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Mary Maloney, MD |
UMass Medical School and UMass Memorial Medical Center have conferred departmental status on the medical specialty of dermatology, creating the Department of Dermatology. Mary Maloney, MD, professor of medicine and director of dermatologic surgery, will serve as interim chair of the new department. The announcement was made by Terence R. Flotte, MD, the Celia and Isaac Haidak Professor of Medical Education, executive deputy chancellor, provost and dean of the School of Medicine, and Eric Dickson, MD, FACEP, president and CEO of UMass Memorial Health Care.
“We are delighted that Dr. Maloney has agreed to serve as interim chair of this new department,” said Dr. Flotte. “She has been a visible and influential member of the faculty since her arrival as professor of medicine in 1999.”
Previously, dermatology had been a division within the Department of Medicine, a less than common practice for a specialty with its own board certification and for which UMMS and UMass Memorial support residency and fellowship training programs.
A highly regarded expert clinician and leader in dermatologic and Mohs surgery, Maloney has been chief of the division since 2000. She has held a range of leadership positions in the field, including membership on the board of the American Academy of Dermatology, going on to serve as the secretary-treasurer of that organization. She has also served in leadership roles for the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery, the Association of Professors of Dermatology, the American College of Mohs Surgery, the Women’s Dermatologic Society and the International League of Dermatologic Societies.
Maloney is a strong advocate for skin cancer prevention, serving as a member of several FDA advisory panels, including the panel that recommended strict changes in the control of tanning beds, which are a significant cause of skin cancer. In 2010, she was recognized with an American Academy of Dermatology Presidential Citation for her work in creating a leadership institute within AAD.
Establishing dermatology as a department is in accordance with the Academic Affiliation and Support Agreement between the University of Massachusetts and UMass Memorial that guides their strongly aligned and shared academic mission.
“The change will expand opportunities to build upon the high-quality clinical care and education already provided by our outstanding faculty and staff, and expand its research mission,” said Flotte. “As we have seen in other areas, department status is also expected to help with recruitment and retention of faculty.”
Related stories on UMassMedNow:
UMMS skin cancer expert says a new study proves tanning beds cause cancer
Maloney, Pagoto weigh in on new tanning bed regs in New York Times
New numbers show tanning bed popularity among the young
UMMS professor a national voice on skin cancer
UMMS expert supports warnings for tanning beds
