ABSTRACT
Background: Mentorship programs for dermatologists have been in vogue in the West for many years, but have been on a hiatus in India. Recently, there is renewed interest, and mentorship programs are gaining momentum across the country to guide and nurture young dermatologists to attain their full potential. However, what constitutes an ideal mentorship program is still an enigma. Materials and Methods: We developed a multiple-choice questionnaire (Google-form), enquiring post graduates and dermatologists about their general opinion of mentorship, its key areas and what constituted an ideal mentorship-program. These were distributed via email and WhatsApp and responses were collected over a month's period. The statistical analysis was carried out using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) for Windows. Results: We received 202 responses and majority of the respondents were private practitioners (32.2%) and post graduate students (29.7%). Respondents felt that mentorship should be undertaken at the beginning of postgraduation (37.1%) or just after its completion (23.8%), and should focus on academic and research related issues (55.0%). Communication (95.5%) was an important factor for the program to be successful, and on an average, must be of seven weeks duration, with a mentor : mentee ratio of 1:2. We found a significant association between the designation of the respondent and their perceived ideal time for a mentorship program (P<0.001, Chi Square Test), seeking of mentorship beyond the program duration (P<0.01, Chi Square Test) and the type of mentorship program (P=0.01, Chi square test). Conclusion: Our survey concluded that a well-planned short mentorship program of six to eight weeks duration with a low mentee to mentor ratio with an informal style of mentoring in the formative years of one's career would be suitable in the Indian Dermatology scenario. Communication and availability emerged as important elements for a successful mentor mentee relationship. The positive effects of a well-planned mentorship program extend beyond its duration and enrich both the mentor and mentee.
ABSTRACT
A 60-year-old male patient presented with a solitary pink plaque over the inner aspect of the left forearm of 4 years duration. The lesion was persistent and unresponsive to treatment. A skin biopsy was done with differential diagnosis of lupus vulgaris, tuberculoid leprosy, and granuloma annulare. Histopathology revealed features suggestive of morphea and the patient was treated accordingly. Despite treatment, the lesion continued to grow in size and a repeat biopsy was done as clinical doubt regarding the diagnosis persisted. Dermoscopy, KOH wet mount, and histopathology revealed characteristic features that clinched the diagnosis and aided in correct management of the patient with complete clearance of lesion after 4 months of therapy.
ABSTRACT
Surgical plume with vaporized tissue particles, pathogens, and toxic gases emanating during dermatosurgical procedures is an occupational hazard to the dermatosurgeon, and protective measures must be taken to prevent their inhalation. Smoke evacuators are devices that capture and filter the plume generated during electrosurgical procedures or laser procedures, thereby maintaining a safe environment for the surgical team and the patient. A smoke evacuation system should be appropriately selected depending on the need of the facility. The objective of this article is to outline the health hazards of the smoke by-product of electrosurgery and lasers and provide details about safety measures and smoke evacuation systems.
ABSTRACT
Purpura fulminans (PF) is a descriptive term used to describe a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by rapidly progressive purpuric lesions that may develop into extensive areas of skin necrosis, and peripheral gangrene. This rare disorder is associated with laboratory evidence of consumptive coagulopathy and is often fatal. PF is usually associated with many infections, most notably with meningococcal, staphylococcal, and streptococcal infections. However, there are very few reports of this entity with spotted fever and scrub typhus from India. Rickettsial infections are an underdiagnosed group of diseases presenting as acute febrile illness, with high mortality in untreated cases. Of the available tests, Weil-Felix is a handy and economical tool for early diagnosis of this fatal disease especially in resource poor settings. We present four infants with PF secondary to rickettsial fever diagnosed by the Weil-Felix test.
