Todd Schlesinger, MD < Back Todd Schlesinger, MD Faculty Dr. Todd Schlesinger is a board-certified dermatologist and Mohs surgeon. Dr. Schlesinger is committed to providing the highest quality professional skin care in a warm, friendly, and compassionate environment. His formal educational training includes: University at Buffalo (Buffalo, NY) – BA, Economics University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (Buffalo, NY) – Doctor of Medicine Cleveland Clinic Foundation (Cleveland, OH) – Internal Medicine Internship Cleveland Clinic Foundation (Cleveland, OH) – Dermatology Residency His areas of interest include research and treatment of inflammatory dermatoses, cutaneous oncology, and cosmetic dermatology. He is the author of over 100 peer-reviewed publications, multiple book chapters, and numerous presentations and posters at national and international conferences. Dr. Schlesinger is a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), and a member of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS), the American Society for Mohs Surgery (ASMS), and the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery (ASLMS). He serves on the editorial advisory board for the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology (JCAD) and the digital editorial board for Cutis, a peer-reviewed clinical journal for dermatologists, allergists, and general practitioners. He is the past president of the South Carolina Medical Association (SCMA), the South Carolina Academy of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery (SCADDS), and the immediate past editor-in-chief of the AAD’s ongoing member Continuing Medical Education (CME) program “Dialogues in Dermatology.” He is currently serving as a member of the AAD Board of Directors, is one of three scientific directors at the Facial Aesthetic Conference and Exhibition (F.A.C.E.) in London, and serves on the LiVDerm Board of Advisors. In his free time, Dr. Schlesinger enjoys traveling, hiking, cycling, and time spent with family and friends. PS Home

Loren Clarke, MD Loren Clarke, MD Faculty Loren Clarke, M.D., is the Chief Medical Officer at DermTech, LLC, where he leads the company’s clinical and scientific efforts in implementing advanced molecular diagnostics for skin cancer. Dr. Clarke has been at the forefront of the company’s mission to revolutionize dermatological care through non-invasive genomic testing. A board-certified Pathologist and Dermatopathologist, Dr. Clarke brings extensive experience in clinical dermatopathology and molecular diagnostics. Prior to DermTech, he served as faculty at Penn State University’s Hershey Medical Center and contributed to the development of novel molecular diagnostics for melanoma at Myriad Genetics. Dr. Clarke has contributed significantly to the medical and scientific literature, authoring or co-authoring over 60 peer-reviewed publications, as well as numerous book chapters and a textbook on Dermatopathology. PS Winter Home

Hone PA+NP Symposium Faculty Hone Home Faculty Clay Cockerell, MD, MBA, JD Symposium Managing Director Read More Aaron Farberg, MD Faculty Read More

Joan Guitart, MD < Back Joan Guitart, MD Faculty Focus of Work Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, Dermatopathology, Skin cancer prevention and detection Education MD: Autonomous University of Barcelona (1983) Postgraduate Training Resident: Univ. of Illinois Hospital, Pathology (1988) Fellow: Cleveland Clinic, (1989) Intern: Cleveland Clinic, Internal Medicine (1990) Resident: Cleveland Clinic, (1990) Certifications Board Certification: Anatomic Pathology & Clinical Pathology, American Board of Pathology Board Certification: Dermatopathology, American Board of Pathology Board Certification: Dermatology, American Board of Dermatology PS Home

Clay Cockerell, MD, MBA, JD < Back Clay Cockerell, MD, MBA, JD Symposium Managing Director Cockerell Dermatopathology , Founder & President Health Education Services sponsored by Lake Granbury Medical Center, Program Director, Residency Program Dermpath On Demand , Co-Founder & Educational Director Dr. Clay J. Cockerell is a world-renowned specialist in treating and diagnosing skin disorders and has diagnosed over three million biopsies. An internationally recognized pioneer in his field and double board-certified in dermatology and dermatopathology, Dr. Cockerell has been practicing medicine since 1986. He is currently the Founder & President of Cockerell Dermatopathology and the Program Director of the Health Education Services dermatology residency program sponsored by the Lake Granbury Medical Center. Also, Dr. Cockerell sees patients a few days per month to assist with resident training and to keep his clinicopathological skills sharp. Dr. Cockerell has held numerous leadership positions within several highly regarded medical associations. Most notably, he served as the President, Secretary & Treasurer and a member of the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Dermatology, President of the Texas Dermatological Society, and President of the Dallas Dermatological Society. Also, Dr. Cockerell holds leadership roles as Founder and President of Cockerell Dermatopathology and a former AmeriPath Board of Directors member. Dr. Cockerell and his wife, Brenda, had a lifelong dream of producing wine and, in 2005, purchased a vineyard in Calistoga, California. They now produce wine under the Coquerel Family Wine Estates label. Dr. Cockerel and Brenda have two children, Charles and Lillian, and they have been married for forty-six years. In addition, Dr. Cockerell and Brenda enjoy traveling, golf, and winter sports. PS Home

