History of Latin American Dermatology

Dermatology and dermatologists in BrazilPARANÁ DERMATOLOGYCuritibaThe majestic Hospital das Clínicas of Paraná’s Federal University, which has 49,196 sq.meters of roofed area, 191 offices, 374 outpatient offices and 635 beds distributed among45 specialized fields, offers one of the most prestigious services certified by the BSD,headed by Prof. Jesús Rodrigues Santamaría, former president of the national entity.Having been founded in 1961, when Prof. Rui Miranda was the lecturer, the DermatologyService of the CH already has more than four decades of existence. It operates attwo buildings; one part is taken up by the administrative services while the other hoststhe outpatient offices and the outpatient surgical center for all the specialized fields. Atthe latter, the service also has 7 rooms to receive the public, 7 offices, one ward for smallprocedures and one for the team. The average number of patient consultations is 70 perday, coming from Paraná, Mato Grosso and Santa Catarina. In Curitiba European-typediseases are predominant, such as skin cancer, lupus, collagenosis, psoriasis, diabetes,arteriosclerosis and vascular deficiency, corresponding to the ethnic composition of themajority of the population.Outside the walls of the CH, the Dermatology Service maintains the Souza Araújo Center,created by Rui Noronha de Miranda, which treats 40 to 50 people daily, specializingmainly in sanitary Dermatology and in oncologic Dermatology. The Service, which servesas a referral focus for all the SUS System, receives a hundred students of the medicinecourse every semester. In addition to the internship students, and the residents of theMedical Clinic, who spend a month in Dermatology, the students of the selective internshiphave chosen the specialized field to spend their final eighty days of training at theinstitution.As far as scientific publication is concerned, the service of the Curitiba CH has left itsmark in the Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia and in foreign publications, with workson hanseniasis and pemphigus.Dermatology at LondrinaThe Medical School of Northern Paraná was founded in 1967 and located in Londrina.Three years later launched the teaching of Dermatology, with Profs. Drs. José Schweinden(Head) and Lorivaldo Minelli (Assistant) followed by their colleagues Drs. Roberto Pirainoand Roberto Schnitzler.At the end of 1979, the Medical School joined others to form the Londrina State University.On that occasion, since the Head had to return to Curitiba, the course was takenover by Dr. Minelli, who continues to be in charge today. Three years earlier, in 1976,Drs. Minelli and Piraino had defended their Ph.D. theses, obtaining the post of assistantprofessors. Dr. Minelli’s thesis, entitled “Medical Geography of South American PemphigusFoliaceous in the State of Paraná,” was guided by the late Prof. Raymundo MartinsCastro, while Dr. Piraino’s, entitled “Porokeratosis of Mibelli,” was guided by Prof. Dr.José Kriner, from Argentina.In 1998, Dr. Minelli was promoted to associate professor through a public selectionpresided by Prof. Dr. Sebastião de Almeida Prado Sampaio.In the 1970s and 1980s, various residents specialized at the Dermatology Clinic of theUniversity, and, starting in the 1990s, the Residency, certified by the Brazilian Society ofDermatology, was initiated, where many ex-students obtained their respective Specialistdiplomas.Curitiba Evangelical University HospitalThe Dermatology Service was launched in 1974, with the creation of the EvangelicalMedical School. Its first standing professor was Dr. Fernando Laynes de Andrade, who,105