Deeper Than Skin: Submission Guidelines

Deeper Than Skin welcomes contributions from medical students, residents, fellows, and practicing pathologists who want to explore a case, question, or concept in dermatopathology. This is a mentored process, not a free-for-all — every submission is reviewed and edited by Dr. Dadras before publication, and every accepted author receives a named byline.

What We’re Looking For

We accept three types of submissions, matching our blog categories:

  1. Concept deep-dives (Fundamentals Friday) — an evergreen question about mechanism, technique, or diagnostic utility. Example: “How reliable is HMB45 in distinguishing nevus from melanoma, and how does it compare to PRAME?” Aim for a clear, practically useful answer, not an exhaustive literature review.
  2. Literature and classification updates (What’s New in Dermpath) — a summary of a recent paper, guideline change, or classification update (e.g., WHO reclassifications) and what it actually changes for how we sign out cases.
  3. Short pearls (Diagnostic Pearls) — a single high-yield tip, 150–300 words, no full case required.

Requirements

Submissions should be 500–1,200 words (Diagnostic Pearls excepted). Any histologic or clinical images must be your own or properly licensed, fully de-identified with no patient information, dates, or identifying marks, and submitted at high resolution. Cite sources for any factual or statistical claims. Write for a resident-level audience — assume clinical training but not subspecialty expertise.

Review Process

All submissions are reviewed by Dr. Dadras for accuracy, clarity, and appropriateness before publication. We may request revisions or suggest edits collaboratively — this is part of the mentorship value of contributing. Typical turnaround is 1–2 weeks depending on volume. Accepted posts are published with full byline credit (“Written by [Name], [Training Level/Institution], reviewed by Dr. Soheil Dadras”) and may be used by contributors in residency, fellowship, or job applications as a citable, published work.

How to Submit

Email your draft (as a Word document or Google Doc link) along with any images to digitalskinpathology@gmail.com. Include your name, training level/institution, and which category your submission fits. If you’re a trainee looking for a case idea or want to discuss a concept before writing, feel free to reach out first — we’re happy to help you scope it.