Dermsquared

10/19/2026

Dermatology residency shapes more than clinical knowledge.​

In this episode of Cutaneous Miscellaneous, Nicholas D. Brownstone, MD, welcomes guests Brooke Bartley, MD, and Joshua Burshtein, MD, for a conversation about the resident journey from first year through chief residency.​

They discuss learning to get comfortable with the unknown, balancing board preparation with clinical learning, and developing the communication skills that textbooks can’t teach. They also explore the habits that make a strong resident, from curiosity and humility to reliability and a willingness to keep learning.​

The conversation also marks the beginning of a new chapter for Cutaneous Miscellaneous, as Drs Bartley and Burshtein begin stepping into their roles as the series’ next hosts.​

Tune in for candid perspectives on navigating residency, growing as a clinician, and getting to know the future hosts of Cutaneous Miscellaneous.​

Listen now: https://bit.ly/4eBD9qu

10/16/2026

A skin biopsy can provide valuable information, but the pathology report is only one part of the diagnostic picture.​
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On the newest episode of Cutaneous Miscellaneous, Nicholas D. Brownstone, MD, and David Oberlin, MD, discuss how to interpret biopsy findings in clinical context and navigate cases in which pathology alone may not provide a clear answer.​
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They discuss:​
• Approaching descriptive or nonspecific pathology reports​
• Navigating challenging scenarios, including dermal hypersensitivity reactions and hand or foot eruptions​
• Building broad differentials and incorporating clinicopathologic correlation​
• Communicating directly with dermatopathologists when additional context may help clarify the diagnosis​

Listen now: https://bit.ly/4dKk5Gt

10/15/2026

Two patients. Same melanoma stage. Very different outcomes. What can tumor biology tell us that traditional staging cannot?​

Even among patients with stage I melanoma, a subset will develop metastatic disease. Can molecular profiling help identify those at greater risk?​

In Part 3 of this expert video series, David Cotter, MD, PhD, examines how incorporating 31-gene expression profiling (31-GEP) into AJCC8 staging can refine prognostic assessment and inform clinical decision-making.​

Dr Cotter explores:​
-Why patients within the same AJCC8 stage may have markedly different outcomes​
-How 31-GEP results can help identify higher-risk patients who might otherwise appear low risk​
-How 31-GEP results can help identify higher-risk patients who might otherwise appear low risk​es​

Watch the video to hear how Dr. Cotter approaches integrating tumor biology with traditional staging to support individualized melanoma care.​

Watch Now: https://bit.ly/4yHZyKl

Dr Cotter emphasizes that AJCC8 remains the cornerstone of melanoma staging, providing a standardized framework for estimating prognosis and guiding management

10/12/2026

That’s a wrap on Fall Clinical 2026, and Vegas sent us out in style!

Saturday night, Fall Clinical turned into a secret speakeasy for our dinner reception. By Sunday morning, faculty were back on stage for a final round.

For “What Happens in Vegas Gets Taught by Vegas,” three dermatologists who practice right here in Las Vegas took the stage: James Q. Del Rosso, DO, David Cotter, MD, PhD, and Graham Litchman, DO, MS. Their reminder for the final morning was that diseases don’t read package inserts. Scott Elman, MD, caught clinicians up on lupus and dermatomyositis, and Roger I. Ceilley, MD, closed things out with surgical pearls passed down from past masters.

Four days, one city, and more clinical pearls than the Wynn has slot machines. Thank you to the faculty and staff who made it happen!

Claim your Fall Clinical 2027 seat at a limited-time price before the last seats sell out. Offer expires this Thursday, Oct 15 at 11:59 PDT: https://bit.ly/4B1DJre

10/11/2026

Three days in and the energy at Fall Clinical 2026 kept climbing, right through a multispecialty roundtable on GLP-1 receptor agonists in psoriasis.

Joel M. Gelfand, MD, MSCE, FAAD, chaired the roundtable with Angela Fitch, MD, FACP, MFOMA; Janice Lee, PharmD, MBA, BCPS; Whitney Nelson, RN, Patient Advocate; and Henry Yu, PA-C. Obesity medicine, pharmacy, nursing, and PA perspectives, plus the patient’s view.

Earlier in the day, Shawn Kwatra, MD, and Michelle Tarbox, MD, worked through chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) cases now that targeted therapies have changed the treatment plan. James Q. Del Rosso, DO, covered what’s new in systemic therapy for dermatology.

Limited seats remain for Fall Clinical 2027. Secure yours now before they’re gone: https://bit.ly/4B1DJre

10/11/2026

What happens in Vegas… gets taught in Vegas.
David Cotter, MD, PhD, practices here, teaches here, and views Fall Clinical the 🥇Olympics of Dermatology. Listen in as he shares why he keeps coming back!

Missed this year? Don’t miss it next time! See you October 7–10, 2027, in Vegas. Register at the link in bio.

10/10/2026

Is it really “just dandruff”? 🤔

Missed this morning’s IG Live from ? The replay is here.

Elizabeth (Lisa) Swanson, MD, and Natasha Atanaskova Mesinkovska, MD, went from scalp to skin on seborrheic dermatitis, and why a “scalp problem” is often more complicated than scale.

In this 20-minute conversation:

💬 What dermatology still oversimplifies about seb derm, from chronic inflammation to itch and recurrence
💬 When a patient’s hair complaint should prompt a closer look at the scalp
💬 How hair type, styling practices, wash frequency, and vehicle choice should shape what we prescribe
💬 Why maintenance, not flare-by-flare rescue, may be the better conversation
💬 The red flags that make you reconsider the diagnosis

Plus: what Fall Clinical has them rethinking about scalp health, and one small change clinicians can make that matters for patients.

▶️ Watch the full replay now, and share it with a colleague who treats hair-bearing skin.

10/10/2026

10/10/2026

Day 2 at Fall Clinical ran from comorbidity management in hidradenitis suppurativa to oral options in psoriasis and biologic selection in atopic dermatitis.

Iltefat Hamzavi, MD, and Jennifer Hsiao, MD, get past drug selection in hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) and into what actually shapes the visit: setting patient expectations and managing the comorbidities that travel with it.

April W. Armstrong, MD, MPH, Tina Bhutani, MD, and E. James Song, MD, cover where oral therapies fit in psoriasis treatment planning, including clinical updates on emerging and approved agents.

Dr. Armstrong returns with Raj Chovatiya, MD, PhD, MSCI, and Elizabeth (Lisa) A. Swanson, MD, on moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (AD): when to escalate, how to differentiate biologics patient by patient, and what it takes to hold adherence over the long run.

Read the Day 2 recap here: https://bit.ly/4yHfQUd