About Us

Dermatology Residency Program

Main (Program Overview/Mission/Vision/Aims)

Overview: The SAUSHEC Dermatology Residency Program is a combined Army/Air Force training program accredited for up to 21 residents, typically 12 Army and 9 Air Force. There are typically 10-12 faculty, many of whom are subspecialists. The residency program provides full spectrum medical, surgical, laser, and cosmetic dermatology care for all ages and residents rotate through a myriad of subspecialties to include Dermatopathology, Mohs Micrographic Surgery, Pediatric Dermatology, Laser/Cosmetic Dermatology, Phototherapy, and Patch clinic. Additional training agreements are in place for outside rotations to augment Inpatient Dermatology among other areas.

Mission/Vision: The mission of the SAUSHEC Dermatology Program is to provide an extensive clinical, procedural, and pathological experience that, when accompanied by detail-rich academics, educational resources, and mentorship, produces exceptional military officers and dermatologists who engage in the ethical and compassionate practice of medicine while providing safe, high-quality health care to patients.

Aims:

  1. Produce competent physicians who will be leaders in the military and dermatology.
  2. Educate residents on the philosophy of lifelong learning.
  3. Produce compassionate residents who engage in volunteerism in the local and global community.
  4. Instill the ultimate goal to provide safe, high quality health care to patients.
  5. Establish the pursuit of innovation, dermatological excellence, and education of others.
  6. Focus on the military-unique aspects of dermatology, particularly down-range morphological diagnosis and post-battlefield Wounded Warrior care.

Curriculum/Rotations/Locations/Partnering Institutions

Locations/Rotations/Partnering Institutions

Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center:
Phototherapy/Patch Testing; Resident Clinical Liaison; Teledermatology; Laser; Mohs; Dermatopathology

Brooke Army Medical Center:
Rheumatology; Inpatient Dermatology

University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas:
Inpatient Dermatology

Children’s Hospital of San Antonio:
Pediatric Dermatology

Sonic Healthcare (South Texas Dermatopathology Lab) and Sagis Dermatopathology:
Dermatopathology

Military Relevance (military relevance of specialty/how program prepares trainees to be ready for military mission & first assignment):

Military Relevance: Dermatological knowledge and skills unique to the military include the treatment of wounded warriors with laser therapy for scarring and botulinum toxin injections for hyperhidrosis of residual limbs, taught extensively during laser/cosmetic clinic rotations during the 1st, 2nd and 3rd years of residency. Additional military-unique knowledge is taught regarding entities such as pseudofolliculitis barbae, cutaneous leishmaniasis, and eczema vaccinatum diagnosis and treatment in a didactic format. We educate internal medicine and pediatric physicians and physician assistants during their dermatology rotations on evaluation and treatment of dermatologic diseases they may encounter in garrison or in the deployed setting. Lastly, our residents evaluate basic military trainees for dermatologic conditions which may impact their fitness for entry into military service. Our curriculum also includes orientation lectures on military medical standards.

Military Mission Ready: Air Force Dermatologists rarely deploy unless activated as a Flight Surgeon, and Army Dermatologists often deploy as Brigade Surgeons or GMO’s, thus specific training for overseas wartime dermatology assignments is not currently relevant to our specialty. However, recently deployed Army faculty give a one-hour lecture on their deployment experience upon returning from the deployed environment. This often includes dermatological diseases as well as real-world operational experiences. In addition, humanitarian missions and medical readiness exercises (e.g. MEDRETEs) are supported whenever possible; in 2019, we sent one staff member and one resident on a mission to Guyana. Upon their return, staff/residents are required to give a one-hour lecture to the program with pictures of the rare and complex dermatologic diseases they evaluated and treated during the mission, as well as advice on preparing for these missions in the future.

First Assignment as Military Physician: Faculty give briefings relevant to this topic throughout the year as part of our regular curriculum. This past year, the topics were as follows: Coding, Professionalism, “What I wish I would have known during my first assignment as a dermatologist”, among others. Third year residents are taught how to review/triage new consults by the medical director, and they are responsible for reviewing/triaging all of the Dermatology consults daily during their 7-week RCL rotation. We have also recently added a 2-hour session to discuss OPRs, PRFs, and military decorations, as well as a 2-hour session led by an Air Force Senior Master Sergeant on enlisted management. In June of their 3rd year, graduating residents meet with our phototherapy and patch nurse to learn how to run their own Photo/Patch clinics, with our supply manager for training in ordering clinic supplies, and with our clinic template manager to learn how to build clinic schedules. Through our new virtual academics platform created at the beginning of COVID19, we also invited field dermatologists to both attend virtual lectures but also volunteer to give virtual lectures on operational dermatology to the residents. These “Field Didactics” should further infuse real-world, military-specific experience into our curriculum.

Application Instructions (Eligibility/Interview Process/Program Application Details):

Eligibility: The Dermatology Residency Program accepts applications from Air Force and Army Active Duty applicants. Applicants must complete one year of Transitional training prior to beginning residency.

Interview Process: Active Duty Air Force and Army personnel who are interested in interviewing for the Dermatology Residency Program will contact the Program Coordinator to request an interview. The Program Coordinator will request a current CV from the applicant and schedule an interview with the program leadership.

Program Coordinators Office:
Phone: (210) 292-5350

Mailing Address:
SAUSHEC Dermatology Residency Program
59th Medical Wing/SG07D
1100 Wilford Hall Loop, Bldg 4554
JBSA-Lackland TX, 78236-9908

Application Details: Applicants must follow service specific guidance for application and submit the application and all supporting documentation by submission deadline each year in MODS.

Contact Us

Program Director

Phone: (210) 292-5350, DSN 554-5350
Fax: (210) 292-3781

Program Administrator

Phone: (210) 292-5350; DSN 554-5350
Fax: (210) 292-3781

Mailing Address
SAUSHEC Dermatology Residency Program
59th Medical Wing/SG07D
1100 Wilford Hall Loop, Bldg 4554
JBSA-Lackland TX 78236-9908
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