Dermatology residents, faculty assist in new CUP Clinic for skin needs

Kudos to the Division of Dermatology which helped launched one of two new clinics in the Committed to Underserved Peoples Program at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson recently.

CUP clinics, which are free for uninsured patients, are generally student-run and staffed by volunteer physicians. They're located on the college’s second floor across from the Department of Urology offices. Patients generally enter from the college’s south entrance.

The Dermatology CUP Clinic offers services such as skin examinations, biopsies and treatments for a variety of skin conditions. The first clinic was held Monday, Dec. 2, 2024.

“It’s mainly run by students with one of our residents, Nathan Chow, MD, offering supervision. They’re typically held on a Monday. I know because I participated in one of them in December,” said Clara Curiel-Lewandrowski, MD, chief of the Division of Dermatology, co-director of the Skin Cancer Institute at the U of A Cancer Center and Advanced Dermatology Residency program director.

“I’m just helping get it started. We have student leaders and we supervise everyone and make sure everything goes okay,” Dr. Chow said.

A third-year Advanced Dermatology resident from Houston, he said the clinics are held on the first Monday of the month, but a little more time was invested to get the clinics rolling. Timing varies due to varied schedules, but they run largely from 5:30-8 p.m. Most patients are uninsured or underinsured.

“We treat any type of skin conditions for people who may not have access to appropriate resources. We point them in the right direction and see if we can help them find resources if they need them to get more stable care,”  Dr. Chow said.

The other new clinic, Women’s Diagnostic and Procedures CUP Clinic, is affiliated with the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology. It addresses immediate medical needs and preventive care with ultrasound, IUD placement and other procedures.