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Procedural Dermatology includes dermatologic surgery which may be learned in an ACGME-accredited dermatology residency training program. This fellowship program builds on the experience of a dermatology resident and provides surgical training beyond the scope which is expected in a dermatology residency training program (PGY-2 to PGY-4).

Procedural Dermatology is the subspecialty within Dermatology that is concerned with the study, diagnosis, and surgical treatment of diseases of the skin and adjacent mucous membranes, cutaneous appendages, hair, nails, and subcutaneous tissue. Dermatologic surgical procedures are minimally invasive and may be safely performed in outpatient settings without general anesthesia or other intravascular physiologic alteration. An especially important technique is Mohs micrographic surgical excision, which is used for certain cancers of the skin and incorporates training in clinical dermatology and dermatopathology as they apply to dermatologic surgery. In addition, cutaneous reconstruction of surgical defects, sclerotherapy, chemical peel, hair transplantation, dermabrasion, small-volume liposuction, cutaneous soft tissue augmentation with injectable filler material, rhinophyma correction, and laser surgery are important components of these fellowships.

Procedural Dermatology fellowships are accredited to offer 12 months of education and experience subsequent to the satisfactory completion of an ACGME-accredited residency in Dermatology, when all residents are required to develop initial competence in dermatologic surgery. These fellowship programs in Procedural Dermatology provide an organized, systematic, and progressive educational experience for physicians seeking to acquire advanced competence as a dermatologic surgeon.

The Procedural Dermatology fellowship programs provide organized education in all aspects of procedural dermatology, including basic science, anatomy, anesthesia, ethics, pre- and post-operative management, surgical technique, wound healing, Mohs micrographic surgery, laboratory technique, interpretation of pathologic specimens related to Mohs micrographic surgery, cutaneous reconstruction or surgical defects, sclerotherapy, chemical peel, hair transplantation, dermabrasion, small-volume liposuction, cutaneous soft tissue augmentation with injectable filler material, rhinophyma correction cutaneous oncology, laser surgery, epidemiology, medicolegal and regulatory issues, quality assurance, and self-assessment.

Interested individuals should contact Dr. Merritt through Cherie Norton via email () to discuss positions and required information. Interviews will be scheduled on an individual basis.

Additional procedural dermatology matching information is available though: https://www.sfmatch.org/