David C. Reid, Associate Professor
Chair, Department of Dermatology
It is with great pride that I welcome you to RUSH Dermatology. As Department Chair, I am honored to lead a team of outstanding clinicians, educators, and researchers who advance the field of dermatology through their commitment, compassion, and creativity. With eight clinical sites throughout the Chicagoland area, we are dedicated to providing our community with the highest level of skin care across the full spectrum of dermatology, including medical, surgical, and cosmetic services. In our residency training program, we aim to provide extraordinary teaching and build the dermatology leaders of tomorrow. And with our advanced research, we seek to pioneer new treatments and discover novel insights regarding cutaneous disease. Indeed, at RUSH Dermatology, we aspire to excellence in all things.
History
RUSH University and RUSH Dermatology have a rich legacy. Founded in 1837, RUSH Medical College was the first medical school in Chicago. The Department of Dermatology was established by Frederick Malkinson in 1970. A distinguished national and international leader in dermatology, Malkinson served as department chair for 25 years. Michael Tharp, an esteemed clinician and researcher, then held the role another 25 years. I had the privilege to follow in their footsteps beginning in 2021.
Patient Care
RUSH Dermatology is dedicated to providing the highest quality of comprehensive and specialized care for patients with skin, hair, nail, and mucous membranes diseases in the country. We have a number of nationally and internationally recognized faculty with a wide range of clinical expertise, including in general dermatology, cosmetics, and complex medical dermatology. We have a range of interests, including psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, cutaneous oncology, skin cancer screening and prevention, autoimmune blistering diseases, connective tissue diseases, hidradenitis suppurativa, vasculitis, and vitiligo. The department also offers a wide range of aesthetic services and procedures. We provide dermatologic care, with more than 30,000 patient visits annually, at eight different locations: the RUSH main campus Professional Office Building, the Joan and Paul Rubschlager Building, RUSH Lincoln Park, RUSH Oak Brook, RUSH Oak Park, RUSH River North, RUSH South Loop, and RUSH West Loop.
Education and Training
We are highly dedicated to the education of medical students, residents, and other health care providers in the diagnosis and management of cutaneous diseases. The department has nine residents in our program, with a very favorable faculty-to-resident ratio. Residents and medical students work alongside the faculty daily in the dermatology clinics, where they see a wide range of both common and rare skin diseases in both adult and pediatric patients. Teaching is immersive and continuous. Training is focused on the diagnosis, pathogenesis, and treatment of skin diseases. Surgical training, including in Mohs surgery, is robust. Dermatopathology education is comprehensive. The understanding of aesthetics and mastery of cosmetic treatments is also an important aspect of the training program.
Research
The department is invested in basic, clinical, and translational research, with a mission to better understand the pathogenesis of skin disorders to pioneer new, leading treatments. In particular, we perform leading basic research in immune-mediated diseases such as pemphigus vulgaris and bullous pemphigoid. In addition, we conduct epidemiological investigations and research into medical education. Home and visiting students are welcome to contact us for research opportunities.
Thank you for visiting our website, and we hope you will come to RUSH for your care and training. We believe it will be a truly exceptional experience.