Overview
The Department of Dermatology offers a one-year fellowship in Micrographic Surgery and Dermatology Oncology. Our department offers three fellowship positions each year through the San Francisco Match and is fully approved by the American College of Mohs Surgery (ACMS) and accredited by the American College of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). The Fellowship is open to dermatologists who are either board eligible or certified by the American Board of Dermatology and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons.
The goal of this fellowship is to thoroughly train the fellows in Mohs micrographic surgery and reconstruction, excisional surgery, nonsurgical treatments of skin cancer, and scar revision techniques. Education in cutaneous oncology includes multidisciplinary management of basal and squamous cell carcinomas as well as rarer tumors such as dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, extramammary Paget's disease, microcystic adnexal carcinoma, mucinous carcinoma, sebaceous carcinoma, and pleomorphic dermal sarcomas, among others. There will be exposure to cosmetic dermatology procedures from our MSDO (Micrographic Surgery and Dermatologic Oncology) surgical faculty and our fellowship-trained cosmetic dermatologists. We have numerous lasers and energy-based devices primarily at our main campus facility with a few scattered in our satellite locations.
Program Director
Thank you very much for your interest in our MSDO Fellowship Program. I am honored to serve as the fellowship program director and to contribute to your career growth and dermatological surgery skills development. In our program, you will have the opportunity to work one-on-one with each of our gifted and committed surgical faculty members, with varying surgical styles, in different practice locations, broadening your experience significantly. Some of the highlights of our program include:
- We perform over 6,500 Mohs surgery cases annually, being involved in over 90% of the reconstruction, while collaborating with our colleagues in subspecialties such as ENT Facial Plastics, Plastic Surgery, Oculoplastic Surgery, Urology, Gynecology Oncology, Neurosurgery, and others. We have multidisciplinary management of large skin cancers in a unique protocol we call “Tissue Read,” where the patients’ tumor is excised by one of our surgical colleagues, and we process the tissue as we would in Mohs surgery, to ensure 100% complete margin assessment.
- We manage a wide variety of skin cancers, including some of the rarer tumors like pleiomorphic dermal sarcoma, extramammary Paget’s disease, microcystic adnexal carcinoma, among others. Merkel Cell carcinoma is managed in a unique protocol that incorporates coordination with nuclear medicine and plastic surgery for same day sentinel lymph node biopsy.
- Our fellows lead our monthly non-melanoma skin cancer Tumor Board Conference, attended by our colleagues in Radiation Oncology, Medical Oncology, Dermatopathology, Plastic Surgery, and ENT Facial Plastic Surgery, among others.
- We have a robust conference curriculum, with case-based sessions covering topics like “How would you reconstruct this defect?”, and “How can I do this better?” to lectures from our collaborating colleagues; and Journal Club every other month.
- We have 6 cadaver lab sessions throughout the year where the fellows serve as learners with one of our surgical faculty and teachers with our dermatology residents.
My mantra has always been “to be better tomorrow than I am today,” and as program director and clinician, this defines my teaching, mentorship, and practice style. I have learned from many mistakes and have grown from them, and I will be here for you as you similarly learn and grow from yours throughout your fellowship year. I strive to create a learning environment that establishes a psychologically safe space to learn with a growth mindset, encouraging feedback and maintaining elevated expectations of our team members.
I am grateful to be in our field of dermatology, where we can serve our patients primarily with excellent care, as well as collaborate, innovate, and educate our future colleagues. I am eager to move our field of cutaneous oncology forward together.
It is truly an honor to lead our team of dedicated and engaged surgical faculty in offering our fellows a comprehensive experience in Micrographic Surgery and Dermatologic Oncology and to be a part of your educational and career growth.
Again, thank you for your interest in our program.
Christine Poblete-Lopez, MD, FAAD, FACMS
Program Director
Micrographic Surgery and Dermatologic Oncology
Faculty
Christine Poblete-Lopez, MD
Dr Christine Lopez is currently the Program Director of Micrographic Surgery and Dermatologic Oncology at Cleveland Clinic’s Department of Dermatology. She completed her medical education at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and completed her residency training in dermatology from the Skin & Cancer Foundation in the Philippines, as well as Cleveland Clinic. She completed a Mohs Micrographic Surgery & Cutaneous Oncology fellowship at Cleveland Clinic. After all her training, she stayed on to serve as Associate Program Director and then progressed to serve as Program Director for the Residency Program, a position she held for 12 years. Dr Lopez also served as Vice Chair for the department for 10 years from 2013 to 2023, where she was primarily responsible for the department’s daily operational activities, growth, and access initiatives, as well as continuous improvement processes, particularly as the department’s Continuous Improvement Officer. In 2022, Dr Lopez received an AAD Presidential Citation Award for delivering a blended learning program of Dermatologic Surgery to dermatologists in the Philippines. Dr. Poblete-Lopez is board-certified by the American Board of Dermatology in Dermatology and Micrographic Dermatologic Surgery.
