24
COM Outlook . Winter 2014
An Overview of NSU’s
Dermatology Department
Fighting cancer is the focus of the
dermatology department. “We are
so much more educated today,” Dr.
Favreau said. “The department takes
pride in providing patient education
and raising awareness. Nova South-
eastern University is so passionate
about helping and reaching out, es-
pecially to underserved communities.
NSU’s support allows us to work in
clinics funded by grants and taxpay-
ers’ money. This support greatly helps
people who are unable to pay.”
At the community clinics—the
Specialty Care Center on Broward
Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale and
the Broward Health Medical Center
outpatient clinic—Dr. Favreau treated
almost 2,000 patients last year. These
clinics offer the opportunity “to give
back and to help out,” Dr. Favreau
stated. “NSU-COM allows us to go to
clinics and offer care that diagnoses
and helps cure many severe diseases.”
Both clinics stay busy, handling a
two-year backlog of patients. Dr.
Favreau and Jacqueline Thomas, D.O.,
assistant professor of dermatology,
perform various other dermatology
consultations at Broward Health
Medical Center and are conferred
with frequently.
On campus, in the dermatology
clinic, four exam rooms are avail-
able to meet the high demand for
appointments. Nine residents on
rotation work with Drs. Favreau and
Thomas. Two additional members of
the team are Daniel Sheridan (of-
fice manager) and Dorothy Sainvil-
Brown (medical assistant). In the
past year, Dr. Favreau examined
1,787 patients in the Davie clinic.
Skin cancer—basal cell, squamous
cell, and melanoma—is the primary
target of the department’s work. Basal
cell is the most common and grows
slowly. Squamous cell is the second
slowest-growing, but can be a little bit
more aggressive. Melanoma is highly
aggressive and can spread quickly
into the lymph nodes and lymph sys-
tems. The physicians use the
ABCDE
rules to inform patients on how to
check for red flags during a self-exam.
“A”
stands for
Asymmetry
, noting
whether the shape has changed.
“B”
stands for
Border
, noting
whether borders have changed from
smooth to jagged.
“C”
stands for
Color
. If the mole was
light brown and is now dark brown or
any other color change, it could be a
sign of melanoma.
“D”
stands for
Dimension
. A mole
that measures at least six millimeters,
which is the tip of a pinky or the head
of an eraser on a pencil, could signal
it’s time to have it examined.
“E”
stands for
Evolution
. If a mole
used to be flat and becomes raised, it
should be examined.
Members of the dermatology team include (back row left): Khasha Touloei, D.O. (PGY-II); Kimberly May Hull, D.O. (PGY-II); Lise Brown, D.O. (PGY-
III); Dan Sheridan (office manager); Dorothy Sainvil-Brown (medical assistant); Yvette Tivoli, D.O. (PGY-III); Michael Baze, D.O., Ph.D (PGY-II); Alexis
Stephens, D.O. (PGY-II); and Leeor I. Porges, D.O. (PGY-II). Pictured (front row from left) are: Justin Rubin, D.O. (PGY-III); Tracy Favreau, D.O.,
chair of the Department of Dermatology, Jacqueline Thomas, D.O., assistant professor; and Panogiotis Mitropoulous, D.O. (PGY-III).
