One of our service providers, Dr. Dr. Khachemoune, who rotates with him and works as an assistant doctor in the Dermatology department in Türkiye. We are pleased to share with you Gazal's experience of his dermatology rotation in the United States.
Dr. I completed a two-month clinical and academic rotation at Premier Dermatology in Virginia under the supervision of Amor Khachemoune. This experience; In the US academic-clinical setting, Mohs micrographic surgery provided an opportunity for advanced observation and practice in the fields of dermatologic surgery, dermatopathology, general dermatology practice, and scientific publishing.
Comprehensive Mohs Surgery Training
Throughout the rotation, I trained in a high-volume Mohs surgery setting and participated in approximately 130 cases including basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and selected rare tumors. Patient and lesion evaluation, surgical excision, tissue orientation and mapping, frozen section (frozen sectionI gained a comprehensive understanding of the Mohs process, including ) preparation, histopathological interpretation, step-by-step decision making, and reconstructive planning. Particular attention was paid to functional protection and strategic closure in anatomically complex areas such as the nose, eyelids, lips, ears and fingers.
An important component of my training included independent evaluation of Mohs slides and supervised map correlation; This strengthened my pattern recognition skills and clinicopathological correlation. I have also assisted in additional dermatologic surgical procedures, including cyst and lipoma excisions and standard excisions of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers; This allowed me to compare procedural planning and workflow across surgical settings.
Academic Development and Scientific Publishing
Academically, I have worked on five publishable projects derived from clinical cases, including rare presentations and review-based articles. This process; provided structured mentorship in developing case-based publications, conducting focused literature reviews, identifying innovations, selecting target journals, and preparing articles for submission. I also prepared scientific presentations (in poster and oral formats) that increased my ability to effectively communicate clinical research.
Weekly interactive training sessions and ongoing case-based discussions were central to the training environment. Strengthening my critical reading and analytical skills, I regularly summarized dermatological literature for presentation. In addition, I was encouraged to undertake independent studies, including home microscope examination of histological slides; This has significantly increased my confidence in dermatopathology and my pattern recognition skills.
Professional Values and the American Healthcare System
Beyond technical and academic skills, this rotation reinforced core professional values such as communication, teamwork, punctuality, discipline and sense of responsibility. Observing the structured workflow, interprofessional collaboration, and patient-centered communication in the US clinical setting provided meaningful insight into the American healthcare and dermatology education system.
"This rotation had a transformative impact on both my clinical development and academic growth. It strengthened my understanding of surgery, enhanced my research skills, and reinforced the mindset of initiative, rigor, and continuous improvement that I will carry forward in my dermatology career."