Medical Student Education Programs

Director: Joseph M. Kist, MD

The medical student teaching program fully reflects the strengths of the Department. Most of the 23 Full-time faculty and almost all of the 68 volunteer faculty have some direct or indirect input into our medical students education program. The medical students interaction with Dermatology occurs predominantly in the following three courses:

1). A required course of the Pathophysiology of Skin Disease for first year medical students is part of Module 2 of the Core Curriculum. Almost all of our Full-time faculty and all of our 11 dermatology residents are involved in teaching this course. Although an overview of the Pathophysiology of most common skin disease is reviewed, emphasis is placed on each student developing an ability to observe and describe skin disease, on developing the ability to recognize signs of potential serious skin disease and developing a sensitivity for the unique problems of patients afflicted with skin disease.

2). Third and fourth year medical students are offered a 4 week clinical rotation in Dermatology. Four slots are available every 4 weeks during the year. Students are expected to learn to diagnose and treat common skin diseases. During this rotation they are involved in all clinical aspects of our department. They participate in our dermatology outpatient clinic; in faculty outpatient private practices, in the delivery of inpatient care, and in the inpatient consult service. They also attend dermatology grand rounds and all departmental lectures. Finally, Dr Kist directs a weekly clinical slide conference for the medical students. First priority is given to requests from Penn Medical Students for this elective. Because these four available slots are usually filled, requests from outside students are usually denied. However, if outside students are flexible, they can sometimes fill unused slots. All outside requests should be directed to Registrar's Office, Suite 100, Stemler Hall,University of Pennsylvania Medical School, Phila, Pa. 19104. (Telephone 215-898-4875) These requests must be made at least three months ahead of time so necessary paper work can be completed prior to the rotation.

3). A few students each year are involved in the 800 Research in Dermatology Course under the direction of Dr Steven Fakharzadeh. During this course, students are involved in the ongoing investigations of our research faculty, or they are given the opportunity to investigate individual research projects of their own. In both cases, the goal is to create a research experience that enables a student to learn experimental techniques, and research methodology. This program has successfully launched the academic careers of many Penn students both inside and outside of the field of dermatology.

4). Clinical Dermatopathology - The objective of the course is for students to obtain an intensive exposure to all aspects of clinical dermatopathology involving the microscopic diagnosis of skin tumors and inflammatory diseases. Students will spend the majority of time reviewing skin biopsies at a multi-headed microscope with the Dermatopathology Faculty and Fellows. The course will allow the students to attend dermatopathology and clinical dermatology lectures and conferences that incorporate clinicopathological correlation. It is preferred that the student takes an elective in Dermatology or Surgical Pathology prior to this course.

Finally, the department of dermatology arranges clinical exposure for Penn Medical Residents, Penn Primary Care Residents, Penn Emergency Medicine Residents, and Penn Family Practice Residents. These rotations are filled by each respective department, and the rotations are not available to residents outside the University of Pennsylvania Medical System.

Medical Student and Resident Rotation Schedule

		Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
CHOP MS A	AM	CHOP 8:00AM 2nd Floor 3550 Market Bldg.	Lectures 7:30 AM 3 Founderss Conf room	Lecture 7AM 3 Founders --------------- HUP Res clinic 8 AM PCAM	Lectures 8 AM 3 Founders Conf room	Surgery clinic 8 AM PCAM
	PM	PLG 1 PM PCAM	HUP Res Clinic 12:30 PM PCAM	OPEN	CHOP 1 PM 2nd Floor 3550 Market Building	Gallops 1:30PM 3 Founders Conf room
Consult MS B	AM	HUP consult 8 AM Res Room	Lectures 7:30 AM 3 Founders Conf room	Lecture 7AM-3 Founders --------------- HUP consult 8 AM Res Room	Lectures 8 AM 3 Founders Conf room	HUP consult 8 AM Res Room
	PM		HUP Consult		HUP Consult	Gallops 1:30PM 3 Founders Conf room
VA MS C	AM	VA Module A 1st floor 8:30 AM	Lectures 7:30 AM 3 Founders Conf room	Lecture 7AM-3 Founders --------------- VA Module A 1st floor 8:30 AM	Lectures 8 AM 3 Founders Conf room	Werth or Musiek 8 AM PCAM
	PM	Derm Surg 2 PCAM	VA 1PM Module A	VA 1PM Module A	VA 1PM Module A	Gallops
Pennsy MS D	AM	PLG 2 PCAM 8 AM - 11:30 AM	Lectures 7:30 AM 3 Founders Conf room	Lecture 7AM-3 Founders --------------- Ellen Kim clinic  8 AM 2 PCAM	Lectures 8 AM 3 Founders Conf room	HUP Res clinic 8 AM 2 PCAM
	PM	Pennsy 1 PM Wood Clinic	HUP Res Clinic 12:30 PM 2 PCAM	Pennsy 1 PM Wood Clinic	OPEN	Gallops 1:30PM 3 Founders Conf room
Visiting MS	AM	VA Module A 1st floor 8:30	Lectures 7:30 AM 3 Founders Conf room	Lecture 7AM-3 Founders --------------- VA Module A 1st floor 8:30	Lectures 8 AM 3 Founders Conf room	HUP Res clinic 8 AM 2 PCAM
	PM	Reading time	Reading time	HUP Resident clin 12:30pm 2 PCAM	VA Module A 1pm	Gallops
Visiting Derm Res	AM	Contact or Surgery 8 AM 2 PCAM	Lectures 7:30 AM 3 Founders Conf room	W. James Clinic 8 AM 3 Founders	Lectures 8 AM 3 Founders Conf room	VA surgery (Or reading time)
	PM	Reading time	HUP Resident clinic 12:30 PM 2 PCAM	CTCL clinic 1 PM 2 PCAM	VA Module A	Gallops
Med Res	AM	HUP Resident Clinic	Lectures 8 AM 3 Founders Conf room	VA Module A 1st floor  8:30	Lectures 8 AM 3 Founders Conf room	Reading or HUP Consults
	PM	Reading time	Werth 1 PM 2 PCAM	VA Surgery Module A 1 PM	HUP Res clinic 12:30 2 PCAM	Werth Gallops

• Clinics in italics do not happen every week.  Check with the front desk staff to find out if the clinic is happening that week.   If your clinic is cancelled, our backup clinic is the VA dermatology clinic (All days except Monday afternoon), or Dermatopathology.  You may choose to attend one of these, or take time for reading. 
• Pennsy Clinic is called “Wood clinic” and is in the Duncan building located at 7th and Spruce on the 3rd floor
• CHOP’s Dermatology office at 3550 Market Street, second floor.
• Lecture schedule and text pagers for all residents as well as schedules can be found at www.geocities.com/pennderm
• Gallops starts at 1:30 PM in the 3 Founders Conference Room on Friday afternoons.  You should leave any clinics to attend this, except Dr. Werth’s clinic. The medical student on the consult rotation is expected to give a short presentation at Gallops.
• Medical student resident education coordinator, Emily Chu, will meet with the medical students on the first and third Thursday of the month at 7:15 to discuss case-based scenarios in dermatology in the 3 Founders conference room. 
• On Thursday lecture days, there is an outpatient grand rounds (“Duhring conference”) in the clinic from 9-10 AM and a discussion from 10-11 AM in CRB or BRB.
• Questions or concerns?  Page the medical student coordinating resident (Emily Chu 215-265-4181,cell 267-307-2487) or the chief resident (Camille Introcaso 215-809-0453).
• A senior resident will meet you in the Dermatology Department in the Center for Advanced Medicine at 9:35 on Thursdays to discuss Duhring pts
• Required Text: Lookingbill: Principles of Dermatology. Multiple copies are available for your use during the rotation. You will not receive your grade/credit for the course until the book is returned in acceptable condition.
• Recommended Texts: Habif: Clinical Dermatology; Fitzpatrick: Color Atlas and Synopsis of Clinical Dermatology; Dahl, Clinical Dermatology
• For transportation within Philadelphia and the surrounding communities:

http://www.septa.org/

• The American Academy of Dermatology medical student curriculum:

http://www.aad.org/professionals/Residents/MedStudCoreCurr/

• Monthly bulletin for the Department of Dermatology, provide complete schedule of lectures and other academic activities:

http://www.uphs.upenn.edu/dermatol/news/index.html

• Useful maps and visitor information. 

http://pennhealth.com/hup/vi_files/

 

Application:
Office of Curriculum Counseling
Suite 100, Stemmler Hall
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
3450 Hamilton Walk
Philadelphia, PA 19101-6087
(215) 898-4875
http://www.med.upenn.edu/visitingstudents/