Melissa Costner, MD < Back Melissa Costner, MD Faculty A Texas native, Dr. Melissa Costner began her journey as a Dermatologist at UT Southwestern Medical Center, where she completed her training as a resident in dermatology, and where she developed an early and enduring interest in the skin manifestations of autoimmune disease. Under the tutelage of Dr. Richard Sontheimer, an icon of dermatology, she honed the special skills needed to take effective care of patients with conditions such as lupus dermatomyositis and scleroderma. After graduation from her residency, Dr. Costner joined the faculty at UT Southwestern in 1997 and quickly established a reputation as a specialist in the skin manifestations of rheumatic diseases. She went on to write book chapters, contributed to research, published new findings, and participated in the development of clinical guidelines for dermatologic manifestations of rheumatologist disease. She is one of the founding members of the Rheumatologic Dermatology Society. In 2007, Dr. Costner further expanded the scope of her influence on the Dallas community by entering private practice, developing collaborative care pathways with the DFW metroplex physicians for the care of patients with autoimmune diseases, including psoriasis and eczema. Dr. Costner also supports a number of general and specialty physicians with her expertise in skin manifestations of several other general and specialty diseases. PS Home

Kelly Carter Nelson, MD < Back Kelly Carter Nelson, MD Faculty Professor of Dermatology, MD Anderson Cancer Center Dr. Nelson serves as the associate medical director for the multidisciplinary Melanoma and Skin Clinic. Dr. Nelson earned her medical degree and completed dermatology residency training at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill, and is board-certified by the American Board of Dermatology. Dr. Nelson’s clinical practice focuses on the care of high-risk cutaneous oncology patients, and her funded research leverages educational theory, implementation science, and geospatial modeling approaches to support melanoma secondary prevention for the state of Texas. Also, she is a passionate teacher and has developed an evidence-based interactive web-based curriculum to teach dermoscopy to dermatology residents (DERM:Early Melanoma Detection), which reaches over 400 dermatology residents a year. PS Home

Business 201 Faculty < Back Jennifer LeLash Sales Associate A fourth-generation Dallasite, Jennifer LeLash integrates her extensive experience in advertising and brand marketing into her real-estate practice. Jennifer enjoyed immediate success in Dallas’ luxury real-estate market and quickly grew her business when her husband, Chris LeLash, joined her. She earned D Magazine Top Residential Real Estate Producer honors for 2016 and 2017 and has sold and listed properties valued up to $12 million in the Park Cities, Preston Hollow, Devonshire, North Dallas and Plano. Jennifer spent her early career as a photo art director and celebrity wardrobe stylist in Los Angeles, New York and Miami. Her work on location in historically famous residences — Casa del Herrero in Montecito, the Kaufmann House in Palm Springs and Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin in Wisconsin — furthered her love of architecture and design. Those experiences combined with her innate creativity allows her to understand her clients’ unique lifestyle perspectives in marketing their properties and finding their perfect next homes. Jennifer enjoys traveling and spending time in Colorado and Florida with her husband and business partner Chris, their son and the family’s beloved Goldendoodle. They are active members within the Parish Episcopal School community and volunteer their time to many charitable efforts close to their hearts, including their time to many charitable efforts close to their hearts, including the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Cattle Baron’s Ball, Wipe Out Kids' Cancer and many others. https://www.briggsfreeman.com/ Business201 Home

