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December 23, 2021

Winter Membership Bulletin e-Newsletter

The Winter 2021 issue of the ACMS Membership e-Newsletter is now available. Read it here.

In this issue:

  • President's Message
  • ACMS Happenings
    • Annual Meeting 2022 Call for Abstracts
    • ACMS Board of Directors Election
    • Advocacy Update
    • ASMH Annual Meeting Scholarships
    • Fellows-in-Training Clinicopathologic Competition
    • ACMS Foundation Upcoming Deadlines
  • Ask Glenn: Answers to your Mohs Coding & Billing Questions
  • Hot Topics: Labor Shortages Affect the Efficiency of  the Mohs Unit
  • Viewpoints: Improving Wisely
  • Highlights From the Literature: Concordance of Squamous Cell Carcinoma Histologic Grading Among Dermatopathologists and Mohs Surgeons.
                      Histopathologic upgrading of cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas during Mohs micrographic surgery: A retrospective cohort study.
  • Fellow-in-Training Perspective: Through the Confocal Lens: Peering into the Future of Mohs Surgery

 

October 22, 2021

Episode 28 of ACMS Podcast Available

Episode 28 features Adam Sutton, MD, MBA; Assistant Professor and Director of Mohs & Dermatologic Surgery at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. The current chair of the PROM Development & QPP Education subcommittee of the National Registry and Outcomes, Dr. Sutton discusses MohsAIQ and quality in Mohs surgery.

 

 


August 31, 2021

Summer Membership Bulletin e-Newsletter

The Summer 2021 issue of the ACMS Membership Bulletin e-Newsletter is now available. Read it here.

In this issue:

  • President's Message
  • ACMS Happenings
    • Annual Meeting 2022 Call for Abstracts
    • ACMS Board of Directors Nominations
    • Advocacy Update
    • ASMH Advanced Mohs Tech Training
    • Welcome Incoming Fellows-in-Training
    • ACMS Member Graphics
  • Ask Glenn: Answers to your Mohs Coding & Billing Questions
  • Hot Topics: Member Updates from the American Medical Association
  • Viewpoints: Micrographic Dermatologic Surgery (MDS) Board Certification - Why Every ACMS Member Should Get Certified
  • Practice Tips and Efficacy: What to Expect While Examining
  • Highlights From the Literature: Narrow Excision Margins are Appropriate for Merkel Cell Carcinoma When Combined with Adjuvant Radiation: Analysis of 188 Cases of Localized Disease and Proposed Management Algorithm
                      An RNA Vaccine Drives Immunity in Checkpoint-Inhibitor-Treated Melanoma

April 30, 2021

Spring Membership Bulletin e-Newsletter

  The Spring 2021 issue of the ACMS Membership Bulletin e-Newsletter is now available. Read it here.

In this issue:

  • President's Message
  • ACMS Happenings
    • 2021 Annual Meeting Registration
    • ACMS Foundation updates
    • Advocacy Update
    • MohsAIQ
    • ACMS & APD 2021 Dermatology Resident Fellowship Application Forum
  • Ask Glenn: Answers to your Mohs Coding & Billing Questions
  • Hot Topics: Ethics and the Mohs Surgeon
                       Veterans and the Mohs Surgeon
  • Viewpoints: ACMS Board Certification Task Force Chair, Sumaira Z. Aasi, MD, FACMS
  • Practice Tips and Efficacy: Languishing: The Emotion of 2021?
  • Highlights From the Literature: Cemiplimab-rwlc is Approved for Locally Advanced and Metastatic Basal Cell Carcinoma
                      What is the Risk of Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma After the Diagnosis of Actinic Keratosis? A 10-year retrospective longitudinal cohort study
  • Fellow-in-Training Perspective: Efficacy in Mohs Surgery is Dependent on Slide Preparation and Quality

April 26, 2021

Episode 27 of ACMS Podcast Available

Episode 27 features Alberto Conde-Taboada head of dermatology at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Madrid, Mohs surgeon and consultant at the Hospital Clínico San Carlos, and Associate Professor of Dermatology at Universidad Complutense at Madrid. Dr. Conde-Taboada discusses A cross-sectional study of YouTube videos on Mohs surgery: Quality of content and sentiment analysis, recently released online in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

