Skin Cancer Fellowship Celebrates 40th Graduating Class

From left – Scripps Health President and CEO Chris Van Gorder; fellows Edward Seger, M.D., Emma Hill, M.D. and Kevin Patel, M.D.; and fellowship leader and dermatologic surgeon Hubert (Hugh) Greenway, M.D. of Scripps Clinic.

Image Credit: © Scripps Health

This month, a medical-surgical fellowship program at Scripps Clinic that trains doctors in a specialized surgery technique for skin cancer celebrates its 40th graduating class. Hubert (Hugh) Greenway, MD, has led the Mohs Micrographic Surgery and Dermatologic Oncology Fellowship every year since he established the program. Since then, 68 physicians have successfully completed the 1-year initiative, many of whom still practice throughout the world in clinical and academic settings.¹

“It’s important that doctors not only provide exceptional patient care, but also help teach the next generation of physicians through medical education,” Greenway said in a press release.

Greenway is a Scripps Clinic dermatologic surgeon who heads the skin cancer division at Scripps Cancer Center. He will present certificates this month to the newest fellowship graduates:

• Emma Hill, MD
• Kevin Patel, MD
• Edward Seger, MD

“It is truly an honor to be a part of Dr. Greenway’s 40th graduating class at Scripps Clinic. He is the perfect example of what it means to be a good doctor,” wrote Patel. “I have learned so much from him during this year and am excited to move onwards into private practice, where I can continue to uphold Scripps Clinic’s goal of providing the highest standard of patient-forward care.”

In July, Greenway will begin training a new group of doctors in what the release states is San Diego County’s longest-established fellowship program for Mohs surgery and dermatologic oncology. The fellowship aims to help trainees master the complexities of Mohs and other dermatologic surgeries and procedures.

“It's an exciting time to be entering the field,” Seger added. “We have so many more tools to help care for our most complex patients and are getting better and better at achieving results that would have been impossible only a decade ago.”

The release noted that there is a “strong need” to train more doctors in Mohs and other skin cancer surgeries. According to the American Cancer Society, cancers of the skin are the most common of all types of cancer in the United States, and the number of new cases has been increasing for a number of years.

“Training doctors is a vital part of meeting our community’s health care needs, and Scripps has a long-standing commitment to this responsibility,” Greenway stated.

Greenway is among the world’s most experienced Mohs surgeons, having performed more than 41,000 cases in his career. Before joining the clinic in 1983, he trained under the developer of the technique, Frederic E. Mohs, MD, and even performed Mohs surgery to remove skin cancer from Mohs’ nose. Greenway received the Frederic E. Mohs Award from the American College of Mohs Surgery for lifetime achievement in clinical practice, teaching, scientific contributions, and innovation, making him 1 of only 14 people to receive the award. He has trained over 50 fellows from across the United States, Australia and Saudi Arabia.²

“As a graduate, I feel well-prepared to provide evidence-based, and patient-centered care as I join the Park Nicollet system in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where I will take on both clinical and educational responsibilities,” Hill wrote. “I consider myself privileged to be among the pedigree of former and future graduates of this fellowship, and to be joining a community of dermatologists and Mohs surgeons who are passionate about the continued advancement of our field.”

The Mohs surgery and dermatologic oncology fellowship program at Scripps Clinic is highly competitive, drawing applications from doctors around the world every year. During their time in the fellowship, participants may also participate in other dermatologic procedures such as chemical peels, scar revisions, cosmetic procedures, podiatric surgeries, particle resurfacing, cutaneous laser surgery, and leg vein procedures.³ Physicians who complete the program are eligible to take the subspecialty board examination in micrographic dermatologic surgery and can become members of the American College of Mohs Surgery.

References

1. June graduation marks 40th year of skin cancer fellowship at ScrippsClinic. Scripps Health. June 10, 2024. Accessed June 12, 2024. https://www.scripps.org/news_items/7783-june-graduation-marks-40th-year-of-skin-cancer-fellowship-at-scripps-clinic.
2. Dr. HubertGreenway - La Jolla, San Diego - dermatology. Scripps Health. Accessed June 12, 2024. https://www.scripps.org/physicians/4211-hubert-greenway.
3. Micrographic surgery and dermatologic oncology fellowship. Scripps Health. Accessed June 12, 2024. https://www.scripps.org/for-health-care-professionals/graduate-medical-education-gme/fellowship-programs/micrographic-surgery-and-dermatologic-oncology-fellowship.