Mark Kaufmann, MD < Back Mark Kaufmann, MD Faculty Mark Kaufmann, MD, is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, a position he has held since 1995. He was in solo private practice for 23 years until he joined The Dermatology Group in November 2017. In September 2020, he joined Advanced Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery as their Chief Medical Officer. He received his medical degree from New York University School of Medicine, completing residency training in dermatology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, New York. He is board certified in dermatology. Dr. Kaufmann is currently the Immediate-Past President of the American Academy of Dermatology. He has served on the AAD Board of Directors, as well as countless AAD committees, and has chaired many of them as well. He also serves as an advisor to the Academy RUC team (Relative Value Scale Update Committee) - a position he has held for over a decade. Dr. Kaufmann’s contributions to the American Academy of Dermatology have been recognized by his receiving a Presidential Citation in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2020, and 2022. With many articles published on the topic of health information technology, Dr. Kaufmann is a frequent national lecturer, including the annual meetings of the American Academy of Dermatology, and other societies, and grand rounds. PS Home

The skin biopsy is one of the most commonly performed procedures in dermatology.Performing Skin Biopsies: Maximizing Accuracy; Minimizing Risk < Back Performing Skin Biopsies: Maximizing Accuracy; Minimizing Risk Clay Cockerell, MD, JD, MBA | Kaseleigh McCarley, CMA Feb 10, 2023 The skin biopsy is one of the most commonly performed procedures in dermatology. Skin samples are usually taken for routine microscopy, and immunofluorescence microscopy is generally required when the possibility of an immunologic disorder exists. Rarely, electron microscopy may be performed when unusual diseases of connective tissue or unusual neoplasms are evaluated. This article will cover the four biopsy techniques that are most commonly employed: shave, punch, incision, and excision. Other specimens lend themselves to enucleation, such as cysts and benign neoplasms situated in the subcutis. Although the actual technique of skin biopsy is relatively straightforward, there are a number of important principles that must be adhered to in order to avoid potential problems, some of which may be serious. Although the vast majority of dermatologic disorders are not life-threatening, there are many pitfalls that may bedevil the unsuspecting clinician who is not aware of them. Standards & Principles Provide complete, accurate information to the dermatopathologist. A biopsy specimen submitted without appropriate clinical information may yield equivocal, confusing and often, useless results. Dermatology is a specialty that requires clinicopathologic correlation to be practiced well. Inability to correlate clinical findings with histologic ones very commonly leads to misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment, often with harm to the patient. It is essential that those performing skin biopsies know the fundamental lesions of cutaneous pathology and how to describe them accurately and skillfully. Furthermore, the clinician must have an understanding of the disease process in question. Skin disorders are not static but are dynamic processes, and a knowledge of the disease progression and chronology is essential. For example, a biopsy taken from a lesion just in its inception or, conversely, at its end, is likely to appear completely different than those that are fully developed. The most characteristic, typical skin lesion of a given process should be sampled in a fashion that provides an intact and representative specimen to the dermatopathologist. Submit specimens only to those competent in the interpretation of cutaneous pathology. Dermatopathology is a complex specialty with morphology and terminology as fundamental elements. Those fully trained in dermatopathology have spent one or more years in specialty training focusing on the subtleties of dermatology and cutaneous pathology. Those who practice this on a daily basis are highly qualified and usually better able to able to make accurate diagnoses of skin disorders from skin biopsies. It cannot be emphasized too strongly that clinicopathologic correlation forms the cornerstone of the practice of dermatology even when dealing with seemingly banal processes such as basal cell carcinoma and nevi. It obviously assumes even more importance when the patient presents with an unusual inflammatory skin disorder or a pigmented lesion such as a possible melanoma. If no description can be made or a differential diagnosis cannot be rendered, it may be best to refer the patient for a second opinion. Incorrectly performed biopsies such as those performed using faulty technique or sampling a non-representative lesion may lead to an erroneous histologic diagnosis. For example, a superficial shave biopsy of discoid lupus