 

 


March 31, 2021

Episode 26 of ACMS Podcast Available

Episode 26 features David R. Carr, MD, MPH, FACMS, of Ohio State University. Dr. Carr is an Associate Professor in the Division of Dermatology, Director of Mohs Surgery, and the Fellowship Director for the MSDO Fellowship at OSU. Dr. Carr discusses the recently published article in Dermatologic Surgery; Utility of Debulk Specimens During Mohs Micrographic Surgery for Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

 


March 3, 2021

2021 Board of Directors Election Results

The College welcomes four new members to the ACMS Board of Directors. Drs. M. Laurin Council, Mollie A. MacCormack, and Kishwer S. Nehal will begin their three-year terms as Directors at the 2021 Annual Meeting. Also at the Annual Meeting, Dr. Sumaira Z. Aasi will begin her four-year term on the Executive Committee as Secretary/Treasurer in 2021-22, Vice President in 2022-23, President in 2023-24 and Past President in 2024-25. Thank you to all who participated in this process – those that voted and those that answered the call of their fellow members by appearing on the ballot.


February 26, 2021

Episode 25 of ACMS Podcast Available

Episode 25 features Trish Moore, of Moore and Associates. Ms. Moore discusses her approaches to leadership, executive coaching, and highlights the work of Moore and Associates in the medical field; specifically with Mohs Surgeons Leading the Future. Recorded in the fall of 2020, the insights and information included will be especially helpful to those ACMS members considering applying for the 2021 class of Mohs Surgeons Leading the Future.


January 26, 2021

Episode 24 of ACMS Podcast Available

Episode 24 features Dr. Sumaira Z. Aasi, Director of Mohs Surgery and Dermatologic Surgery, and clinical professor in dermatology, plastic and reconstructive surgery at Stanford University. Dr. Aasi also serves as Chair of the Board Certification Task Force for the American College of Mohs Surgery. Dr. Aasi answers frequently asked questions about the ACMS ABD MDS Examination Preparation Action Plan.


December 1, 2020

Episode 23 of ACMS Podcast Available

Episode 23 features Dr. Glenn D. Goldman, Medical Director of Dermatology, Professor of Dermatology and the Director of both the Dermatology Residency and Micrographic Surgery and Dermatologic Oncology Fellowship Programs at the University of Vermont. Dr. Goldman is currently serving as the President of the American College of Mohs Surgery. Dr. Goldman reflects on the evolution of Mohs surgery as seen during his 24-year career. He also discusses the future of the College, Mohs surgery and the importance of professional advancement.


December 21, 2020

Winter Membership Bulletin e-Newsletter

The Winter 2020 issue of the ACMS Membership Bulletin e-newsletter is now available. Read it here.

In this issue:

  • President's message
  • ACMS Happenings
    • Annual Meeting 2021 Call for Abstracts
    • ACMS Foundation
    • Advocacy Update
    • MohsAIQ
    • Frederic E. Mohs Award
  • Ask Glenn: Answers to your Mohs Coding & Billing Questions
  • Hot Topics: GARDASIL Approved for Certain HPV-Related Head & Neck Cancers
                        Diversity in Mohs Surgery - Trend in Gender Demographics in the Mohs College
  • Viewpoints: ACMS Diversity Task Force Chair, Algin Garrett, MD, FACMS
  • Practice Tips and Efficacy: "COVID"-gilience; Safety Precautions Across the Country
  • Fellows-in-Training Perspectives: Pursuing Progress in a Pandemic

October 23, 2020

Episode 22 of ACMS Podcast Available

Episode 22 features Marsheila Devan, MBA, founder and CEO of Elite Communications. Ms. Devan has more than 20 years experience coaching medical professionals in the art and skill of effective communications. On this podcast Ms. Devan provides pearls of wisdom for developing authentic and effective communicative skills.


September 18, 2020

Episode 21 of ACMS Podcast Available

Episode 21 features Dr. Kelly MacAuthur, Mohs surgeon and Assistant Professor of Dermatology and Dr. Brian C. Baumann, Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology and Chief Genitourinary Service; both at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Drs. Baumann and MacArthur discuss the multidisciplinary recommendation paper, Management of Primary Skin Cancer During a Pandemic: Multidisciplinary Recommendations; published June 2020 in ACS Journal, Cancer.