Outside of work, Dr. Lopez loves to travel and is an avid foodie, and she enjoys these with her husband, Seevee, and their three children, Veto, Samee and Neo.
Allison T. Vidimos, RPh, MD
Allison T. Vidimos RPh, MD received her B.S. in Pharmacy from Purdue University (1981) and her M.D. degree from Indiana University (1985). She completed her dermatology residency and two-year Mohs micrographic surgery fellowship at Cleveland Clinic, where she joined the staff in 1991. She was Program Director for the dermatology residency from 2001-2006. She served as Chairman of the Department of Dermatology at Cleveland Clinic 2005-2023 and Vice Chairman of the Dermatology and Plastic Surgery Institute from 2006-2023. She was appointed Professor of Dermatology, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University in 2011. She served as Program Director of the Micrographic Surgery and Dermatologic Oncology fellowship from 2013 – 2023.
She was elected to the Board of Directors of the AAD in 2022. She has been a member of the Site and Slide Review, Fellowship Training Committee, Public Policy and Advocacy Committee, Physician Engagement Council (Improving Wisely Initiative), Mohs Foundation Inaugural Committee, and served as President of the American College of Mohs Surgery (ACMS) in 2017-2018. Dr. Vidimos received the Frederic Mohs Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021. She was appointed to the Board of Directors for the American Board of Dermatology for 2019-2027 and is the Chairman of the board question writing committee for dermatologic surgery.
Dr. Vidimos was appointed as an Expert Physician Consultant for the Committee on Compounding for the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP) in 2018, and a voting delegate to the USP Convention in 2019 for the ACMS. She was elected to the Board of Directors of the Ohio Dermatological Association (ODA) in 2019-21 and served as President of ODA 2022-2023. She received the Bruce Hubbard Stewart Award for Humanitarianism from Cleveland Clinic GME in 2022. She was appointed to the ACGME Dermatology Residency Review Committee in 2024. She has co-authored 2 textbooks and over 100 peer-reviewed articles. Her clinical practice and research encompass skin cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment, and patient safety. She has participated in medical mission trips to Honduras for 11 years.
Jon Meine, MD
- Residency: UMDNJ RObert Wood Johnson (1998).
- Fellowship: Cleveland Clinic (2000).
Jennifer Lucas, MD
Dr. Lucas, born and raised in the Cleveland area, did her residency and fellowship training at Cleveland Clinic. She is currently the Dermatology Surgery Section Head and Director of Mohs Surgery, as well as the Vice Chair of Quality & Patient Safety for the Department of Dermatology. Additionally, she is involved in leadership throughout Cleveland Clinic and serves as the Medical Subspecialty Institute Vice Chair.
On the national stage, she serves on the AAD Board of Directors and Executive Committee and is the Immediate Past President of the Women’s Dermatologic Society. She has a passion for education, mentorship, patient care, quality and patient safety, as well as equity and physician burnout. Her research interests include melanoma, NMSC, leadership, and quality and patient safety.
After receiving her Master's in Health Care Management from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, she provides trainees additional understanding in operations, leadership skills and further development.
Her hobbies and outside interests include fitness (Pilates, High Intensity Interval Training, Boxing etc.) and spending time with family, including her daughter Olivia Sophia and miniature schnauzer Macy Mae. Dr. Lucas believes that the work team is like a family and that hard work should be coupled with laughter and fun, which are the best remedy for both patients and the Mohs team.
Alok Vij, MD
Dr. Alok Vij is a Mohs surgeon and section head of Teledermatology at Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Vij grew up in Houston, Texas before he attended Northwestern University and Baylor College of Medicine. After completing his dermatology residency and Mohs surgery and dermatologic oncology fellowship at Cleveland Clinic, he joined the faculty and has been in practice since 2016. His clinical focus includes dermatologic oncology and minimally invasive cosmetic and laser procedures. Outside of work, Dr. Vij enjoys spending time with his family and traveling.
Melissa McEnery-Stonelake, MD
- Residency: University of Alabama (2018).
- Fellowship: Cleveland Clinic (2019).
Dema Alniemi, MD
- Residency: University of Vermont (2020).
- Fellowship: University of Wisconsin (2021).
Current Fellows
2024 – 2025
Micah Belzberg, MD
- Residency: Johns Hopkins.
Timothy Orlowski, MD
- Residency: University of Alabama.
Justin Thrush, MD
- Residency: Cleveland Clinic Department of Dermatology.
2023 – 2024
Mark Biro, MD
- Residency: Medstar Georgetown.
Meagan Simpson, MD
- US Army Walter Reed.
Kathleen Spitz, MD
- Residency: Emory University.
