History of Latin American Dermatology

History of Dermatology in Perudegrees under the non-academic mode, and of launching the Program of Second Specializationfor the professional education of dermatologists under the academic mode.For that purpose, it incorporated the dermatological surgery area, with Dr. Rafael Rabinovich,and, subsequently, Dr. Elbio Flores and distinguished clinical dermatologists asfaculty members, Drs. José San Martín, Alejandro Morales, Tarcila Rey Sánchez and EldaCanadell, among others, also involving hospital premises of the Health Ministry, of SocialSecurity and of the Armed Forces and police for academic activities.On October 8, 1969, Dr. Aizic Cotlear, coordinator of the Dermatology section and interimhead of the UNMSM Human Medicine Department, sent a letter to the Director ofAcademic Services and Central Record of that university, reporting on the situation ofthis teaching and treatment structure at the Dos de Mayo Hospital, conveying the highlevel of organization and skill in the community services provided, the training of specializedstaff, the research under way, from 1961 to 1969, asking for support from theuniversity authorities in order to continue carrying out this work 2 .The university response to solve this and other cases was the creation of the Teachingand Treatment Services in different areas, and, in particular, the creation of the DermatologyTeaching and Treatment Service, with its central location at the Dos de MayoHospital, which has been, and still is, Peru’s most important university-level educationcenter in Dermatology.The Dermatology Teaching and Treatment Service of the UNMSM was acknowledgedby the university government organizations under Directorial Resolution No. 303/DSA/70,on February 2, 1970. The roster of physicians in this service was: Head of Service, Dr.Aizic Cotlear, Head Professor; Head of Diagnosis Laboratory, Dr. Zuño Burstein, AssociateProfessor; Drs. Oscar Romero and Abelardo Tejada, Assistant Professors, and Dante Mendoza,Julio Bonilla, Juan Meza and David Carrizales, Service Assistants.HISTORY OF THE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNIVERSITY PROGRAM OF SECONDSPECIALIZATION IN DERMATOLOGYSince its creation in 1973 (Rector’s Resolution No. 38145-UNMSM and CONUP Res.No. 1226-73), the Program of Second Specialization encompasses teaching and activitieswithin the basic and clinical medical sciences. Its syllabus includes, fundamentally, intensiveprofessional internships, up-to-date courses of the highest level, non-cognitiveactivities and counseling and orientation activities. Its duration cannot be shorter thansix semesters, with a total of 120 credits. The Surgical Doctor degree is required to beable to sign up, and acceptance is through strict selection based upon merits. At present,the vacancies for Dermatology, which are in high demand, are limited; at UNMSM — thefirst one to set up this Specialization Program — there are 13; at Cayetano Heredia PrivateUniversity, the last one to be authorized, there is one vacancy per year.Regarding the facilities and equipment used by the Program of Second Specializationof the UNMSM, it should be mentioned that Supreme Decree 0055-71SA was issued onApril 13, 1971, stipulating that the treatment centers of the Health and Work Sectorshould provide facilities for university-level medical teaching; it was determined that theResidency for the Specialization should take place at evaluated and credited assistancecenters. The UNMSM signed agreements with all the hospitals and health centers in Limain order to abide by this Decree; it also has its own facilities — such as the Daniel A. CarriónInstitute of Tropical Medicine — as well as those located for a long time at differenthospitals in Lima, where as of 1970, upon the initiative of Dr. Zuño Burstein during hismanagement as member of the Reorganizing Government Board of the UNMSM, and,later, as University Director, the so-called Teaching and Treatment Services of theUNMSM were set up. These Services constitute, up to the present, academic centers allocatedto teaching, research, professional student internships and community treatmentservices, which, consequently, generate the production of goods and services.335