September 10, 2020

Summer Membership Bulletin e-Newsletter

The Summer 2020 issue of the ACMS Membership Bulletin e-newsletter is now available. Read it here.

In this issue:

  • President's message
  • ACMS Happenings
    • ACMS Foundation Pilot Mentoring Program
    • Advocacy Update
    • MohsAIQ Update
    • ACMS Newsletter Survey
    • Welcome FITs
  • Ask Glenn: Answers to your Mohs Coding & Billing Questions
  • Viewpoints: Dr. Nathaniel Jellinek & ACMS Foundation Leadership Initiative
  • Practice Tips and Efficacy: Teledermatology Tips: "Web"side Manner
  • Highlights from Literature:Mohs Surgery in the VA Health Care System
  • Fellows-in-Training Perspectives: Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Risk Factors, Cellular Pathways adn Immunosupression Board Review

August 17, 2020

Episode 20 of ACMS Podcast Available

A new episode of the College's podcast series, Conversations in Mohs Surgery is now available at www.mohscollege.org/podcast. Episode 20 features the 2018 Frederic E Mohs Award winner Dr. Mary E. Maloney. Dr. Maloney is a Professor and Chair of Dermatology at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, and Director of Dermatologic Surgery at UMass Memorial Medical Center. Dr. Maloney discusses her article published in Clinical Dermatology, Ethical Mentorship: the Dilemma of Success or Failure  and much more related to the benefits of mentorship.


July 29, 2020

Episode 19 of ACMS Podcast Available

A new episode of the College's podcast series, Conversations in Mohs Surgery is now available at www.mohscollege.org/podcast. Episode 19 features Dr. Joseph F. Sobanko, Director of Dermatologic Surgery Education and Associate Professor of Dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Sobanko discusses Low Recurrence Rates for Challenging Squamous Cell Carcinomas using Mohs Micrographic Surgery with AE1/AE3 Cytokeratin Immunostaining, recently published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.


June 18, 2020

Episode 18 of ACMS Podcast Available

A new episode of the College's podcast series, Conversations in Mohs Surgery is now available at www.mohscollege.org/podcast. Episode 18 features Dr. Thomas Knackstedt's conversation with Drs. Brandon Beal and Blake Steele. Drs. Brandon Beal and Blake Steele discuss their introduction to Mohs surgery, and the decisions and opportunities that led to fellowship training. Dr. Beal will soon complete his Micrographic Surgery and Dermatologic Oncology fellowship training, and Dr. Steele has recently matched, and will soon begin fellowship training.
 


May 7, 2020

Episode 17 of ACMS Podcast Available

A new episode of the College's podcast series, Conversations in Mohs Surgery is now available at www.mohscollege.org/podcast. Episode 17 features Dr. Thomas Knackstedt's conversation with Murad Alam, MD, MSCI, MBA, FACMS and centers around his work with Sebaceous carcinoma, and the published study, "Sebaceous Carcinoma: Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines ". A Fellow member of ACMS, Dr. Murad Alam is Vice-Chair of Dermatology; Professor of Dermatology, Otolaryngology, and Surgery; and Chief of the Section of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery, at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine.
 


April 9, 2020

Spring Membership Bulletin e-Newsletter

The Spring 2020 issue of the ACMS Membership Bulletin e-newsletter is now available. Read it here.

In this issue:

  • President's message
  • ACMS Happenings
    • ACMS Foundation
    • Advocacy Update
    • MohsAIQ Update
    • 2020 Board of Director Election Results
  • Ask Glenn: Answers to your Mohs Coding & Billing Questions
  • Viewpoints: NCCN Issues Short-term Recommendations for Melanoma Management During COVID-19 Pandemic
  • Practice Tips and Efficacy: The MohsAIQ Registry: Update and Practice Efficiency
  • Highlights from Literature:Comparison of Survival After Mohs Micrographic Surgery vs Wide Margin Excision for Early-stage Invasive Melanoma
  • Fellows-in-Training Perspectives: Immunochemistry for Mohs

