Welcome From the Program Director
Welcome to the UMass Chan Medical School Pediatric Dermatology Fellowship Program website! Here you will find information about our current fellow, faculty members, educational program, and details on the application process.
We have had a pediatric dermatology fellowship at UMass since 2003. In July 2022, we received ACGME approval, as fellowships have been transitioning from ABD-certified to ACGME-certified. We take one fellow per year. We pride ourselves in a collegial environment, devoted faculty, excellent balance of supervision and independence and a focus on life/work balance and integration. I am excited to share with you what makes UMass Dermatology special!
Fellows participate in busy general pediatric dermatology clinics at the Hahnemann campus and inpatient consultations in the Children’s Medical Center, NICU, Newborn Nursery, Pediatric Laser, and Pediatric Surgical Clinics. There are unique opportunities to learn from twice monthly Epidermolysis Bullosa clinics, Genodermatoses clinics six times per year, and a monthly Pediatric Rheum/Derm clinic. There are 5 supervised clinics (2 general, 1 surgical, 1 laser, 1 EB/rheum) and 2 independent clinics per week for a total of 7 scheduled clinics per week. There are specialty clinics in vitiligo, hidradenitis suppurativa, psoriasis, and contact dermatitis that are not part of the regular curriculum but can be added for those interested because of our flexible curriculum. There is ample opportunity to spend time in the NICU, and with other providers like geneticists, allergists, and on elective. There is no formal call requirement, but fellows are expected to assist with pediatric consultations for their own education and for patient care.
Our staff includes two board certified pediatric dermatologists (Leah Belazarian, MD and Diana Bartenstein Reusch, MD), a Mohs surgeon (Dori Goldberg, MD) and is part of the UMass Chan Dermatology Department and the Children’s Medical Center. We have frequent interactions with other members of the Dermatology Department to supplement other areas of interest.
Outside of the clinic, fellows have access to all departmental conferences including weekly pediatric dermatology sessions and journal clubs. Within our division of pediatric dermatology, we also have a weekly meeting with the fellow to review cases and current peds derm literature. There is every other month interdisciplinary Vascular Anomalies Team conference. Fellows help teach pediatric residents, dermatology residents and medical students in clinics and in didactic sessions. Self-designed research and quality improvement projects by our fellows provide opportunities for developing passions. There is also an opportunity for fellows to become involved in clinical trials if they are interested.
At UMass Dermatology, we serve the people of Worcester and surrounding Central Massachusetts. Our patients are diverse in every aspect (20% of the Worcester population was born outside the United States) and we care for those from every background. For many of our specialty clinics, patients come from around the region and the globe. As a trusted local institution known for world-class healthcare, we are a proud part of the community, and outside our clinic walls provide service/volunteerism through local free clinics, Teddy Bear clinics, AAD Camp Discovery Connecticut, and more.
Our department’s collegiality and longstanding history of a highly supportive culture makes UMass a wonderful place to work. We are incredibly proud of our current fellows and graduates and look to continue to train the next generation of world-class pediatric dermatologists who will dedicate themselves to making positive impacts on the field and their communities.
Leah Belazarian, MD
Fellowship Director