Omaha-based University of Nebraska Medical Center's College of Medicine is launching its second new department in a year, this time establishing a department of dermatology to help address a statewide shortage.
The state has the worst ratio of dermatologists to residents, at one for every 52,000 people. The recommended level is one dermatologist for every 20,000 to 30,000 people, according to UNMC. Considering Nebraska is a farming state, dermatologists are in particularly high demand, according to UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey Gold, MD. Farmers spend prolonged periods of time in the sun and are exposed to pesticides that can increase chances of melanoma, he said.
"Addition of a department of dermatology also will contribute to the breadth of educational, research and clinical expertise in the prevention and treatment of skin diseases offered through UNMC and Nebraska Medicine," Dr. Gold added in a statement.
The department has been approved by the UNMC Board of Regents. The next step is to recruit a department chair and faculty with a subspecialty focus in dermatology, according to Bradley Britigan, MD, dean of the UNMC College of Medicine. He also said in a statement the department will move quickly to establish a dermatology residency training program, and ultimately to establish a subspecialty fellowship program.
Last June, the medical center added a department of physical medicine and rehabilitation.
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