The International Residency Exchange Program for
Dermatology Residents
The History of the Exchange Program
The International Dermatology Residency Exchange Program was brought about
as a consequence of the research activities of faculty members of the
Dermatology Departments of University
of Sao Paulo and the team of
investigators headed by Dr. Luis A. Diaz. Both groups have been involved and committed
to research on the endemic form of pemphigus foliaceus known as Fogo Selvagem. The
Departments of Dermatology at the University
of Michigan (1976-1982), John
Hopkins University
(1982-1988), Medical College of Wisconsin (1989-1999) and the University
of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill, where Dr. Diaz currently is Chairman, have interacted with
the Department of Dermatology of the University
of Sao Paulo. Professor Sampaio,
Professor Rivitti and Dr. Diaz have been instrumental
in creating career opportunities for junior faculty members of both Brazilian
and USA
universities. The International
Dermatology Residency Exchange Program was started in 1992 as a cooperative
arrangement between the Departments of Dermatology at the University
of Sao Paulo in Brazil
and at the Medical College of Wisconsin. With Dr. Diaz’s departure from the
Medical College of Wisconsin, the program has relocated to the University
of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill.
The Exchange Program
The exchange program between senior residents from both departments allows both
groups of trainees to spend one month (four weeks) in the exchange facility. Each department will provide housing and
travel expenses for the participant. Under the supervision of the respective
faculty, the residents will be able to learn and appreciate a different culture
and most important to learn aspects of dermatology in areas difficult to
reproduce in their own institution. We
feel that the teaching of tropical dermatology will be unique and unmatched in
any other US
program. The close and productive
cooperative relationship will hopefully yield increasing benefits to both
programs and stand as a leading example of multinational clinical training in
dermatology.
This program provides the opportunity for residents from each program to
visit the other institution and to participate fully in the various aspects of
the teaching program. Approval was
obtained from the hospitals providing support for our residents. We provide our residents the funds to cover
their airfare and any passport and visa expenses. The University
of Sao Paulo provides housing for
our residents during their stay in Brazil.
Our residents benefit from the examination of tropical diseases, which are
rarely seen in this country. There is
also a much greater inpatient population in Brazil.
The Brazilians are generous and gracious
hosts and our residents have found this rotation to be a real highlight in
their educational experience. Many have
remarked that the experience gained during this rotation was a real benefit in
taking their exams for the American Board of Dermatology. Our residents are given the opportunity to go
to Brazil; it
is not required. They usually attend
during their senior year in the program.
The Brazilians who exchange with us tend to remain for about a month. We provide housing, and for this purpose we
have leased an apartment in Carrboro, which is only a short bus ride from campus.
To date, we have had around 50 visitors
from Brazil
(MCW and UNC).
This program won an award for Excellence in Education from the American
Academy of Dermatology in 1993.
Department of
Dermatology. University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
The Department of Dermatology at the University
of Sao Paulo is the largest
dermatology training program in Brazil
and Latin America. The Faculty of Medicine at the University
opened in 1912 and the Department of Dermatology began its academic activities
in 1916. Renowned members of the
university have made important contributions in clinical and basic research,
among them Professor A. Carini (Pneumocystis
Carini), Professor A. Bovera,
Professor S. Taylor-Darling, Professor Lambert and Professor Lambert-Mayer. Four outstanding individuals have headed the
department: Professor A. Lindenberg (1912-1929),
Professor J. Aguiar-Pupo (1930-1960), Professor
S.A.P. Sampaio (1961-1989) and Professor Evandro A. Rivitti, (1990 - To
date).
The outpatient service follows more than 300 dermatological patients per
day. The census of patients seen in the
dermatology clinic service from 1987 through 1990 is as follows: 48,302 (1987);
46,962 (1988); 59,648 (1989); and 73,298 (1990). The department maintains an active inpatient
service of approximately 50 patients providing specialized therapy for such
diseases as leprosy, leishmaniasis, lupus, fogo selvagem, chromoblastomycosis, blastomycosis
and lymphomas. The department offers
other expertise in areas of clinical dermatology, dermatopathology,
immunodermatology and tropical dermatology.
Teaching, patient care and research in the Department of Dermatology is
supervised by 25 faculty members, with positions for 24 dermatology residents
and seven post-doctoral fellows. Many of
the faculty members are former trainees of dermatological programs in the United
States and Europe. There is a strong emphasis in the postdoctoral
program to train future academicians.
Revised 05-31-06