From the chair

At the end of every academic year, I tend to become a little sentimental and reflective. I always have mixed emotions about the changes that take place. I am proud, but still a little sad, to see our graduating residents and fellows complete their training and move on in their careers.  Each class leaves their own unique legacy on our program, and this outstanding group of five residents and two fellows are no different.  This summer we will also celebrate the retirement of the "first" member of our dermatology faculty.  Dr. Nancye McCowan is the longest serving faculty in our department and has left an enduring impact on our department, our university, and our state.  She joined UMMC in 2007 and served as program director of our residency program from its beginning in 2013 to 2025. The growth and success of our residency program under Dr. McCowan's leadership has significantly impacted the access to dermatologic care throughout our state and beyond.  We are so grateful for Dr. McCowan's service and wish her the best in her retirement.

This Spring we also had another outstanding residency match, and the future of our training program looks outstanding. We have also transitioned to our new facility in Ridgeland at Colony Park North. We now have more room to expand both general dermatology and Moh's surgery for our patients. I was able to witness amazing teamwork as we made this big location transition along with surviving a cyberattack!

I am always encouraged by all the work of our current faculty, residents, and alumni. When I look at the growth of dermatology throughout the entire state of Mississippi over the past decade, I couldn’t be prouder to be chair of UMMC Dermatology. The future continues to look bright!