Phototherapy and Patch Testing

Experience and facility with all modes of phototherapy are important aspects of the field of dermatology. Residents, particularly during the Day Treatment Center assignment - in which you will round daily for two months on patients receiving regular phototherapy - you will observe and learn about phototherapy treatment. Rotations at the VA Medical Center also present an opportunity to participate and monitor patients receiving phototherapy. In both our Day Treatment area and at the VA, you will also learn the importance of and uses for patch testing as an important diagnostic technique.

Over the three-year residency, the faculty will teach:

• Define irradiance and explain exposure dose;
• Define minimal erythema dose (MED) and minimal phototoxic dose (MPD);
• Show measurement of MED and MPD and plan a treatment program based on it;
• Discuss adjuvant therapies for UVB and PUVA;
• Explain management of treatment gaps, adjustments for excessive exposures, and conversion to maintain therapy for UVB and PUVA;
• Explain treatment of accidental overdosing of UVB and PUVA;
• Show management of non-psoriasis patients: PUVA or UVA-1 for morphea/ scleroderma; UVB for pityriasis rosea, renal or hepatic disease, atopic dermatitis, etc.;
• Demonstrate the procedure for routine and photo patch testing;