The mission of the Micrographic Surgery and Dermatologic Oncology (MSDO) Fellowship at Lehigh Valley Health Network is to provide focused education and training of fellows to best prepare them for a successful future in the field of Mohs surgery – a procedure that is patient-focused, cost-effective and offers the highest cure rates for common cutaneous malignancies.
The fellow will actively participate in all aspects of patient care for the patient population of the Lehigh Valley region of northeastern Pennsylvania, provide education for medical students and residents, and contribute to the intellectual expansion of the field through research. Fellows are expected to be dedicated to patient care, responsive to guidance, self-motivated, and invest the time and effort necessary to acquire the required skills for future success.
Fellows will become proficient in Mohs micrographic surgery and reconstruction, cosmetic dermatology and laser surgery, and cutaneous oncology. Upon completion of the fellowship, fellows will have achieved the following:
- Develop the skills that enable the execution and appropriate use of the Mohs surgical technique for removal of various skin cancers in all applicable anatomic locations.
- Develop competence in the design and execution of layer closures, flaps and grafts for repair of post-Mohs surgical defects.
- Be able to successfully manage patients with complex medical conditions prior to, during and after skin surgery.
- Enhance the ability to diagnose skin cancer based on clinical and/or histologic findings.
- Understand the requirements for setting up and running a Mohs histology laboratory.
- Be able to successfully manage and treat patients with the most complex skin cancers including diagnosis, counseling and appropriate referral of advanced stages of skin cancer.
- Develop proficiency in decisions regarding instances in which the patient should be referred to a different specialty or individual, and the concepts and implementation of multidisciplinary management.
The MSDO Fellowship at Lehigh Valley Health Network is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). ACGME fellowship programs are recognized by the American College of Mohs Surgery (ACMS), and accredited fellowships maintain the standards of Micrographic Surgery and Dermatologic Oncology by ensuring that fellows-in-training are properly trained and acquire the necessary expertise to perform the Mohs procedure from preoperative evaluation for appropriate use, intra-operative surgical skills and dermatopathology skills, and postoperative care and follow-up.