March 23, 2020

Episode 16 of ACMS Podcast Available

A new episode of the College's podcast series, Conversations in Mohs Surgery is now available at www.mohscollege.org/podcast. Episode 16 features Dr. Ian Maher, ACMS Board Director, Professor of Dermatology and Director of Dermatologic Surgery at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Maher discusses the unique benefits of the ACMS registry, MohsAIQ, and several studies including Epidemiology and Survival of Microcystic Adnexal Carcinoma by Sex in the United States, Survival and Demographic Differences of Periocular and non-Periocular Sebaceous Carcinomas and Improved Overall Survival of Melanoma of the Head and Neck Treated with Mohs Micrographic Surgery Versus Wide Local Excision.


February 20, 2020

Episode 15 of ACMS Podcast Available

A new episode of the College's podcast series, Conversations in Mohs Surgery is now available at www.mohscollege.org/podcast. Episode 15 features Dr. Thomas Knackstedt's conversation with Paul T. Nghiem, MD, PhD and centers around his work with Merkel cell carcinoma, and his recently published study, "Patterns of Distant Metastases in 215 Merkel Cell Carcinoma Patients: Implications for Prognosis and Surveillance".
 


February 18, 2020

2020 Board of Directors Election Results

The College welcomes four new members to the ACMS Board of Directors. Drs. Mariah R. Brown, Ashley Wysong and Nathalie C. Zeitouni will begin their three-year terms as Directors at the 2020 Annual Meeting in Nashville, Tennessee. Also at the Annual Meeting, Dr. Howard Rogers will begin his four-year term on the Executive Committee as Secretary-Treasurer in 2020-21, Vice President in 2021-22, President in 2022-23 and Past President in 2023-24. Thank you to all who participated in this process – those that voted and those that answered the call of their fellow members by appearing on the ballot.


December 19, 2019

Episode 14 of ACMS Podcast Available

A new episode of the College's podcast series, Conversations in Mohs Surgery is now available at www.mohscollege.org/podcast. Episode 14 features Dr. Thomas Knackstedt's conversation with Brian Gastman, MD Medical and Surgical Director for Cleveland Clinic Foundation's Melanoma and High Risk Skin Cancer Program. Dr. Gastman is a double boarded Plastic Surgeon and Otolaryngologist who has published more than 100 articles related to melanoma and merkle cell carcinoma. The article discussed, Malignant Melanoma: Diagnostic and Management Update was published in Plastic Reconstructive Surgery.


December 17, 2019

Winter Membership Bulletin e-Newsletter

The Winter 2019 issue of the ACMS Membership Bulletin e-newsletter is now available. Read it here.

In this issue:

  • President's message
  • ACMS Happenings
    • ACMS Foundation: Grant Review Process
    • Advocacy Update
    • MohsAIQ Update
    • Mohs Question of the Week FAQs
    • 2019 Mohs Technician Training: October recap
  • Ask Glenn: Answers to your Mohs Coding & Billing Questions
  • Viewpoints: ACMS members offer Practice Pearls
  • Practice Tips and Efficacy: Chaperoning Full-Body Skin Exam
  • Highlights from Literature: Highlights from the Literature: Incidence and Risk Factors of Keratinocyte Carcinoma After First Solid Organ Transplant in Ontario, Canada
  • Fellows-in-Training Perspectives: Light and Shadows: A Shared Focus on Artists and Mohs Surgeons

December 2, 2019

Episode 13 of ACMS Podcast Available

A new episode of the College's podcast series, Conversations in Mohs Surgery is now available at www.mohscollege.org/podcast. Episode 13 features Dr. Thomas Knackstedt's conversation with Drs. Jerry D. Brewer, MD, MS, FACMS Professor of Dermatology and Mohs Surgeon at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN and Nathaniel J. Jellinek, MD, FACMS, Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Dermatology at Brown University, Adjunct Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Dermatology at the University of Massachusetts and member of Dermatology Proffesionals staff. Just in time for #GivingTuesday, Drs. Brewer and Jellinek discuss the ACMS Foundation, Foundation grant opportunities and the impact of leadership and mentorship within the College.