erythematosus may be misinterpreted as squamous cell carcinoma with disastrous results. Conversely, a punch biopsy of malignant melanoma may fail to sample a diagnostic area resulting in failure to diagnose a serious, potentially lethal malignancy. Inflammatory skin disorders should not be biopsied using the shave technique but by punch or incision. Inflammatory dermatoses are evaluated on the basis of the pattern of the inflammation in the specimen so that evaluation of the superficial, as well as the depth of the skin, needs assessment. Superficial specimens do not permit such evaluation and are therefore prone to misinterpretation. Punch and incision specimens should extend into the subcutaneous fat. Panniculitides and alopecias, which are generally more complicated disorders, should be referred to experts in virtually all cases and must be sampled by either broad, deep punch technique or deep incision. Pigmented lesions suspicious of being melanoma should be sampled by excision whenever possible. Superficial shave and punch specimens of pigmented lesions are fraught with difficulty and are prone to medicolegal liability. Therefore, when dealing with lesions such as this, it is essential that appropriate specimens be taken. Punches are not recommended unless all of the lesion can be excised with the punch or the lesion is of such a size that complete primary excision is not feasible. In the latter case, either an incisional biopsy including the area of greatest concern or a broad punch biopsy can be performed. In any biopsy of a pigmented lesion, it is essential that the specimen that is taken be representative of the entire neoplasm in question. Ulcers should be biopsied in a way that samples the ulcerated area as well as an edge. Ulcers may develop due to many different pathologic processes in the skin ranging from neoplasms to vascular diseases. The border of the ulcer usually represents the most active portion of the process and thus, may have histologic features that differ significantly from what may be seen in the center, which may be only granulation tissue. Accurate diagnosis of ulcers is often difficult, so ancillary procedures such as cultures and immunoperoxidase stains may be required. Either broad, deep punch or incisional biopsy is required. A bulla should be biopsied so as to include a portion of the blister as well as the skin just adjacent to its edge. Vesicles, which are tiny blisters in the skin, can often be completely punched out, which is the preferable method, although bullae cannot be sampled as such because of their larger size. Punches taken through the center of a larger blister will cause the epidermis to shear away and possibly be lost. As the epidermis is often an important element in the accurate diagnosis of blistering diseases, it is essential that the specimen be taken to preserve it. Immunofluorescence studies are to be performed; it is important that the differential diagnosis is known and that the specimen be taken in an appropriate manner as certain blistering diseases should be sampled away from the blister, while others, such as pemphigus, are best sampled from the blister edge. If an infectious process is suspected, send part of the biopsy for culture and inform the dermatopathologist so that appropriate special stains will be performed. All annular and expanding lesions should be sampled from the leading edge. As the central portion of annular lesions often shows no pathologic changes, it is essential that all such lesions be sampled from the active margin. Reserve shave biopsies for pedunculated or sessile lesions. The shave is generally a technique used to sample a specimen either for confirmation such as clinically obvious nevi or keratoses or for cosmesis such as removal of acrochordons or warts. It generally does not sample the dermis, so inflammatory processes, and deeply seated neoplastic disorders may be missed when sampled in this fashion. Furthermore, many serious neoplastic disorders may have seemingly innocuous appearances, so over-reliance on this technique puts the clinician at increased risk of failure to diagnose a serious process. Punch biopsies smaller than 3 mm often do not provide enough material to make a diagnosis. Inflammatory skin disorders are almost always widespread so that the punch biopsy, even when broad, represents only a small portion of the entire process. Punches smaller than 3mm in diameter often do not contain diagnostic findings. It is often helpful if several biopsies taken from lesions at different stages of evolution and from different body sites are submitted. Suppose the dermatopathologist reports that no pathologic changes were found, and you are certain that pathologic changes were present in the biopsy specimen, ask that deeper sections be cut. In some cases, the lesion may have been small so that the initial sections into the block may not have sampled diagnostic areas. Most