Residency

Our Program

The residency program provides excellence in dermatology training and is primarily based at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston. General information is available from the Graduate Medical Education office. The Department of Dermatology and its faculty are integrated between The University of Texas Medical School at Houston and MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC). Close affiliations with MDACC, Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center, and Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital provide a diverse clinical experience.

Our faculty, comprehensive curriculum, patient diversity, and clinical experiences are the strengths of the residency program. We were ranked as one of the top eight dermatology centers of excellence in the United States by the Dermatology Times.

We have about 23 full-time faculty who actively work with residents with a favorable faculty-resident ratio that exists in only the best programs in dermatology. Our faculty have been recruited for their excellence in dermatology, patient care, education and research. Many are nationally recognized leaders in their fields. Our faculty have been diversely trained, are board-certified, and offer expertise in dermatologic surgery, cutaneous oncology, dermatopathology, immunodermatology, pediatric dermatology, autoimmune disorders, contact dermatitis, basic research, and cosmetic dermatology. We also have many clinical volunteer faculty who offer practical experience at monthly Grand Rounds and at monthly city-wide Houston Dermatological Society meetings.

Of great importance is our mission to educate and train the best in dermatology residents. We design a comprehensive curriculum that is constantly enhanced with resident and faculty feedback. Conferences occur four days per week and include “Kodachrome” conference, textbook review, Grand Rounds, dermatopathology, Journal Clubs, and didactic lectures. Topics are selected and integrated to cover virtually all of dermatology. Many of these conferences are held jointly with the dermatology program at Baylor College of Medicine, located within one block of us.

The best teachers are often our patients. Our diverse patient population at varied institutions provides exposure to a wide variety of cutaneous problems. Houston is the 4th largest city in the United States, with strong African-American, Hispanic, Middle Eastern, and Asian populations. Our residents provide care at MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC), consistently ranked as one of the top two cancer centers in the nation; Lyndon Baines Johnson Hospital; Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center (MH-TMC)—a primary teaching facility for the Medical School; and several other outpatient clinics. Common, rare, and complex skin conditions are treated at all of these facilities. A hospital consultation service occurs at MDACC and MH-TMC, and imparts invaluable inpatient skills to our trainees. Active teaching by our faculty occurs at all rotations and is synergistic with our curriculum.

While we focus on training outstanding clinical dermatologists, we also encourage academic development through participation in clinical studies, clinical and laboratory research. The department currently offers two post-graduate fellowships. The majority of our residents publish articles and present at state and national meetings. Most of our residents seek private practice, with 10% pursuing academic careers. This trend is consistent with most dermatology programs. Fellowship training is encouraged. Many graduates have proceeded with fellowships in dermatopathology, Mohs surgery, and laser and cosmetic surgery.

The Texas Medical Center, with its member hospitals and universities, is the largest medical center in the world and has a $13 billion impact on the economy of Houston. Houston is the fourth largest city in the United States, affording all of the amenities of a cosmopolitan environment. It was ranked America’s Coolest City in 2012 by Forbes. We are known for our hospitality, numerous restaurants, charming neighborhoods, and reputation for technology and innovation. There are three airports serving a diverse cultural community (population is 39.8 percent Hispanic, 29.1 percent Caucasian, 24.3 percent African-American, and 5.9 percent Asian). Recent enhancements include a revival of downtown, a modern metro rail system, and the move to Houston of several major corporations. The climate is great year-round, with only occasional freezing. Although the humidity is famous in the summer, we all work in air-conditioned buildings!