We are pleased to announce that both of our Mohs surgeons at Rochester Dermatologic Surgery are now double board-certified in Dermatology and Mohs Micrographic Surgery!
Recent changes by the American College of Mohs Surgery (ACMS) have included offering a qualified fellowship-trained Mohs surgeons (already board-certified in Dermatology) to sit for an additional board exam specifically in Mohs Micrographic Surgery for the first time (2021). This distinction is a tremendous step forward for the field of Mohs surgery in ensuring that our patients receive world-class top-level care. Congratulations to Dr. Sherrif Ibrahim MD Ph.D and Dr. William Sipprell MD!
Why see a fellowship-trained double board-certified Mohs surgeon? A fellowship-trained double board-certified Mohs surgeon has had the following education and credentials:
- 4 years of undergraduate study (Bachelor’s Degree)
- 4 years of medical education (MD)
- 1 year of internship (may include general medicine, surgery, or pediatrics)
- 3 years of dermatology-specific training (residency) and pass a difficult board exam to become board-certified in Dermatology by the American Board of Dermatology
- 1 year of fellowship training (Mohs micrographic surgery) and pass an additional exam to become board-certified in Mohs Micrographic Surgery and Dermatologic Oncology by the American College of Mohs Surgery.
Fellows in Mohs surgery are selected from a competitive pool of dermatology applicants, and positions are highly sought after. During the additional rigorous year of fellowship training, “an approved fellow must perform 650 cases of Micrographic Surgery & Dermatologic Oncology (Mohs) during the 12 months” according to the American College of Mohs Surgery (ACMS) in order to be considered fellowship trained.
Furthermore, the fellow is exposed to a wide variety of procedural dermatology including most significantly Mohs micrographic surgery, Dermatologic oncology, minimally-invasive cosmetic procedures such as injectable neurotoxin (Dysport, Botox, etc.) and filler, and laser surgery. Dr. Ibrahim and Dr. Sipprell have both completed their fellowship training at the University of California San Francisco, after completing residency in dermatology at the University of Rochester Medical Center.
Ultimately, when it comes to you and your loved ones, you want to feel confident and assured that you are receiving the best care possible from a knowledgeable and compassionate physician. Both of our physicians have extensive experience and expertise in the field of Mohs micrographic surgery and procedural dermatology and can assist you in making the right decision regarding your care.
Article written by: Dr. Bill Sipprell