Kathryn Schwarzenberger Appointed Chair of New UTHSC Department of Dermatology
Memphis, Tenn. (May 17, 2013) – The University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) has announced the creation of a new Department of Dermatology in
the College of Medicine. Launched in November, the department is chaired by Kathryn Schwarzenberger,
MD. She assumed her new responsibilities on May 1.
Before joining UTHSC, Dr. Schwarzenberger was professor of medicine in the Division of Dermatology at the University of Vermont College of Medicine. After
receiving her medical degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, she completed residencies in both internal medicine and dermatology
at Duke University. A fellowship in immunodermatology research followed at the National Cancer Institute Dermatology Branch.
Dr. Schwarzenberger has received numerous honors and awards, and has been published in multiple journals and dermatological textbooks. She currently serves
on the board of directors of the American Academy of Dermatology — the largest, most influential and most representative dermatology group in the United
States. With a membership of more than 17,000, the academy represents virtually every practicing dermatologist in the country.
Previously, dermatology was a Division of the Department of Medicine at UTHSC. Promoting dermatology to a full department was done in response to the
changing health care needs of the country’s population, and as part of the university’s ongoing commitment to provide exceptional health care to the local
community along with the best medical education possible. The new department gives the university the ability to offer dermatological subspecialties and
deliver services that address needs in the region that are currently not being met. New services planned include pediatric dermatology, contact allergy and
complex medical dermatology, which is the care of patients with serious skin problems related to internal diseases.
Located within the department is a new dermatopathology laboratory, UT DermPath, which plays a crucial role in support of the Department of Dermatology. UT
Dermpath (www.utdermpath.org) is staffed by dermatopathologists who also serve as Dermatology faculty
members. Dermatopathologists use microscopes to examine samples of skin, hair, nails and mucosa to diagnose problems such as skin cancer and other
dermatologic diseases. UT Dermpath can provide fast, accurate diagnostic services for referring physicians in any location in the United States.
All of the members of the new department are very active in the local dermatology and medical community. The faculty participates in the Memphis
Dermatology Society, the Tennessee Dermatology Society and the American Academy of Dermatology. Members also serve many hospitals in the area, including
the Regional Medical Center, the VA Medical Center, Methodist University Hospital and Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, interacting with local colleagues on
a daily basis.
In return, local dermatologists provide a valued resource for UT, helping to teach medical students and residents, who will benefit from their unique
experiences and special knowledge. David Stern, MD, executive dean of the UTHSC College of Medicine, noted, “We are delighted to have formed the new
Department of Dermatology in close collaboration with our colleagues in the dermatology community. Drs. Rex Amonette and Bob Kaplan, two graduates of our
dermatology program, were critical in advancing the department and hiring the first permanent chair, Dr. Kathryn Schwarzenberger. We feel lucky to have
been able to attract someone of Kathy’s stature in the world of dermatology. Our goal is to develop a practice that provides expertise that is not
otherwise readily available in the city.”
As Tennessee’s only public, statewide academic health system, the mission of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) is
to bring the benefits of the health sciences to the achievement and maintenance of human health, with a focus on the citizens of Tennessee and the region,
by pursuing an integrated program of education, research, clinical care, and public service. Offering a broad range of postgraduate and selected
baccalaureate training opportunities, the main UTHSC campus is located in Memphis and includes six colleges: Allied Health Sciences, Dentistry, Graduate
Health Sciences, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy. UTHSC also educates and trains cohorts of medicine, pharmacy and/or allied health students — in addition
to medical residents and fellows — at its major sites in Knoxville, Chattanooga and Nashville. Founded in 1911, during its more than 100 years, UT Health
Science Center has educated and trained more than 56,000 health care professionals in academic settings and health care facilities across the state. For
more information, visit www.uthsc.edu.