Howard University Hospital
A private, nonprofit institution, the Hospital, through the Office of Graduate Medical Education, is the nation's only teaching hospital located on the campus of a historically Black university.
 

 

 
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Dermatology

Rebat M. Halder, M.D.
Professor & Chairman
Department of Dermatology
Howard University Hospital
2041 Georgia Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20060
(202) 865-1680
Fax: (202) 865-1757

Liesl Peters
Program Coordinator
Department of Dermatology
Howard University Hospital
2041 Georgia Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20060
(202) 865-1680
Fax: (202) 865-1757

Program Overview Affiliates Faculty
Curriculum Didactics Application Process

Program Overview

The Department of Dermatology Postgraduate Training Program was established in 1963 by Dr. John A. Kenney, Jr., when the department was still a division of internal medicine. It was a 2-year training program, at the end of which residents would go elsewhere to finish their last year of training. A fully accredited 3-year residency program was approved in 1968 and has continued since that time. Dr. Kenney was successful in creating a separate full department of dermatology in 1973.

The Howard University Hospital (HUH) Department of Dermatology Postgraduate Training Program now has eleven faculty and positions for five residents. The faculty of the department have diverse backgrounds and are graduates of various programs, including HUH. There is a close relationship between faculty and residents, which has resulted in improved patient care and instruction. All clinical faculty are certified by the American Board of Dermatology, and all dermatopathology faculty have certification in dermatopathology. A number of clinical faculty are fellowship-trained in subspecialties of dermatology, including dermatologic surgery, Mohs surgery, and laser surgery.

Curriculum

The department does not offer a PGY-1 training position. Most preliminary year PGY-1 positions such as medicine, pediatrics, family medicine, or surgery are acceptable as a prerequisite for entry into our residency program.

Affiliates

Affiliate hospitals contribute to our program by providing expanded patient base in pediatric dermatology, actinically damaged skin, premalignant and malignant skin diseases, and dermatologic surgery. The Washington, DC Veterans Affairs Medical Center is a modern facility, which is located within a 5-minute driving distance of HUH. Children's Hospital National Medical Center is a well-known pediatric facility located on the same campus as the Washington, DC Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

The first year of dermatology residency (PGY-2) consists of 8 months at the HUH and 4 months at the Washington, DC Veterans Affairs Medical Center. During the rotation at HUH, residents also go to the Children s Hospital National Medical Center. The second and third years of dermatology residency (PGY-3) and (PGY-4) have a greater amount of time (approximately 6 months) assigned to the Washington, DC Veterans Affairs Medical Center. In addition, PGY-3 and PGY-4 trainees spend time at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center for rotations in dermatologic surgery and Mohs surgery. PGY-3 and PGY-4 trainees also spend time rotating at the Washington Institute of Dermatologic Laser Surgery. PGY-3 and PGY-4 trainees continue to go to the Children s Hospital National Medical Center. PGY-4 trainees have a required 6-week rotation in dermatopathology at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP).

The responsibilities at each of the training sites are as follows:

  • Howard University Hospital
    • General Dermatology Clinic
    • Vitiligo Clinic
    • Pediatric Dermatology Clinic
    • Hospital Consultation Service
  • Washington, DC Veterans Affairs Medical Center
    • General Dermatology Clinic
    • Dermatologic Surgery Clinic
    • Hospital Consultation Service
  • Children's Hospital National Medical Center
    • Pediatric Dermatology Clinic
    • Hospital Consultation Service
  • Walter Reed Army Medical Center
    • Dermatological Surgery Clinic
    • Mohs Surgery Clinic
  • Washington Institute of Dermatology Laser Surgery
    • Laser Surgery Clinic
    • Cosmetic Dermatology Surgery Clinic

Didactics

The department takes pride in the quality of its regularly scheduled teaching conferences. The following are the required teaching conferences in the department:

  • Dermatopathology Slide Conference (two-three times/month)
  • Dermatopathology Textbook Conference (two-three times/month)
  • Dermatopathology Kodachrome Slide Conference (weekly)
  • Clinical Kodachrome Slide Conference (two times/month)
  • Journal Club (two times/months)
  • Clinical Textbook Conference (weekly)
  • Basic Science Conference (two times/month)
  • Dermatological Surgery Conference (weekly for 8 weeks, from July-September)
  • NIH Clinical Dermatology Conference (two-three times/month)
  • Washington, DC Dermatological Society Meeting (monthly)

In addition, administrative leave is given to all residents to attend the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology. The department maintains a library of current books and journals.

The department is currently involved in research on pigmentary disorders of the skin, pseudofollicultis barbae, and acne. There are clinical and laboratory projects as well as therapeutic trials. Residents are encouraged to participate in existing research projects in the department or develop their own research projects during their training.

Faculty

Application Process/Selection of Residents

Applications to the program should be accompanied by USMLE Scores, medical school transcript, dean's letter, and three letters of recommendation through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). Residents are selected through the National Resident Match Program (NRMP).