Welcome

The Department’s Diversity and Inclusion program was founded in 2018 by Dr. Nada Elbuluk, who currently serves as director. The program was founded to improve the diversity and experiences of its students, trainees and faculty, particularly for those who are from underrepresented in medicine backgrounds. The program also aims to provide medical education and cultural competency training to help create a healthy, supportive and equitable work environment for the department and our patients.

Dermatology Diversity and Inclusion Statement

The USC Department of Dermatology is committed to creating and fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. This includes the creation of a diverse department that recruits and retains house staff and faculty of varied backgrounds, particularly those underrepresented in medicine. Furthermore, our department strives to create a culturally competent and culturally sensitive environment. USC Dermatology is proud to serve the diverse population of Los Angeles, and we seek to create a provider population that reflects our patient population. These diversity efforts are supported through a dedicated Dermatology Diversity & Inclusion Committee consisting of faculty and residents who also work closely with the Keck School of Medicine Office of Diversity Affairs.

Diversity & Inclusion Committee

Dr. Nada Elbuluk works with a committee of faculty and residents who meet on a regular basis to work on programming that supports the department’s Diversity and Inclusion program.

Diversity and Inclusion Programs

Derm RISES

Reaching Inner City Students Through Education of the Sciences

This pipeline service program is dedicated to increasing the education and mentorship of students across all grade levels including K-12, pre-medical undergraduate students, and medical students, with the goal of increasing exposure to the sciences, medicine, and dermatology. Faculty residents and medical students volunteer their time to be part of these various programs throughout the year.

Reaching Inner City Students Through Education of the Sciences

Reflections Book Club

At this monthly dermatology department book club, students discuss literature regarding issues related to diversity in medicine and health equity.

Students discussing literature regarding issues related to diversity in medicine and health equity

Dermmunity

Dermmunity is a community service program aimed to increase education about dermatologic health in local Los Angeles communities, particularly underserved communities. Our program works in partnership with institutional and local programs on a monthly basis at health clinics, health fairs, shelters, and other community based organizations and events.

Diversity Scholar Series

The Diversity Scholar Series is a speaker series which is part of our Grand Rounds that is dedicated to supporting faculty speakers from minority backgrounds, as well as speakers whose work relates to diversity, healthcare equity, and cultural competency. The scholar series occurs twice a year during Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15), and Black History Month (Feb. 1-March 1).

Trainee Diversity and Inclusion Programs

Skin of Color Curriculum

A formalized Skin of Color curriculum is given to dermatology residents over a three-year period to help ensure that our trainees are adept and comfortable with treating dermatologic skin conditions across all skin types.

Skin of Color Curriculum to help ensure that our trainees are adept and comfortable with treating dermatologic skin conditions across all skin types

USC Skin of Color and Pigmentary Research Fellowship

Students who have completed their third year of medical school can be considered for this one year research fellowship directed by Dr. Nada Elbuluk.

Priority will be given to KSOM students completing the Dean’s Research Year. Interested applicants should inquire for further details by emailing Dr. Nada Elbuluk at nada.elbuluk@med.usc.edu. Applications will be accepted starting in early fall.

Diversity Clerkship Award

The USC Department of Dermatology is committed to supporting and recruiting medical students with underrepresented in medicine (UIM) backgrounds into their dermatology residency. In an effort to support this mission, the department, in partnership with the Keck School of Medicine, Office of Diversity Affairs, will offer up to four stipends a year, of $2,000 each, to help cover travel, lodging and other approved rotation-related expenses for underrepresented in medicine (URiM) students and their allies.

More information for applying can be found here.

USC Skin of Color and Pigmentary Disorders Program

Black history month celebration of diversity and African culture pride as a multi cultural celebration.

The USC Skin of Color and Pigmentary Disorders Program was founded in 2018 by Dr. Nada Elbuluk with the support of Department Chair, Dr. David Peng. This unique and distinctive program includes medical and procedural clinics specializing in comprehensive, personalized and culturally sensitive care for a broad variety of conditions that disproportionately impact the skin of color population, which includes people of African, African-American, Caribbean, Hispanic, Asian, Middle Eastern, Native American, and mixed-race backgrounds. The program also includes a research component aimed to increase research on skin of color and pigmentary conditions. The research arm of the program includes a research fellowship available to medical students between their third and fourth year of medical school.

Program website: https://dermatology.keckmedicine.org/treatments-services/skin-of-color/

USC Skin of Color and Pigmentary Research Fellowship

Director: Nada Elbuluk, MD, MSc
Number of positions: 1
Duration: 10-12 months
Deadline: March 1, 2021
Notifications: Late March/early April
Qualifying applicants are encouraged to apply for this research fellowship. The research fellow will work on a variety of study types, which may include sponsored clinical trials, prospective and retrospective studies, case reports, literature reviews, and book chapters related to ethnic skin conditions and pigmentary disorders. The student will also have the opportunity to work with Dr. Elbuluk in clinic on a weekly basis (this requires an approval process for non-USC students) and helps in coordinating the DermRISES Pipeline Initiative, sponsored by the Dermatology Diversity and Inclusion Program.

Students who have completed their third year of medical school will be considered.

Priority will be given to KSOM students completing the Dean’s Research Year.