Medical College of Wisconsin Medical Student Education in Dermatology

Instruction in state-of-the art dermatologic care is available to students in our program in all areas of dermatology including pediatric dermatology, dermatologic surgery (including Mohs micrographic surgery), adult dermatology, phototherapy, and laser therapy.

Medical students are exposed to a wide range of dermatologic diseases, including:

• acne
• dermatitis
• psoriasis
• collagen vascular diseases
• genodermatosis
• skin cancer
• autoimmune diseases

Medical students rotating in dermatology are expected to gain an understanding of common dermatologic diseases, including:

• cutaneous oncology (including the evaluation of pigmented lesions)
• dermatoses associated with internal diseases
• drug eruptions
• dermatologic therapy

Both MCW and non-MCW students must schedule Dermatology rotations through the Registrar's Office at (414) 955-8733 or acadreg@mcw.edu.

The Department of Dermatology offers shadowing opportunities to MCW medical students in general adult and pediatric dermatology clinics. Students can shadow in up to three half-day clinics outside of a formal rotation. Shadowing is not available in dermatologic surgery clinics. Opportunities to rotate through surgical clinics are available during formal M3 and M4 rotations.

Students interested in shadowing are asked to email Shelly Martin at smartin@mcw.edu for coordination.
Please include the following:

• Experience preference (adult vs. pediatric)
• Preferred faculty (if you have one)

Through Medical College of Wisconsin:

• Office of Inclusion and Diversity
• Student Diversity Campus Organizations, including SNMA, LMSA, APAMSA, and LGBTPM
• Underrepresented in Medicine (URM) Committee, for residents and fellows
• Office of Global Health, with connections to Dermatology projects in Tanzania, Botswana, Vietnam, and more

Through MCW Department of Dermatology:

• Virtual and in-person visiting student electives
• Saturday Clinic for the Uninsured, free student-run clinic
• Teledermatology to Federally Qualified Health Centers, volunteer-led virtual care
• Mentorship and career guidance from faculty with a focus in diversity and inclusion
• Community Outreach programs including New Beginnings are Possible, a resident-driven pipeline program

Others:

• American Academy of Dermatology Diversity Mentorship Program
• Dermatology Foundation Research Awards Program
• Women’s Dermatologic Society (WDS) is pleased to announce a Summer Fellowship for Underrepresented in Medicine (UIM) Students
• Skin of Color Research Fellowship at Penn
• Skin of Color Society 

Library Items:

• Connolly C, Bikowski J (2006). Dermatological Atlas of Black Skin. Florida: Merit Publishing International. Todd Wehr Library Stacks WR 140 C752d 1998.
• Johnson BL, Moy RL (1998). Ethnic Skin: Medical and Surgical. Missouri: Mosby. Todd Wehr Library Stacks, WR 140 J66e 1998.
• Kelly AP, Taylor SC, Lim HW, Anido Serrano AM, eds. Taylor and Kelly's Dermatology for Skin of Color. Second ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2016.
• Khumalo NP, Thiers BH (2014). African Skin and Hair Disorders, An Issue of Dermatologic Clinics. Amsterdam: Elsevier.
• Leppard B (2002). An Atlas of African Dermatology. Buckinghamshire: Radcliffe Publishing Ltd.
• Lugo-Somolinos A, McKinley-Grant L, Goldsmith LA et al. (2011). VisualDx: Essential Dermatology in Pigmented Skin. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. Access via Visual Dx
• Rosen T, Martin S (1981). Atlas of Black Dermatology. New York: Time Warner Books. Todd Wehr Library Stacks, WR 17 R813a 1981.

Diversity Champions

• Olushola L. Akinshemoyin Vaughn, MD, associate professor
• Valerie M. Carlberg, MD, assistant professor
• Yvonne E. Chiu, MD, professor
• Stephen Humphrey, MD, associate professor
• Gretchen Roth, MD, assistant professor
• Karolyn A. Wanat, MD, associate professor
• Daniel Benitez Rivera, clinical research coordinator

The Department of Dermatology offers an away elective for M4 medical students. The Medical College of Wisconsin’s Office of the Registrar can assist students with the application process for this elective as well as provide information on local housing options. We will conduct residency interviews for visiting students during their elective with us.

Learn more about the M4 elective

Visiting Student Health Equity Program
The Medical College of Wisconsin is currently offering a Visiting Student Health Equity Program. Accepted students will receive a travel stipend up to $2,000 to cover application costs, housing, transportation, and other living expenses.

Learn more about the program

The Department of Dermatology gets many inquiries from medical students about dermatology-related research. Due to the number of student inquiries regarding these opportunities, an application process has been implemented to help us select the most appropriate students for the projects we have in place.

To submit application materials visit our Dermatology Research page, or if you have questions regarding dermatology research opportunities, please contact dermatologyresearch@mcw.edu.

For Phase 1 students interested in Pathways or summer research through the Department of Dermatology, please apply prior to November 1, 2024. We will review applications and match students to available projects and mentors by December 2, 2024. Due to the volume of interested students, projects may not be available for all applicants. Funding for summer projects is not guaranteed.