November 1, 2019

Episode 12 of ACMS Podcast Available

A new episode of the College's podcast series, Conversations in Mohs Surgery is now available at www.mohscollege.org/podcast. Episode 12 features Dr. Thomas Knackstedt's conversation with Nitin Pagedar, MD, MPH, Associate Professor of Otolaryngology and Co-Leader of the Head and Neck Cancer MOG at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. Dr. Pagedar discusses the article, Survival Outcomes for Advanced Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck, recently published in The Anals of Otology, Rhinology, and Laryngology.


October 31, 2019

National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention Fall Meeting Recap

The Fall 2019 meeting of the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention was held on October 30 in Washington, DC. ACMS members interested in learning more about Council activity, please visit the Partner page of the ACMS site for access to meeting handouts and presentations. Council co-chairs Shelby Moneer of the Melanoma Research Foundation and Len Lichtenfeld, MD, MACP of the American Cancer Society provided updates on Council activities. Attendees welcomed the American Skin Association, and Warriors Against Melanoma as both organizations were voted onto the Council. Melanoma Research Foundation Board Director, Doug Brodman shared his melanoma journey in “A Patient’s Perspective” , after which Michelle DelFavero of the American Cancer Society-Cancer Action Network shared Disparities in Cancer Incidence, Mortality and Survival. David Fisher, MD, PhD of Harvard Medical School presented “Understanding the Challenges of UV: From Pathways of Addiction to New Strategies for Protection”, followed by Anna Chien, MD of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine presenting the “UV Protection Clothing: A Review and Future Directions”. The American Academy of Dermatology’s Natasha Pattanshetti, JD provided information on the Forthcoming Sunscreen Final Rule and Federal Legislative Update. Co-Chairs of the NCSCP Indoor Tan-Free “Skin Smart Campus” Cassandra Beisel, Melanoma Research Foundation & Deb Girard, IMPACT Melanoma and Carolyn Heckman, PhD, Rutgers University, past chair of the “Don’t Fry Day” campaign provided the Council with activity updates.


October 3, 2019

Episode 11 of ACMS Podcast Available

A new episode of the College's podcast series, Conversations in Mohs Surgery is now available at www.mohscollege.org/podcast. Episode 11 features Dr. Thomas Knackstedt's conversation with Dr. Ravi Chokshi, Chief of Surgical Oncology at Rutgers Cancer Institute and Associate Professor of Surgery at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. Dr. Chokshi discusses the article, Cost Effectiveness of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy for Head and Neck Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma, published in The Journal of Surgical Research.


September 23, 2019

Episode 10 of ACMS Podcast Available

A new episode of the College's podcast series, Conversations in Mohs Surgery is now available at www.mohscollege.org/podcast. Host Dr. Thomas Knackstedt chats with  ACMS member Emily Ruiz, MD, MPH, Director of High Risk-Skin Cancer Clinic, Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center, Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Ruiz discusses her article, Performance of the American Joint Committee on Cancer Staging Manual, 8th Edition vs the Brigham and Women's Hospital Tumor Classification System for Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma, published in the JAMA Dermatology in July of 2019.


September 4, 2019

Episode 9 of ACMS Podcast Now Available

A new episode of the College’s podcast series, Conversations in Mohs Surgery, is now available at www.mohscollege.org/podcast. Host Dr. Thomas Knackstedt chats with ACMS Associate member Dr. Jeffrey Scott of Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Scott is an Assistant Professor of Dermatology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and he discusses the article, Characteristics of State and Federal Malpractice Litigation of Medical Liability Claims for Keratinocyte Carcinoma published July 2019 in JAMA Dermatology. This study reviews malpractice litigations for keratinocyte carcinoma and looks to identify factors that impact appellate decisions.

In addition to listening on the ACMS website, subscribe to the podcast via iTunes/Apple Podcasts and Google Play Music by searching ACMS Podcast and tapping the Subscribe button. Please take a moment to rate and review the podcast. Listen here.


August 21, 2019

Summer Membership Bulletin e-Newsletter

The Summer 2019 issue of the ACMS Membership Bulletin e-newsletter is now available. Read it here.

