Historical Evolution and Organization
In 1979, the Tri-Service General Hospital (TSGH) was reorganized as the affiliated teaching hospital of the National Defense Medical Center (NDMC). In 1983, the department of dermatology stood independently from the department of internal medicine thereafter.
Education and Research
Education: Our department has specific training programs for medical students, intern doctors, post-graduate-year residents, and dermatological residents. We hold regular journal meetings, mortality case conferences, and clinical-pathological conferences and invite guest speakers from time to time. We also have multidisciplinary skin cancer conferences with participants from the department of oncology, nuclear medicine, radiation oncology, plastic surgery, and pathology.
Research: During year 2014 to 2018, we have conducted multiple research programs receiving grants from various governmental resources, including 13 sponsored by TSGH, 8 by the Ministry of National Defense and 3 by the Ministry of Science and Technology. As a result, 29 SCI papers were published.
Overall Facilities and Features
Our department is dedicated to working on dermatological education, research, and patient care. We also train dermatological specialist according to the well-designed dermatologist training program. In general, we have six major tasks: (1) performance of level five referral medical service for the military Tri-service in addition to the regular civilian medical service, (2) physical check-ups focusing on skin examination for various ranked military officers and personals of different organizations, (3) check-ups for skin disorders of the conscripts before taking military obligations and liabilities, (4) delivery of dermatological lectures for the medical students and further providing research training for the graduate students, (5) clinical training for intern doctors, post-graduate-year residents, and dermatologists, (6) developing and conducting research in dermatology-oriented fields.
The current department director, Dr. Wei-Ming Wang, actively leads the clinical working and promotes basic molecular biology research in dermatology. He also participates in public affairs including the administrative works for TSGH, NDMC, and the Taiwanese Dermatological Association after he graduated from the PhD program in Biochemistry at Case Western Reserve University in 2008. Dr. Chien-Ping Chiang received his PhD degree from the NDMC and he pays all his efforts to facilitate the daily training and academic works. Our department is well staffed for the development of clinical services, teaching, and basic research, all of which makes it possible to serve more patients and hopefully to become the country's premier model. We also have cosmetic clinics which provide services including skin resurfacing, surgical or laser removal of moles and freckles, body hairs, and wrinkles.
Future Goals
Integration of diagnosis and treatment in skin disorders
Advanced patient care with artificial intelligence and other newly developing techniques in cooperation with our medical engineering unit and other aligned organizations
Genetic research on rare diseases