by: Liza Mae P. Lagaret M.D., Resident, Davao Medical Center

The Department of Dermatology of the Davao Medical Center (DMC) hosted on November 10, 2009 at the Wack Wack Country Club in Mandaluyong the monthly Continuing Medical Education (CME) activity which highlighted interesting pediatric cases.

In the forum entitled “Colors, Shapes, and Patterns,” four interesting pediatric cases were discussed: Epidermal Nevus Syndrome (Proteus Syndrome Subtype), Giant Congenital Melanocytic Nevus (GCMN) with Neurocutaneous Melanosis, Tuberous Sclerosis, and Cutis Marmorata Telangiectasia Congenita (CMTC).  These were presented by the DMC resident physicians  Drs. Kristine Aina V. Robillo, Liza Mae P. Lagaret, Hope Valerie S. Solano and Christine A. Calolot, respectively.

Distinguished panelists were present as reactors.  Dr. Maria Lourdes H. Palmero, a fellow of the Philippine Dermatological Society and the Society for Pediatric Dermatology, gave a thorough discussion on Epidermal Nevus Syndrome.  Dr. Angela Katrina Medina-Esguerra, a reviewer of the Pediatric Dermatology Journal (USA) and an active consultant in Internal Medicine-Dermatology at Medical Center Manila and St. Luke’s Medical Center, reviewed the current updates of GCMN.  Dr. Maria Victoria C.  Dizon, who pursued her fellowship in Pediatric Dermatology at Children’s Memorial Hospital of Northwestern University Medical School of Chicago, USA and is currently a fellow of the Philippine Dermatological Society, shared informative facts with the participants.  Lastly,  Dr. Marie Eleanore O. Nicolas, an active consultant of the Asian Hospital and Medical Center and a clinical associate professor at the UP-PGH Section of Dermatology who heads its Immunodermatology and Pediatric Dermatology, clarified and discussed points on capillary malformations in association with CMTC.

The CME activity ended fruitfully with valuable and enriching information  shared with the attendees.

Surgical Techniques and Procedural Dermatology
by: Elieza Marie A. Dela Cerna, MD

The Makati Medical Center (MMC) Department of Dermatology is on the go to provide a marathon of learning, focusing on the latest developments and techniques in dermatologic surgery and procedural dermatology. This was realized with two consecutive days of a comprehensive look into the practice of dermatology, an activity that also offered Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits to the participants.

The MMC Department of Dermatology, together with the PDS Dermsurg Subspecialty Group, sponsored the CME activity on October 7, 2009 at the Ledesma Hall of the Makati Medical Center. Entitled “Surgical Techniques: Putting the Pieces Together,” the first day of the program was marked by the 8th Manuel C. Fernandez Memorial Lecture.  The talk was delivered by Dr. Annette M. Wagner of  Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois, a renowned pediatric dermatologist specializing in Laser Surgery.

Dr. Wagner’s extensive discussion on Pediatric Dermatologic Surgery and her lecture dubbed “Laser: Techniques for Tots” fostered new learning and highlighted tips for day-to-day clinical practice. Her presentation was followed by other informative lectures by Drs.  Claudine Javier, Giselle Lazaro, Stephen Lacson and Gio Dimayuga on the basics of Punch Grafting, Subcision with and without Fillers,  Surgiwire, and Stem Cell Therapy, given respectively.  Reactors for the lectures were distinguished experts in dermatologic surgery, namely, Dr. Manuel O. Fernandez, Jr.  and Dr. Cynthia Ciriaco-Tan.

On the second day of the gathering, MMC presented its 6^th Postgraduate course entitled “On the Go: Procedural Dermatology.”  The main speaker for the event was again Dr. Annette M. Wagner, who gave a recap of her lectures the previous day. She spoke on Hemangioma and Practical Laser Pearls in children. She shared her experiences on difficult cases and how she treated them.

Furthermore, outstanding lecturers from Makati Medical Center that included Drs. Vermen Verallo-Rowell,  Elsie P. Floreza, Jasmin J. Jamora, Patricia T. Tinio and Krisinda Dim-Jamora also imparted their knowledge and expertise.  MMC residents later presented four pediatric dermatology cases, to which Dr. Wagner reacted. This was followed by a live demonstration and interactive workshop conducted by Dr. Wagner, which then capped the afternoon session.

On behalf of the PDS Board, I would like to wish everyone KUNG HEI FAT CHOI. According to the Chinese Zodiac, the Year 2010 is the Year of the Golden Tiger. Being one of the fearless creatures on earth, the tiger is a sign of courage.

Just like the tiger, the PDS will be a fiery fighter in promoting our Skin Safety Campaign. During the past two years (2008-2009), we have been making the public aware through quadmedia that the PDS is the only specialty society for dermatology recognized by both PMA and PCP.  To this end, we have made some headway in alerting the public of our existence.  But this is not enough! It is time that the public also recognize that there are eleven PDS training institutions in dermatology that produce skilled and competent dermatologists.  Dr. Loverne Suratos, through her unrelenting efforts as Chair of the Public Relations and External Affairs Committee,  has tapped generous companies like Unilever and Johnson and Johnson who are willing to support the PDS Skin Safety Campaign. Our all-out Skin Safety Campaign for this year will include the following:

1.         Organize a pool of spokespersons, one representative from each PDS training institution/chapter, to participate in radio and television interviews to primarily speak about our Skin Safety Campaign and secondly, also discuss a subtopic relating to dermatology. The spokespersons from the eleven training institutions/chapters will be decked on a rotational basis in ten (estimated) radio stations nationwide and in health talk shows such as Salamat Dok or Umagang Kay Ganda.   To enhance the spokesperson’s skill in doing interviews, Chito Macapagal – Vice President for Corporate Affairs in Unilever – agreed to hold a personalized training/workshop with “tips”  included for the pool of spokespersons from the eleven training institutions/chapters.

2.         The PDS will continue to write articles for newspapers and magazines on various dermatologic topics to promote our Skin Safety Campaign.

3.         Last year, PDS leaflets regarding skin, hair and nail care were distributed nationwide to high school students by Unilever, as shown in the table below:

Area                             Number of Schools                    Students

Luzon                            519                                                 850,807

Visayas                         313                                                426,466

Mindanao                    135                                                265,753

This nationwide distribution of PDS leaflets to high school students will still be continued this year.

4.         Also last year, the PDS had a Skin Safety Campaign billboard along Sucat during the whole month of December 2009.  This year, pending Board approval, the PDS Skin Safety Campaign billboard will be located along EDSA for greater exposure to the public.

5.         Car stickers bearing the tagline “PDS for Skin Safety” also awaits Board approval. This is an excellent method of making our message get through to the public since it reinforces the same theme we had been propagating in our quadmedia advertisements (newspaper and magazine articles, radio and television interviews and commercials, PDS billboard, PDS website).

Let us continue to be aggressive and persevering in promoting our Skin Safety Campaign. Let us not be content with the mileage we have gained from the past two years of quadmedia advertisements.  For the diagnosis and treatment of skin, hair and nail diseases or just simply care of

the skin, hair and nails, a PDS dermatologist should be the “first line” choice of patients. After all, aren’t we the experts in dermatology whose ultimate goal is the attainment of healthy skin for all?

GEORGINA C. PASTORFIDE
President