In this issue:

  • President's Message
  • ACMS Happenings
    • 2020 Annual Meeting Call for Abstracts
    • ACMS Foundation
    • 2019 Advocacy Conference
    • Micrographic Dermatologic Surgery (MDS) Subspecialty Certification Examination Update
    • Member Mark
    • MohsAIQ
    • Send Your Tech to Advanced Mohs  Technician Training, October 11-12
  • Ask Glenn: Answers to your Mohs Coding & Billing Questions
  • Viewpoints: Dr. George Hruza Discusses Unity of the Specialty
  • Hot Topic: A Brief Interview with Dr. Len D'Avolio
  • Practice Tips and Efficacy: Mohs Surgeons' Favorites - Part 2
  • Highlights from Literature: What is the Most Effective Treatment for Actinic Keratosis? A Head-to-Head Comparison of 4 Field Treatments
  • Fellow-in-Training Perspectives: Complexities Surrounding Use of Streaming Music Service in the Office Setting

June 30, 2019

Episode 8 of ACMS Podcast Now Available

A new episode of the College’s podcast series, Conversations in Mohs Surgery, is now available at www.mohscollege.org/podcast. Host Dr. Thomas Knackstedt chats with ACMS Associate members Dr. Lindsey Collins, Director of Dermatologic Surgery at the University of Oklahoma Health and Sciences Center and Dr. Sean Condon, a Mohs surgeon in private practice at The Center for Dermatology Care in Thousand Oaks, California. Recorded live at the ACMS Annual Meeting in Baltimore, Drs. Collins and Condon discusses their individual experiences as Mohs surgeons working 1-2 years out of fellowship; one in an academic setting and the other in private practice.

In addition to listening on the ACMS website, subscribe to the podcast via iTunes/Apple Podcasts and Google Play Music by searching ACMS Podcast and tapping the Subscribe button. Please take a moment to rate and review the podcast. Listen here.


May 20, 2019

Episode 7 of ACMS Podcast Now Available

A new episode of the College’s podcast series, Conversations in Mohs Surgery, is now available at www.mohscollege.org/podcast. Host Dr. Thomas Knackstedt interviews Dr. Barry Leshin, immediate past president of the ACMS, who discusses the past year leading the College, his career as a Mohs surgeon, starting his own practice, and lessons learned in 30+ years of practice.

In addition to listening on the ACMS website, subscribe to the podcast via iTunes/Apple Podcasts and Google Play Music by searching ACMS Podcast and tapping the Subscribe button. Please take a moment to rate and review the podcast. Listen here.


April 22, 2019

Spring Membership Bulletin e-Newsletter

The Spring 2019 issue of the ACMS Membership Bulletin e-newsletter is now available. Read it here.

In This Issue   

  • President’s Message
  • ACMS Happenings
    • See the 2019 Annual Meeting Final Program
    • MohsAIQ Registry Approved for 2019 MIPS Reporting
    • 2018-19 Advocacy Successes
    • Updated Fellowship Match Policy and new SLOR
    • Send Your Tech to Mohs Technician Training June 27-28
  • Ask Glenn: Answers to Your Mohs Coding & Billing Questions
  • Viewpoint: Avoiding and Managing Medicare Fraud and Abuse Investigations
  • Hot Topic: Observation Should be the New Standard for Moderately Dysplastic Nevi
  • Practice Tips and Efficacy: Mohs Surgeons’ Favorites
  • Highlights from the Literature: Dermatopathology Appropriate Use Criteria
  • Fellow-in-Training Perspectives: Patient-Reported Outcome Measures

March 13, 2019

ACMS Elects Four New Board Members

The ACMS recently elected four new members to the Board of Directors. Dr. Clark Otley of Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota; Dr. Daniel Eisen of the University of California, Davis Medical Center, Dr. Eva Hurst of Washington University St. Louis School of Medicine and Dr. Michel McDonald of Vanderbilt University will transition on to the ACMS Board of Directors at the 2019 Annual Meeting in Baltimore, taking place May 2-5, 2019.

Dr. Otley begins his one-year term as Secretary/Treasurer before transitioning to Vice President at the 2020 Annual Meeting, after which he will serve as President of the ACMS in 2021. Drs. Eisen, Hurst and McDonald will serve as Directors on the Board until 2022. Learn more about each member below.