malpractice claims in dermatology are due to failure to diagnose. Poorly performed biopsies, specimens submitted with insufficient or misleading clinical information, and histologic interpretation by those without expertise in dermatopathology are the prime sources of medicolegal liability. It is essential that those performing dermatology be familiar with the standards of care in their communities and practice appropriately. Maintain a low threshold for the performance of skin biopsies in immunosuppressed patients when appropriate. Skin disorders may serve as signs of underlying serious infectious and neoplastic conditions and may have unusual and innocuous appearances. Skin biopsies may be the only way to establish a definitive diagnosis. Do not put specimens from multiple sites in one bottle. In some cases, malignant neoplasms may simulate benign conditions so that if multiple specimens are placed in one bottle and one is found to be malignant, the results may be disastrous. Ideally, there should be one specimen per bottle, each properly labeled with regard to the site from which the biopsy specimen was taken. Handle the tissue specimen with care. Make sure that once the biopsy specimen has been removed that it actually enters the formalin bottle. Shave specimens have a tendency to adhere to the scalpel or razor blade, while punch specimens can sometimes remain in the punch barrel. The formalin should be inspected to see that the specimen is floating in the formalin itself as if specimens adhere to the bottle, they may be crushed in the lid. The specimen should be placed in the formalin promptly to avoid dehydration and autolysis. Avoid spearing or crushing the specimen as crush artifact often renders histologic findings uninterpretable. Biopsy Techniques Shave Biopsy Equipment: Bandage Antibiotic ointment Specimen transport medium (formalin) Cautery Cotton tipped swabs No. 15 scalpel blade or surgical razor blade Gauze pads 3cc syringe with 30g needle containing 1% xylocaine with epinephrine Alcohol swabs Personal protective equipment (PPE) Technique: Obtain consent. Don PPE. Clean lesion and field with alcohol. Infiltrate anesthesia intradermally. Cut lesion at the base using a sawing motion. Place specimen in formalin bottle to be submitted for pathologic examination. Stop bleeding using Monsel’s solution or 20% aluminum chloride solution. Apply antibiotic ointment and bandage. Punch Biopsy Equipment: Personal protective equipment (PPE) Alcohol swabs Anesthesia Gauze pads Biopsy punch (3, 4, or 6 mm) Sharp pointed scissors Small toothed forceps Needle holder Monofilament nylon suture with a reverse cutting needle Specimen transport medium (formalin) Antibiotic ointment Bandage Technique: Obtain consent. Don PPE. Clean lesion and field with alcohol. Infiltrate anesthesia as above. Choose a punch that encompasses the desired lesion. With one hand, stretch skin perpendicular to natural skin tension (skin fold) lines. With the other hand, twist the punch to and fro between the fingers while slowly pushing it into the skin. Push to the hub, except in areas with little subcutaneous fat, such as the dorsal of the hands, eyelids, and external ears. Pull the punch straight out. Press the skin circumferentially around the wound site. The punch specimen should be expressed from the defect. If necessary, use a blunt instrument to remove it from the wound site. Avoid using toothed forceps as they can crush the specimen. Snip the specimen free with scissors at the base, taking care to include some fat in the lower portion of the specimen. Suture closed using a simple interrupted, horizontal mattress, or figure-of-eight stitches, in such a way as to align the incision line parallel to the skin tension lines. Apply pressure to obtain hemostasis. Dress with antibiotic ointment and a bandage. The patient is instructed to keep the area covered but clean it gently daily with water and apply antibiotic ointment before bandaging. Remove sutures at the next scheduled appointment. Excisional and Incisional Biopsy Equipment: Similar to that for punch biopsy plus a No. 15 scalpel blade on a handle. Once anesthesia is obtained, the procedure is performed under sterile conditions. Blunt-tipped undermining scissors are used instead of sharp-tipped scissors to loosen the tissue before closure. Technique: Obtain consent. Don PPE. Clean field with alcohol. Infiltrate with anesthesia as above. Apply betadine or similar preoperative scrub and don sterile gloves. Make an elliptical incision around the lesion into the superficial dermis. The ratio of length to width should be about 3: 1. If an incisional biopsy is to be performed, make an elliptical incision into the lesion itself, making certain that the most abnormal areas of the lesion are included in the specimen. Repeat incising perpendicular to the skin surface until the subcutaneous fat is seen at the base, and the ellipse sits like an island