UT Southwestern Department of Dermatology

How do aviation safety principles translate to the operating room?

We’re about to find out.

Tomorrow, our Department welcomes Captain Linda Pauwels, First Latina Captain and First Latina Check Airman at American Airlines, for our Grand Rounds lecture titled “The Flight Deck Mindset: Applying Aviation Safety Principles to the Operating Room.”

Captain Pauwels brings a remarkable perspective to medicine. With over 35 years at American Airlines, FAA-designated examiner experience, and a career defined by breaking barriers, she understands what high-stakes decision-making, crew coordination, and safety culture look like at 35,000 feet, and what medicine can learn from it.

We look forward to the conversation she will spark across our department tomorrow!

Huge congratulations to four members of our Dermatology team earning PACT Awards this year! 🏅

Nohemi Galaviz, Quantia Gregg, and LaShondoria Hawkins from the Dermatology Clinic, and Kimberly King from Surgical Dermatology, were honored for their outstanding dedication to patient care, teamwork, and compassion.

This recognition comes from colleagues, patients, and leaders who see their impact every day. So proud of these four. 👏

Last week, our Department had the privilege of welcoming Amy McMichael, M.D., Chair of Dermatology at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, for our Grand Rounds lecture titled “Perfect Match: Mentorship and Sponsorship to Greatness for the Dermatology Applicant.”

With over 25 years of experience, 100+ published journal articles, and 250+ lectures delivered nationally and internationally, Dr. McMichael brings a wealth of knowledge in hair and scalp disorders, skin of color dermatology, and cosmetic dermatology. Beyond her clinical expertise, she is a dedicated advocate for training the next generation of dermatologists.

Her insights on the power of mentorship and sponsorship are a reminder that greatness in medicine is rarely built alone, but rather, it’s built together.

Thank you, Dr. McMichael, for sharing your time and wisdom with our program!

A new chapter is taking shape in our department.

Rosemary Son, APP, has been named the Inaugural Lead APP for the UT Southwestern Department of Dermatology, a role that reflects both her longstanding contributions to our team and the continued growth of our APP group.

In this position, Rosemary will work alongside department leadership to support APP workflows, onboarding, and professional development, helping to define what this role looks like for years to come. Her clinical expertise, operational insight, and dedication to her colleagues make her the right person to lead the way.

We’re proud to see this milestone take shape within our department.

Happy Clinical Trials Day from UTSW Derm! 🔬

“Behind every clinical trial is a team dedicated to patient care, research, and innovation. Our unit conducts Phase II–IV dermatology clinical trials by coordinating study visits, supporting participants, and working closely with investigators to ensure studies are conducted safely and efficiently.

We work across a range of inflammatory and autoimmune skin diseases, including psoriasis, cutaneous lupus, hidradenitis suppurativa, atopic dermatitis, psoriatic arthritis, scleroderma, lichen sclerosus, and others.

One of the most meaningful parts of our work is supporting patients while contributing to advances in care.

Happy Clinical Trials Day from our team!”

~ Aleuna Lee, Supervisor of Clinical Research at UT Southwestern

The UTSW Dermatology Residency Spring Retreat is a wrap! 🎉

Led by Dr. Aya Alame and Dr. Travis Vandergriff, this year’s retreat brought our residents together for a day of connection, mentorship, and yes… Dermatology Pictionary.

From a Q&A with faculty panelists to welcoming our new Med-Derm Program Director Dr. Kazi, it was a day that reminded us why community is at the heart of great training. 💙

TSW Dermatology’s Vraj Shah presents at SID 2026 on how race and ethnicity affect quality of life measurements in cutaneous lupus patients. When our research tools don’t reflect the diversity of our patients, we miss critical gaps in care and this work helps address that.

Saturday, May 16 | Concurrent Minisymposium 16

Health disparities research from our own team on stage at SID 2026. Rohan Ahuja presents findings on how race and s*x shape the experience of pain, itch, and skin health in cutaneous lupus patients.

Work like this matters for building more equitable care.

Saturday, May 16 | Concurrent Minisymposium 16

The UTSW Dermatology team played a central role at the Texas Dermatological Society Spring 2026 Conference this past weekend.

Our residents, research fellows, and students took the stage and absolutely everyone showed up strong with podium presentations, lasting connections, and a whole lot of derm energy at the Fairmont Hotel.

A program this strong doesn’t come together by accident. Grateful to CME Program Chair Travis Vandergriff, MD for the work behind the scenes that made it all possible.