On behalf of the entire College membership, ACMS President Dr. Barry Leshin expresses his deep appreciation and sincere thanks for the tireless enthusiasm exhibited by all of the outgoing Board Members. Drs. Jerry Brewer, Scott Collins, and Howard Rogers will leave a legacy of exemplary work ethic and principled commitment to the success of the College.

To everyone who participated in this election; to each candidate who accepted nominations, and to all who voted, thank you for helping to shape the future of your organization.

Clark C. Otley, MD, FACMS • Secretary/Treasurer
Dr. Otley works in the Department of Dermatology at Mayo Clinic, as well as the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, in Rochester, Minnesota. He completed medical school at Duke, and his residency and fellowship training at Harvard and Mayo Clinic respectively. Dr. Otley was the Founding President of the International Transplant Skin Cancer Collaborative and has served on a number of ACMS committees including chairing the Frederic E. Mohs Award Committee.

Daniel B. Eisen, MD, FACMS • Board Member
Dr. Eisen is affiliated with the University of California Davis Medical Center. After completing medical school at Hahnemann University School of Medicine, he completed his dermatology residency and fellowship training at Washington Hospital Center and University of British Columbia respectively. Dr. Eisen currently serves on the ACMS Quality Slide Review Committee and is very active in the Association of Professors of Dermatology. Additionally, he remains very involved with the AAD, APD and the Hidradenitis Suppurativa Foundation, Inc. (HSF).

Eva A. Hurst, MD, FACMS • Board Member
Dr. Hurst is an Associate Professor of Medicine (Division of Dermatology), Director of Dermatologic Surgery, Director of Clinical Operations for the Division of Dermatology and Director of Micrographic Surgery and Dermatologic Oncology Fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine. After completing medical school from Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, Dr. Hurst completed her residency at the University of California, San Francisco. She also finished her fellowship training program at UCSF. Dr. Hurst has been active in the AAD, ASDS, and WDS and has served on a number of ACMS committees, including the National Registry and Outcomes Database Subcommittee and Newsletter Committee.

Michel A. McDonald, MD, FACMS • Board Member
Dr. McDonald is the Director of Dermatologic Surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. After attending medical school at the University of Louisville, she completed both her residency and fellowship training at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Dr. McDonald has served the ACMS as Chair of the Scientific Program Committee as well as a member of the Public Policy Committee. She has also represented the ACMS as a delegate to the American Medical Association. Dr. McDonald is an active member of the AAD and has been active with both ASDS and WDS.


October 30, 2018

ABMS Approves Subspecialty Certification in MDS

Dear Colleagues,
The American Board of Dermatology (ABD) has announced that The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) approved the creation of subspecialty certification in Micrographic Dermatologic Surgery (MDS).  

We deeply appreciate the strong support of this initiative by our own members, and by numerous other specialty organizations and ABMS member boards. We are also grateful for the remarkable dedication of Drs. Randy Roenigk and Tom Stasko. Their thoughtful and steadfast leadership was instrumental in garnering this momentous recognition. We are hopeful that the divisions within our specialty during the recent comment period will diminish as we experience the positive impact of this certification pathway.

We will continue to communicate with you as we learn more details regarding the certification process. Rest assured the College will be developing an educational program to have you well-prepared for the board examination. Again, we would like to express our gratitude for your pivotal role in supporting this milestone, which has long been a pillar of the College’s Strategic Plan.

Sincerely,

Barry Leshin, MD, FACMS, President 
Elizabeth Billingsley, MD, FACMS, Vice President    
Glenn Goldman, MD, FACMS, Secretary/Treasurer         
Allison Vidimos, MD, FACMS, Immediate Past President


October 17, 2018

ACMS Seeks Change to Proposed Compounding Guidelines

The ACMS joins the American Academy of Dermatology in its efforts to ask that the USP adopt at least a 12-hour exemption from its safety equipment and process standards in Chapter 797 affecting compounded sterile preparations. The content below is provided by the AAD and can be accessed on the AAD website here.

