{"id":13388,"date":"2026-01-22T14:31:27","date_gmt":"2026-01-22T22:31:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dhs.lacounty.gov\/harbor-ucla-medical-center\/?page_id=13388"},"modified":"2026-03-05T16:37:57","modified_gmt":"2026-03-06T00:37:57","slug":"training","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/dhs.lacounty.gov\/harbor-ucla-medical-center\/gme\/dermatology\/training\/","title":{"rendered":"Training"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Didactic Curriculum Highlights<\/b><\/h3>\n

Resident Boot Camp<\/b><\/p>\n

In July and August, our first-year residents begin their dermatology training with a series of lectures aimed at building a strong foundation in medical dermatology and its subspecialties. This curriculum includes training in physical diagnosis and introductory lectures on general dermatology, microscopy, dermatopathology, dermoscopy, patch testing, and dermatologic surgery including practice lab sessions in our simulation center.<\/p>\n

Dermoscopy<\/b><\/p>\n

The dermoscopy curriculum includes monthly faculty-led didactic lectures and monthly reviews of clinical cases correlating clinical morphology, dermoscopy and histopathology. Each resident is issued a dermatoscope to use throughout residency.<\/p>\n

Skin Cancer Conference<\/b><\/p>\n

Residents present challenging cases at this multi-disciplinary monthly conference. Dermatology, pathology, surgical oncology, Hematology-Oncology and Radiation oncology collaborate and coordinate care for patients with complex, advanced or unusual cutaneous tumors.<\/p>\n

Grand Rounds<\/b><\/p>\n

Our faculty, trainees and community dermatologists attend Grand Rounds. We present and discuss complex patient cases with patient viewing. These sessions focus on clinical morphology, differential diagnosis, and management of interesting and challenging clinical cases. In addition, Harbor hosts a Grand Rounds Lecture featuring a prominent invited speaker.<\/p>\n

Dermatopathology<\/b><\/p>\n

The dermatopathology curriculum includes weekly faculty-led didactic sessions held at a multi-headed microscope coordinated with the current dermatology textbook reviews. Twice a month, residents review cases from their clinics with the dermatopathology attending. Monthly dermatopathology lectures are held at Kaiser, coordinating with a systematic text review.<\/p>\n

Journal Club<\/b><\/p>\n

Residents and faculty participate in journal club sessions, during which we review the latest clinical and basic science research articles and practice critically analyzing research studies. Residents select the articles they will be presenting. Faculty provide guidance in critical analysis of data presented.<\/p>\n

Hospital Consultation Services Case Review<\/b><\/p>\n

Following each inpatient consultation month, residents present their most interesting cases from the rotation to their peers. This provides an opportunity for all residents to learn from the most unique and challenging cases seen throughout the year<\/p>\n

Surgery Curriculum<\/b><\/p>\n

Residents have extensive hands-on training doing excisions, Mohs micrographic surgery, reconstructive surgery, including layered closures, flaps and grafts all three years of training. In addition, they gain experience using lasers and injectables in both the academic and private practice setting. This series of didactic lectures led by our surgical faculty is augmented by suture skills labs in our Simulation Center. Cadaver labs provide additional training in nail surgery and other specialized procedures.<\/p>\n

Clinical Outcomes (Morbidity and Mortality Case) Conference<\/b><\/p>\n

Residents present cases of educational value for quality improvement. This conference provides a forum for the open discussion of various clinical and systems based aspects of patient care. Such discussion will provide resident physicians the opportunity to critically review various aspects of patient care, to be exposed to contemporary principles guiding medical decision-making, and insight into the processes of improving the quality of care. This conference is an essential component of the educational process necessary for the training of residents.<\/p>\n

Basic Science Lecture Series<\/b><\/p>\n

Lectures highlighting key topics relevant for understanding physiology and pathophysiology as well as treatment of skin disease are given monthly. Topics cover a range of topics including statistics, immunology, microbes, photobiology, tumor biology, and introduction to clinical and translational research.<\/p>\n

Leadership and Research Training<\/b><\/p>\n

A series of lectures for improving communication, as well as one-on-one mentorship and coaching for developing the future leaders of our specialty. During Boot camp there is an emphasis on lectures and role-playing to provide tools for improving communication with patients, staff, and colleagues. Topics such as mindfulness, validation, vulnerability, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, Gottman\u2019s Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, verbal and nonverbal communication are included. There is also an ongoing emphasis on oral presentation skills at every level of training.<\/span><\/p>\n

Clinical Curriculum Highlights<\/b><\/p>\n

General Dermatology<\/b><\/p>\n

Residents spend the majority of clinic time at Harbor-UCLA, where they see a great variety of advanced and unusual cases. Patients represent a diverse and often underserved population referred from throughout Los Angeles County. At Kaiser South Bay, the residents gain experience with \u201cbread and butter\u201d medical and surgical dermatology in continuity clinics, under the supervision of a wide variety of dermatologists.<\/p>\n

Dermatologic Surgery<\/b><\/p>\n

Supervised by our fellowship-trained Mohs surgery faculty, residents have extensive hands-on training doing excisions, Mohs micrographic surgery, reconstructive surgery\u2013 including layered closures, flaps and grafts all three years of training. In addition, they gain experience using lasers and injectables in both the academic and private practice settings.<\/p>\n

Pediatric Dermatology<\/b><\/p>\n

This 1 or 2-month yearly rotation takes place at Children\u2019s Hospital Los Angeles. At this site, residents are supervised by pediatric dermatology attendings in the care of patients in the ambulatory and inpatient consultative settings.<\/p>\n

Specialty Clinics at Harbor-UCLA<\/b><\/p>\n