The UNMC Department of Dermatology has started a new Mohs Surgery and Dermatologic Oncology Fellowship and welcomed the first Mohs fellow this summer.
The fellowship continues the strategic growth of UNMC’s dermatology department and clinical programs, building skills in the highly specialized Mohs surgery for skin cancer, said Adam Sutton, MD, an associate professor in the department, director of the new one-year fellowship and division chief of Mohs and dermatologic surgery with the department.
Hannah Porter, MD, a board-certified dermatologist, started her fellowship on July 1. She went to medical school at the University of Pittsburgh, completed a dermatology residency with University of Vermont Medical Center School of Medicine and completed a cutaneous oncology research and clinical fellowship with Oregon Health & Science University.
“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Hannah Porter as the inaugural fellow in our Mohs Surgery and Dermatologic Oncology Fellowship,” Dr. Sutton said. “Her dedication to patient care, curiosity and collaborative spirit make her a wonderful addition to our team.”
Dr. Sutton also credited Vanessa Voss, MD, as a key leader in the fellowship. Dr. Voss is an assistant professor in the UNMC Department of Dermatology, assistant program director of the fellowship and director of the High Risk & Post-Transplant Skin Cancer Clinic.
In establishing the fellowship, department leaders went through the rigorous process to gain accreditation for the fellowship through the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and American College of Mohs Surgery. The fellowship received more than 100 applications for the single fellowship position.
Mohs surgery is a precise technique used to remove skin cancer with the highest possible cure rate. It is most often used for skin cancers on the head, neck, hands and feet, where preserving healthy tissue is important.
The department’s website describes Mohs micrographic surgery as the most effective treatment for the two most common types of skin cancer — basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. It also can be used for some melanomas and other rare skin cancers.
The surgical procedure is done in stages – in a clinic and under local anesthesia – allowing for preservation of as much normal tissue as possible with 97 to 99% cure rates, according to the department.
Dr. Sutton said the department has a vision to not only grow the availability of dermatologists in Nebraska and surrounding states, but also to build a comprehensive skin cancer program and train future leaders in the field of dermatology and cutaneous oncology.
So the new Mohs fellowship, Dr. Sutton said, is an exciting step.