Dermatology

Gain experience in the presentation, diagnosis and treatment of pediatric skin disorders.

Pediatric residents must be able to diagnose and treat common skin diseases and skin lesions of children. Typical conditions include acne, warts, molluscum and atopic dermatitis. 

You will become familiar with instances requiring referral, as well as immediate therapeutic intervention (such as staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome). Appropriate diagnosis is crucial to successful treatment and parental counseling.

You will be exposed to several treatment modalities including topical emollients, oral regimens including steroids, immunomodulating drugs, as well as ultraviolet light treatment for vitiligo. 

You will work mostly in the outpatient setting; however, you are responsible for the inpatient consultation service as well. You will work closely with a pediatric dermatologist and the number of residents on the rotation is limited to ensure the quality of the educational experience. 

Residents will be expected to help with any procedures such as skin biopsies. At the conclusion of the rotation, you will be expected to prepare a 15-minute talk about a current topic in pediatric dermatology. 

This rotation will help to prepare you to diagnosis and treat common pediatric skin disorders as well as to recognize less common disorders or subtle skin findings that may be suggestive of an underlying systemic condition.

Conditions Seen

Some common conditions you can expect to encounter include:

  • acne
  • atopic dermatitis
  • congenital lesions
  • psoriasis
  • hemangiomas 
  • fungal infections

Less common conditions that are seen include:

  • neurofibromatosis
  • tuberous sclerosis
  • drug eruptions
  • ichthyosis

Topics Covered

Following is a list of conditions which you will become knowledgeable about during your training:

Infectious Diseases

  • Fungal Infections: 
    • Dermatophyte Infections (Tinea Capitis, Corporis, Pedis — categorized by sites)
    • Tinea Versicolor
    • Candida (Yeast)
    • Scabies
  • Bacterial Infections:
    • Impetigo
    • Fifth Disease
    • Herpes Simplex
    • Warts
    • Molluscum Contagiosum

Dermatitis

  • Atopic Dermatitis
  • Seborrheic Dermatitis
  • Allergic Contact Dermatitis (e.g. Poison Ivy)
  • Irritant Contact Dermatitis (e.g. Hand Dermatitis)

Hypersensitivity Reactions

  • Urticada and Angioedema
  • Erythema Multiforme, Stevens-Johnson, and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN)
  • Drug Eruptions

Congenital Lesions

  • Pigmented Lesions 
  • Congenital Melanocytic Nevus versus Acquired Nevi
  • Cafe au Lait
  • Vascular Lesions
  • Port-wine Stain
  • Capillary and Cavernous Hemangiomas

Genodermatoses

  • Neurofibromatosis
  • Tuberous Sclerosis 
  • Epidermolysis Bullosa

Neonatal Dermatology

  • Erythema Toxicum 
  • “Diaper Rash”

Acne and Acneiform Eruptions

  • Treatment
  • Topical Corticosteroids
  • General Principles of Topical Therapy
  • Antifungal Treatment

Years Taken

PGY-2, PGY-3 or PGY-4 selective

Length of Rotation

4 weeks

Clinical Site

Patient Population

  • Pediatric patients whose ages range between newborn to 21 years of age.
  • Diverse and includes individuals from several different ethnic groups. 
  • Many patients are from the immediate Buffalo area; however, several patients also travel from the surrounding regions for subspecialty care. 
  • The Buffalo area is also home to refugee populations including Burmese and Somalis. Some of these patients will be seen during the rotation as well.