The UNMC Department of Dermatology has created the state’s first pediatric dermatology fellowship. The program, directed by Nicole Harter, MD, will admit its first fellow in 2026.
Dr. Harter, who came to UNMC and Children’s Nebraska in 2021 to develop the pediatric dermatology division, is a double board-certified dermatologist and pediatric dermatologist. Most recently, she worked at Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles.
“Aside from patient care, a huge aspect of what we do at UNMC and Children’s Nebraska is the educational mission,” Dr. Harter said. “A goal as part of that educational mission has been to launch a pediatric dermatology fellowship program in an effort to train the next generation of pediatric dermatologists.”
Dr. Harter herself fell in love with the subspecialty at a time when she was considering entering pediatrics or obstetrics and gynecology.
“I didn’t know pediatric dermatology existed until about the end of my third year of medical school,” she said. When she entered her dermatology elective, in fact, she remembers thinking it was not a specialty she would choose.
“There happened to be a pediatric dermatologist on faculty at my medical school, and I spent a day in clinic with her. I said, ‘Oh my gosh. I didn’t know this was a thing. This is my thing. This is what I want to do.’”
Dr. Harter, who has trained pediatric dermatology fellows in the past, said when the program goes live, UNMC will be one of only 37 ACGME-approved pediatric dermatology fellowships across the country.
“The pediatric dermatology subspecialty as a workforce has struggled with not having enough providers,” she said. “As of July 1, 2025, there are 476 board certified pediatric dermatologists between the United States and Canada, most concentrated in certain geographic locations, commonly along the coasts.”
The dermatology department’s goal is to create an environment that allows its residents to explore the subspecialty and provide the opportunity for training.
“The training opportunity will be open to other programs in the Midwest, so we’re essentially creating a catchment area,” Dr. Harter said. “People will know that we’re offering this in Nebraska, and that they can come and train here in the subspecialty.”
As the program begins preparing to interview for its first fellow in 2026, Dr. Harter is excited to share the intricacies of, and her enthusiasm for, the subspecialty.
“We are a procedural-focused subspecialty,” she said. “We do a lot of biopsies, excisions, lasers and other procedures in the office, and it is highly subspecialized and cerebral. There are a lot of diagnoses that overlap from the adult world, but many are nuanced to pediatric dermatology, including some of the more uncommon, such as genetic conditions, vascular birthmarks, immunodeficiency concerns, rheumatologic diseases. Many of these pediatric conditions overlap with adult dermatology, and some are very unique, and sometimes you – as a pediatric dermatologist – are the one to identify in the skin a problem that is a manifestation that is a clue to a much bigger picture.
“And even if it is ‘just’ a skin manifestation, you can help empower these patients and families from a young age. Many of these skin conditions will get better ‘someday.’ That doesn’t mean you have to suffer until then. We create longitudinal relationships with patients and families, and often we have good, effective therapies that can improve quality of life. The impact of working with children and teens can be rewarding. Sometimes you are taking care of a newborn until 18 or 21 years of age.”
Dr. Harter is excited to welcome the first fellow next year.
“I love all trainees – medical students, residents, fellows. But the fellow relationship may be the most fun, because it is like a colleague relationship. There’s mentorship, teaching and education, but these are board-certified providers. They choose to come for this training. So, it’s an exciting way to collaborate and expose them to pediatric dermatology, which – and I’m biased – is the best part of our specialty.”
Congratulations to Dr. Harter and the Department of Dermatology! Exciting news.
We love Dr. Harter and are so lucky to get to work with her at Children’s. This fellowship is such a boon for Nebraska and the students who will get to work with her!
As an NP student that spent two semesters at Children’s Dermatology – this is huge! Dr. Harter and her team are so knowledgeable and their future fellows will be so lucky to learn from her.