in the center of the wound. Lift one point of the ellipse with the forceps and carefully dissect the base of the specimen free with scissors, taking care to include some subcutaneous fat with the specimen. Venous oozing is usually controlled by applying gentle pressure. Small arterial bleeders may be ligated with an absorbable suture. Close the wound with simple interrupted nylon sutures or with horizontal or vertical mattress sutures. Gaping wounds will have a better cosmetic result if buried sutures are used to approximate the deeper layers with absorbable suture material such as Vicryl. This is followed by superficial interrupted or running sutures using Nylon. Apply antibiotic ointment and bandage. Dressing changes and suture removal as above. PAS Stain for Onychomycosis The performance of the potassium hydroxide preparation is considered fundamental in the diagnosis of dermatophyte infection. When dealing with onychomycosis, this is a somewhat more onerous procedure as the nail must be clipped to the proximal-most portion of involvement, and scrapings must be taken of the subungual debris. The material may need to be left on the slide for up to 20 minutes before examination, which may not be possible or practical. To expedite the diagnosis of fungal infections of the nail, a simple procedure can be done using the dermatopathology laboratory to confirm the presence of hyphae in the nail plate. This technique can be used because there are stains that allow the fungus to be identified in tissue. Equipment: Heavy-duty nail clippers Transport medium (formalin or clean Ziploc bag) Gauze pads Technique: Clean area with antiseptic solution or alcohol swab. Identify dystrophic nail plate. Gently slide the edge of the nail clipper under the dystrophic nail plate. Place gauze on the surface of the affected nail (prevents nail plate from flying across the room). Apply steady firm pressure with nail clippers until the nail plate is cut. Place the nail in a laboratory transport medium. Inform laboratory to perform PAS stain for fungus on the nail plate. ABOUT CLAY J. COCKERELL, MD, JD, MBA Dr. Clay J. Cockerell is a world-renowned specialist in treating and diagnosing skin disorders and has diagnosed over three million biopsies. An internationally recognized pioneer in his field and double board-certified in dermatology and dermatopathology, Dr. Cockerell has been practicing medicine since 1986. He is currently the Founder & President of Cockerell Dermatopathology and the Program Director of the Health Education Services dermatology residency program sponsored by the Lake Granbury Medical Center. Also, Dr. Cockerell sees patients a few days per month to assist with resident training and to keep his clinicopathological skills sharp. Dr. Cockerell has held numerous leadership positions within several highly regarded medical associations. Most notably, he served as the President, Secretary & Treasurer and a member of the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Dermatology, President of the Texas Dermatological Society, and President of the Dallas Dermatological Society. Also, Dr. Cockerell holds leadership roles as Founder and President of Cockerell Dermatopathology and a former AmeriPath Board of Directors member. Dr. Cockerell and his wife, Brenda, had a lifelong dream of producing wine and, in 2005, purchased a vineyard in Calistoga, California. They now produce wine under the Coquerel Family Wine Estates label. Dr. Cockerel and Brenda have two children, Charles and Lillian, and they have been married for forty-six years. In addition, Dr. Cockerell and Brenda enjoy traveling, golf, and winter sports. ABOUT COCKERELL DERMATOPATHOLOGY The Cockerell Dermatopathology story begins with Dr. Clay J. Cockerell's vision to establish a practice whose mission is to treat each specimen as if it came from one of own family members. Family! At Cockerell Dermatopathology, every employee is driven by a relentless pursuit of diagnostic excellence. We specialize in evaluating dermatologic disorders, tackling cases ranging from the routine to the most challenging. Our practice continuously invests in cutting-edge technologies to best serve each referring clinician and their patients. These innovations result in higher-quality diagnostic slides, quicker turnaround times for routine cases, and seamless deployment of EMR interfaces. From an educational perspective, Cockerell Dermatopathology is more than a dermatopathology practice. We host numerous in-person and internet-based education events and boast a state-of-the-art 14-headed microscope for dermatology resident training sessions. Our services extend beyond borders, serving hundreds of clinicians in Texas, throughout the United States, and globally. With a highly accessible team of board-certified dermatopathologists and a dedicated support staff, our vision is simple yet profound. Family, we treat every specimen as if it were from one of our own family members. Previous Next

