UA Dermatology Celebrates Five-Year Streak of 100% Board Passage Rate

American Board of Dermatology logoA host of congratulations fell on the University of Arizona Division of Dermatology following recent news that the latest four graduates from the Advanced Dermatology Residency Program sailed through their American Board of Dermatology exams—five straight years of perfect scores for the program.

The four physicians (and where they are now below) graduated from the program this past summer:

  • Graduating dermatologists Drs. Jessin Blossom, Joseph Chao, Colleen Cotton and Jennifer SawayaJessin H. Blossom, MD – Private practice, Louisville, Ky.
  • Joseph T. Chao, MD – Private practice, San Francisco
  • Colleen Cotton, MD (chief resident) — Pediatric Dermatology Fellowship, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
  • Jennifer Sawaya, MD – Laser, Cosmetic and Dermatologic Surgery Fellowship, Harvard Medical School, Boston

Dr. James Sligh“Please join us in congratulating Drs. Blossom, Chao, Cotton and Sawaya for their achievement in passing the 2018 American Board of Dermatology exam!” said James E. Sligh Jr., MD, PhD, program director, professor and chief, UA Division of Dermatology, and associate director of the UA Skin Cancer Institute at the UA Cancer Center.

“They are our most recent, 2018, Board Certified Dermatologists, continuing our streak of 100 percent pass rate as first-time certifying exam takers! Cheers to all of you as well who contributed towards the success.”

Added Mary Dickinson, dermatology residency and fellowship senior coordinator, “We are all proud of the hard work they put into their achievements and wish them the best future! We were lucky to have had them as our residents.”  

EXTRA INFO

Dr. Colleen Cotton on cover of Dermatology News' July 12, 2018, issueUA Alum Featured in ‘Dermatology News’ on Hemangiomas
A presentation at the Society for Pediatric Dermatology by Colleen Cotton, MD, former chief resident in the University of Arizona Division of Dermatology, was the subject of a July 12 article in Dermatology News.

The topic was large facial hemangiomas with a lesion area greater than 25 square centimeters and their prioritization for treatment. The society’s 2018 annual meeting was held in Lake Tahoe, Calif.

Click here or on the magazine’s cover image (above right) to read the story. It’s also available at the Dermatology News website here.

After a short break (2006-08) without a residency program, the UA Division of Dermatology was reaccredited for one in 2010 and its first set of graduating trainees took their boards in 2013.

“Since 2013, we’ve had a total of 14 graduates and 14 pass as first-time takers — so that’s a streak of five years,” Dickinson said.

Six graduates went on to fellowships (two in Mohs surgery, one in rheumatology/dermatology and one in dermatopathology—a joint subspecialty of dermatology and pathology, and to a lesser extent surgical pathology, that focuses on the study of cutaneous diseases at a microscopic and molecular level), and two currently in pediatric dermatology and cosmetic and aesthetic dermatology fellowships.

“We've been able to hold onto three of the 14 as UA faculty during this five years (two are gone at this time, but we expect another to hire on next summer),” she added.

Kudos All Around!

  • “Congratulations!!!!!” — Sarah Schram, MD, Pima Dermatology, Tucson
  • “fantastic!!!! congratulations.” — Jody Comstock, MD, Skin Spectrum, Tucson
  • “Congratulations to the outstanding residents and the fantastic faculty that contribute to their education!” — Amy Sussman, MD, Associate Chair, Education, UA Department of Medicine
  • “Congratulations! Excellent news.” — Monica Kraft, MD, Chair, UA Department of Medicine
  • 'Team Awesome' GIF included with Dr. Schram's email“Congratulations!” — Drew Kurtzman, MD, St. Elizabeth Hospital, Florence, Ky.
  • “Very proud! Strong work guys!” — Vivian Shi, MD, director, Eczema and Skin Barrier Clinic, and Follicular Disorder Clinic, UA/Banner – University Medicine Tucson
  • “That is so spectacular!! Congratulations to all of you!!!” — Christie Alexander, MD, Private Practice, Ohio
  • “Fantastic! Congratulations to all!!” — Silvija Gottesman, MD, North Shore University Hospital/Northwell Health, Lake Success, N.Y.
  • “Bravo! Well done. This is wonderful news.”—Clara Curiel-Lewandrowski, MD, director, Cutaneous Oncology Program and Pigmented Lesion Clinic, and vice chair, UA Division of Dermatology
  • “congrats to everyone!! Well done!” — Gerald Goldberg, MD, Pima Dermatology, Tucson
  • “Congrats! I’m very proud of you. Best wishes to the new ABD Dermatologists!” — Pitiporn “Pete” Suwattee, MD, Southern Arizona VA Health Care System
Release Date: 
09/14/2018 - 3:45pm