On July 27, the United States Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) published its second set of proposed revisions to its General Chapter <797> Pharmaceutical Compounding – Sterile Preparations. Chapter 797 sets forth standards for compounding sterile preparations, including performing manipulations inside a certified ISO 5 area, conducting routine environmental monitoring, and conducting personnel sampling (including glove fingertip sampling). This chapter affects CSPs in dermatology, such as buffered lidocaine (lidocaine with or without epinephrine mixed with sodium bicarbonate), reconstituted botulinum toxins (bacteriostatic saline instead of normal saline), and diluted triamcinolone acetonide.

In its proposed revisions, the USP proposes a one-hour time exemption from the chapter’s standards for in-office preparations, starting with preparation and ending with administration of the CSP. While this is an improvement from the current standards that have no exemptions applicable to dermatology, limiting the exemption to one hour is insufficient. The one-hour exemption would not cover buffering lidocaine at the beginning of the workday to be used throughout the day or ahead of a surgery that lasts longer than an hour. Without a longer exemption, patient access to buffered lidocaine, reconstituted botulinum toxins and diluted triamcinolone acetonide will be impeded.

As dermatologists, our utmost concerns are quality patient care and patient safety. To treat their skin cancers and numerous skin diseases, patients require access to medications prepared and administered in the clinical setting. A longer exemption is needed for buffering lidocaine, which is a common practice in dermatology. Sodium bicarbonate is added to lidocaine with epinephrine using aseptic technique to neutralize the pH of the preparation from approximately 4 to approximately 7.4 in a process called “buffering” to decrease the pain of the injection and increase the onset of the local anesthesia. Having buffered lidocaine syringes prepared in advance of patient visits at the beginning of the day is critical for uninterrupted patient access. Peer-reviewed scientific studies support this practice. We are concerned that physicians would need to step away from caring for patients to buffer lidocaine or comply with the chapter’s standards, which are unreasonably burdensome for a low-risk preparation created by mixing two FDA-approved drugs. For all these reasons, we respectfully request that the USP increase the time-based exemption proposed to at least 12 hours to accommodate the preparation of compounded sterile preparations at the beginning of the day.

If you have any questions about USP’s proposed revisions to General Chapter <797> Pharmaceutical Compounding – Sterile Preparations, please contact Natasha Pattanshetti, Manager, Regulatory Policy at npattanshetti@aad.org.


President's Messages

The President's Message is sent monthly via email to ACMS members.

Member Research Surveys

From its inception, an essential role of the Mohs College has been to help fellowship trainees become the best Mohs surgeons possible through rigorous fellowship training programs, and in the process advance knowledge in the specialty. Supporting the research they undertake during their fellowships is an important part of their education and development. To support this, open surveys linked to research studies conducted by residents, fellows-in-training and College members are distributed in a monthly email to members. These surveys have been reviewed and approved for distribution by the Executive Committee of the ACMS Board of Directors.

The Cutting Edge

The Cutting Edge provides important ACMS news alongside the latest updates relevant Mohs surgeons. Delivered biweekly via email, this news brief includes scannable summaries of more detailed content available on the ACMS website and elsewhere.  

View current and past issues here

Please note that The Cutting Edge is sent as an email from acms@multibriefs.com. Please add this domain to your safe senders list to ensure delivery.

Fellow-in-Training Perspectives

Each year's Fellow-in-Training Board Observer also serves as a member of the ACMS Newsletter Committee, in order to participate in discussion of, and provide valuable perspective on, College activities and news for other fellows-in-training.

Read the recent columns written for the newsletter here.

Member Highlights

The ACMS is proud to underscore the high caliber of its members by featuring their professional and scientific achievements, including publications, presentations, awards and other recognition. To help us share your achievement, complete the submission form below with as much information as possible. You may also upload any relevant or supporting documents.

  • Publications: Include journal title, publication date, title of your entry, any co-authors, etc.
  • Presentations: Include presentation title, date, conference/workshop name, venue, city, state, any co-presenters, etc.
  • Awards: Include name of entity bestowing award, what you were awarded/honored for, any relevant award criteria, when and where award was given (date, venue, city, state), etc.
  • If applicable, include web links that provide context or contain more information about your achievement.
  • Include a headshot to accompany the news item online.
  • Please spell out any acronyms or other terminology that may be unfamiliar to readers.

Feel free to contact the ACMS Office at info@mohscollege.org or (414) 347-1103 with any questions.