Alumni
| Ashley Antony, MD | Private Practice, NC |
| Paola Barriera Silvestrini, MD | Academic, OH |
| Robert Simmonds, MD | Private Practice, MT |
| Vernon Forester, MD | Private Practice, AL |
| Basia Michalski, MD | Academic, MO |
| Rachel Ward, MD | Private Practice, IN |
| Kasie Adkins, DO | Private Practice, OH |
| Kirsten Dickenson, MD | Private Practice, MI |
| Kiyanna Williams, MD | Private Practice, OH |
| Mary Brady, MD | Private Practice, CO |
| Valerie Shiu, MD | Academic, TX |
| Jason Susong, MD | Private Practice, TN |
| Melissa McEnery Stonelake, MD | Academic, OH |
| Christina Wong, MD | Academic, OH |
| Sean Condon, MD | Private Practice, CA |
| Matthew Clark, MD | Private Practice, CO |
| Eric Wilkerson, MD | |
| Melanie Clark, MD | Academic, WI |
| Jessica Kado, MD | Private Practice, MI |
| Christopher Messana, MD | Private Practice, MI |
| Alok Vij, MD | Academic, OH |
| Charlene Lam, MD | Academic, PA |
| Razieh Soltani, MD | Private Practice, CA |
| Jennifer Bahner, MD | |
| Joseph Doumit, MD | |
| Paul Benedetto, MD | Academic, FL |
Curriculum
Program structure and curriculum
The fellow spends five days per week in the Mohs Surgery Unit, in four different locations.
- Main Campus.
- Avon Richard E Jacobs FHC.
- Beachwood FHC.
- Independence FHC.
During this time, the fellow initially serves as first assistant, and then quickly attains graded responsibility for primarily treating cases under staff supervision. Each year approximately 6,500 skin cancers are treated with Mohs surgery, with greater than 90% of cases repaired in our department. Rotations in each of these sites happen every two weeks, ensuring appropriate follow-up so fellows see their patient outcomes.
A very collegial relationship has been developed between our department and Facial Plastic Surgery, Oculoplastic Surgery, and Plastic Surgery. Thus, the MSDO fellow can spend time with these other services to participate in combined cases.
The fellow curriculum occurs in the evenings anywhere from two to four times a month. Histology review, wound repairs, oculoplastic surgery repairs, radiation oncology, case-based conferences and journal clubs covering topics pertinent to cutaneous oncology and procedural dermatology are covered during these sessions. The fellows also attend and teach in the residents' weekly conferences, including a thorough review of dermatologic surgery topics, and teach with the staff in six cadaver lab sessions.
The Mohs surgery fellows present cases at the bimonthly multidisciplinary nonmelanoma skin cancer tumor board conference, which are held around our 18-headed microscope in the dermatopathology reading room, with a hybrid option for virtual attendance.
The Mohs surgery fellows also attend the monthly National Dermatologic Surgery Journal Club, and the evaluation and feedback are critical to learning and growth. As such, feedback is strongly encouraged and part of the fellows’ everyday experience. In addition, progress through the ACGME milestones is evaluated by the faculty every quarter, and semi-annual evaluations happen with the program director.
Fellows receive funding to attend the annual ACMS meeting and are expected to submit an abstract and participate in the Fellows in Training Clinicopathologic Case Competition and Hands-on Workshop.
As outlined in the MSDO Fellowship ACGME requirements, we expect every fellow to complete at least one major project during their fellowship and a quality improvement project. Fellows are expected to present one of their projects at the department’s Annual Research Day in the spring. The department’s Research team provides ample support to help the fellows through the IRB (Institutional Review Board) process. The surgical faculty serve as research mentors or principal investigators for research projects. Research time, equating to four half days per month, is provided to support these activities.
The call is shared among the three fellows, with the fellow serving as the first call and a surgical faculty serving as the second call. The rotation happens weekly.
Visiting Rotators
Our program accepts 16 visiting rotators from April through October every year, except for the month of July. Per GME requirements, these rotations are one-week (5-day) rotations in length. We start to entertain requests for a rotation in January, as the GME requires a minimum of 10 – 12 weeks (about 3 months) to process these requests.
During this rotation, you will rotate with different surgical faculty, primarily at the Main Campus, with a day or two in one of the satellite locations. These rotations are primarily observational only.
Application Process
Applications are processed through the central application service (CAS) of the San Francisco Match.
The deadline for submission of the required materials is August 1 of the year before the academic year starts. Interviews will be arranged in the fall for chosen candidates. For this 2024 application cycle, we will be conducting virtual interviews through the San Francisco Match Platform.
Contact Us
Christine Poblete-Lopez, MD, FAAD, FACMS
Program Director of Micrographic Surgery and Dermatology Fellowship
Cleveland Clinic
9500 Euclid Avenue, Desk A60
Cleveland, OH 44195
Phone: 216.444.4480
Cheryl Williams
Fellowship Coordinator Micrographic Surgery and Dermatology Fellowship
Cleveland Clinic
9500 Euclid Avenue, Desk A60
Cleveland, OH 44195
Phone: 216.444.5933
