

Resident teaching has always been a very vital part of the dermatology residency program at UC Davis. To complement the resident teaching that occurs in the clinics, Wednesday and Thursday mornings of every week are protected resident teaching time. During these two half-day sessions, residents have structured teaching in dermatopathology, dermatologic surgery, and basic science in addition to Grand Rounds. These sessions are conducted both by faculty (full-time and volunteer) and by residents. The significant parts of the resident teaching program include:

• Dermpath lecture series with unknowns
• Biopsy review of all patients seen by residents
• Surgery lecture series
• Mycology/bacteriology/virology lecture series
• Clinicopathologic conferences
• Book review - Andrews' Diseases of the Skin: Clinical Dermatology; Bolognia's Dermatology; Spitz's Genodermatoses
• Kodachrome sessions of clinical dermatology
• JAAD, Archives of Dermatology, and Surgery journal clubs
• Review outside journal articles from: JAMA, NEJM, Lancet, Science, and Nature
• Sacramento Valley Dermatology Society Meetings
• Gross anatomy lab and suture session

Grand Rounds are held on the first and third Wednesday of each month.

For additional information, please contact our Residency Coordinator, Laurel Sorensen at (916) 734-6371 or via email at laurel.sorensen@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu