DIG – Dermatology Interest Group

Officers

Co-Presidents Ashley Bissenas & Jamie Warner
Co-Treasurers Michaela Rechdan
Faculty Advisor Marjorie Montanez-Wiscovich, MD, PhD

Welcome to the Dermatology Interest Group!

The Dermatology Interest Group (DIG) at UF is a student organization that recognizes dermatology as a broad, challenging, and exciting medical specialty. The missions of DIG at UF are:

  • To promote student interest in dermatology
  • To provide opportunities for student exposure to dermatology
  • To foster a sense of community between students interested in dermatology
  • To identify opportunities for and promote student involvement in dermatology research
  • To enact outreach programs that increase awareness of various skin diseases as well as preventive measures to protect against skin disease in the UF and Gainesville communities

Why is Dermatology Important?

  • Approximately 1 in 10 primary care appointments are made to address a skin concern (Ann Fam Med. 2008 July; 6(4): 349–354. )
  • Skin cancer is the most common cancer in America- 1 in 5 Americans will be diagnosed with skin cancer in his or her lifetime (www.skincancer.org)

Dermatology is a broad specialty that encompasses the prevention, diagnosis, and medical and surgical therapies in a diverse patient population ranging from infancy through adulthood. Dermatologists possess a broad fund of knowledge in internal medicine, pathology, immunology, pharmacology, surgical procedures, et al., to manage primary skin, nail, hair, and mucous membrane disease as well as recognize cutaneous signs of systemic disease.

Dermatology Residency & Fellowship

Dermatology training is a minimum of three years of graduate medical education following the satisfactory completion of a broad-based clinical year of training (PGY-1). Residency training includes direct care of dermatologic patients in both inpatient and outpatient settings in addition to dermatopathology, microbiology, immunology, and other basic science coursework.

Dermatologists can receive further subspecialty training in the following areas:

  • Dermatopathology
  • Pediatric Dermatology
  • Procedural Dermatology

Additional Resources