Micrographic Surgery and Dermatologic Oncology Fellowship Curriculum

A structured curriculum provides for graded responsibility, operative and nonoperative education, and exposure to long-term results, recurrences and complications. The fellow will build upon a comprehensive fund of dermatologic knowledge including the diagnosis and management of common and rare cutaneous malignancies.

Fellows follow a block schedule and are mentored by Cynthia Bartus, MD, and Steven Oberlender, MD, at two outpatient offices located 20 minutes from each other. One elective block is available where additional training may be obtained in other surgical subspecialties such as otolaryngology, plastic surgery, oculoplastic surgery and radiation oncology. Fellows also are expected to follow a reading curriculum.

Fellows are required to attend and present at monthly journal clubs, attend an annual LVHN patient safety committee meeting and attend regularly scheduled multidisciplinary tumor boards. Fellows also attend the Superficial Anatomy and Cutaneous Surgery course at UCSD/Scripps, ASDS annual conference and ACMS annual conference.

Aside from daily direct verbal feedback, competency will be assessed with monthly attending evaluations and biannual fellowship performance review sessions. The evaluation process also includes written evaluations by patients and support staff. Fellows will self-assess through patient follow-up appointments. Finally, after the completion of their training, fellows are expected to sit for the American Board of Dermatology Micrographic Dermatologic Surgery (MDS) examination.