Matthew Leavitt, DO Matthew Leavitt, DO Faculty Dr. Matt Leavitt is a board-certified dermatologist and the Chairman, Founder, and CEO of Advanced Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery (ADCS), the country's largest dermatology practice. He is also the Founder and Chairman of Ameriderm, a division that provides billing services for dermatology practices. Dr. Leavitt's vision led to the development of ADCS’s research division which has undertaken numerous studies for major pharmaceutical companies. Additionally, Dr. Leavitt founded Medical Hair Restoration (MHR), which he grew into a national practice for surgical hair transplantation that became the second-largest hair restoration practice in the country. Dr. Leavitt now holds the office of Executive Medical Advisor with Bosley, the largest hair restoration group in the world. Dr. Leavitt is the Chairman of the KCU-GME/ADCS Orlando Dermatology Residency Program. He has served as President of the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology (AOCD) and is a founding father of the American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery, where he served as its first vice president. Dr. Leavitt was also one of the founding members and is currently the president of the Hair Foundation. Dr. Leavitt is presently a Clinical Assistant Professor in Dermatology for the University of Central Florida and Kansas City University. Dr. Leavitt is a member of the advisory boards and a national speaker for Allergan. Formerly he was a member of the advisory boards of Merck and Pfizer (now Johnson & Johnson) and Photomedex, Abbvie, amongst others. Dr. Leavitt has served as a special consultant to Lexington International. Dr. Leavitt is recognized both nationally and internationally as an accomplished author, clinical researcher, surgeon, and lecturer on the subject of hair loss. He has received numerous grants and awards including the prestigious Golden Follicle, from the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgeons. Recently he was featured on the cover and lead article for The Dermatologist. Dr. Leavitt is a founder and 21-time chairman of the annual Live Surgery Workshop. Dr. Leavitt has authored numerous articles for dermatology, hair, and cosmetic journals and chapters in textbooks. He has been interviewed by the print and electronic media including The New York Times, The WSJ, Forbes, Men's Vogue, Parents Magazine, etc. as well as appearing on America's Health Network, CBS's 'The Early Show,' The Learning Channel, NBC iVillage. Through the Leavitt Family Foundation, he has co-sponsored fourteen annual charity golf tournaments benefiting Ronald McDonald House and the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation (CCF). He serves on the CCF boards both nationally and locally. He has been recognized by Ernst & Young as a finalist for Entrepreneur of the Year and received numerous awards from the business community, such as Smart Awards, Florida Medical Business, etc. A graduate of the University of Michigan and Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Dr. Leavitt completed his residency at Ohio University Grandview Medical Center. PS Winter Home

Aaron Farberg, MD Aaron Farberg, MD Faculty Aaron S. Farberg, M.D. is a double board-certified dermatologist and fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon that specializes in skin cancer, inflammatory diseases, and cosmetic dermatology. Dr. Farberg is a summa cum laude graduate of Emory University and continued his education at the University of Michigan, where he received his medical degree. Dr. Farberg’s post-graduate training includes additional residency years at the University of Michigan in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and, in New York, as a clinical research fellow in association with the National Society for Cutaneous Medicine and New York University. He then remained in New York, completing another residency in Dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital, where he served as chief resident. In addition to treating patients, Dr. Farberg has been a clinical investigator on numerous studies, including FDA clinical trials. He is an accomplished author and has published over 100 articles in professional medical journals. He serves as a member of the editorial board for several medical journals including Dermatology & Therapy and SKIN. Dr. Farberg also founded the Dermatology Science and Research Foundation to provide dermatology education to his patients and peers. Dr. Farberg has been recognized as one of Dallas’s leading dermatologists with numerous awards and honors. He most recently was ranked by his dermatology colleagues in Newsweek Magazine as the #1 medical dermatologist in Texas and #6 in the entire country. While in New York he served as a consultant dermatologist for the New York Yankees. PS Winter Home