Dr. Sneha Ghunawat, MD (India) 

Mentor: Dr. Evangeline Handog, MD

Manila, Philippines. 2018

My three-week mentorship with Dr. Evangeline Handog was an enriching experience. During this period, I rotated between the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine (RITM) and the Asian Hospital and Medical Center, both of which are in Manila. This provided me with a good opportunity to observe patients in both public and private hospital settings. I saw patients with a wide range of cutaneous diseases including Hansen disease, mycosis fungoides, immunobullous diseases, and HIV-related skin disorders and I also took part in the related academic discussions. At RITM, I interacted with the learned faculty and gained insights from their respective areas of interest. The residents at RITM were also very helpful and made every effort to make me feel comfortable. I attended clinical meetings and case discussions with them and witnessed their approaches to diagnosis and patient management. I also observed phototherapy, minor surgical procedures and laser surgeries.

Dr. Handog has a practice that is an amalgamation of clinical dermatology and aesthetics. The laser center at the Asian Hospital is one of the largest centers in the Philippines and is equipped with world-class lasers for different indications such as acne scarring, pigmentary disorders, hair removal, and body contouring. I learned the useful aspects of the various lasers and this improved my fund of knowledge. Dr. Handog also shared her knowledge and experience regarding treatment of melasma and other pigmentary disorders, with in-depth discussions on therapeutic protocols and newer trends.

Among the many things that one learns from Dr. Handog is not only her par excellence knowledge of dermatology but also the enthusiasm with which she interacts with her patients. She strikes a perfect work-life balance and is an enthusiastic dancer. She took really good care of me during my stay and made an extra effort to take me sightseeing to nearby places. She is a true inspiration for young dermatologists like me.

The ISD mentorship has inspired me to pursue my areas of interest, and I am truly grateful to have been selected as a mentee. I would also like to thank Dr. Rashmi Sarkar, co-chair of the ISD International Mentorship Committee, who helped me to coordinate this mentorship.