Spike in Dermatology Visits for Skin Problems Seen During Summer of Wildfires
Mass General researchers observed that peak carbon monoxide levels from wildfire air pollution synchronized with a summer surge in visits for atopic dermatitis and eczema.
About Shadi Kourosh, MD, MPH
Dr. Kourosh is a board certified dermatologist and Associate Professor of Dermatology at Harvard Medical School. She is a graduate of the Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, where she received the institution's awards for Leadership and Outstanding Professionalism and Humanism as a physician.
Dr. Kourosh is committed to patient advocacy and solving public health problems for patients with skin disease. She developed the Skin Advocate iPhone App, a free iPhone application that connects patients with patient advocacy organizations for their skin conditions. She has served as Editor-in-Chief of Dialogues in Dermatology, the American Academy of Dermatology's (AAD) official podcast and internationally subscribed educational program for physicians.
Dr. Kourosh serves as the Dermatology Department's Director of Community Health, providing access to dermatologic care for underserved communities. She is the founding director of the Clinic for Pigmentary Disorders at Massachusetts General Hospital, and the founder and director of The Radiance Clinic, MGH's pro-bono tattoo removal program, assisting those escaping gangs and human trafficking to be safe and reintegrate into society, which has won national awards for its impact. She also advocates for patients at the national level in the AAD's delegation to Congress to protect medical research and affordable care for patients with skin disease.
Dr. Kourosh has won numerous awards including Massachusetts General Hospital's Clinician-Teacher Award, Harvard Medical School's Dean's Community Service Award, the Ernesto Gonzalez Award for outstanding service to the Latino Community and Boston's Top Doctors. In 2020 she received the AAD's Presidential Citation for outstanding service during the COVID19 crisis. In 2022, she received another AAD Presidential Citation for her leadership of a national task force to aid those affected human trafficking, and she has been named one of Medscape's 25 Rising Stars in Medicine.
Twitter: @DrShadi_
Departments, Centers, & Programs:
Clinical Interests:
- Dermatology (general)
- Multi-Ethnic Skin
- Patient advocacy
- Public health and community medicine
- Skin of color
- Tanning/ultraviolet radiation
- Technological innovations in medicine
- Vitiligo and pigmentary disorders
Treats:
- Adult & Pediatrics
Languages:
- Farsi, Spanish
Locations
Chelsea HealthCare Center
151 Everett Ave.
Chelsea, MA 02150
Phone: 617-884-8300
Mass General Revere HealthCare Center
300 Ocean Ave.
Revere, MA 02151
Phone: 781-485-6000
Mass General Dermatology
50 Staniford St.
Boston, MA 02114
Phone: 617-726-2914
Medical Education
- MD, UT Southwestern Medical School
- Residency, UT Southwestern Medical Center
American Board Certifications
- Dermatology, American Board of Dermatology
Accepted Insurance Plans
- Aetna
- Beech Street
- Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicare
- Cigna
- Commonwealth Care Alliance
- Coventry
- Fallon Health
- Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
- Humana
- Maine Community Health Options
- Mass General Brigham Health Plan
- MassHealth
- Medicaid CT
- Medicaid ME
- Medicaid NH
- Medicaid RI
- Medicaid VT
- Medicare
- Medicare ACO
- Multiplan
- Railroad Medicare
- Senior Whole Health
- TriCare
- Tufts Health Plan
- United Health Care
- Wellpoint
- WellSense
- WellSense NH
Note: This provider may accept more insurance plans than shown; please call the practice to find out if your plan is accepted.
Research
Development and application of technologies and innovative methods to promote patient advocacy and solve problems in healthcare.
Dr. Kourosh developed the Skin Advocate iPhone App, a free application that connects patients with skin disease with appropriate patient advocacy resources and support for their conditions.
She is currently working on innovations involving novel telemedicine platforms to increase access to care.
Dr. Kourosh also founded and directs The Radiance Clinic, a pro bono tattoo removal program for patients in need of assistance with job acquisition and social reintegration, and conducts research around tattoos as a social determinant of health.
Publications
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Select Publications:
- Improving Patient Advocacy Groups Through Smartphones: A Needs Assessment. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. Vol 69, Issue 3, p 493-494, September 2013.
- Bridging Dermatologists with Patient Advocacy Groups Through Smartphones. JAMA Dermatology 2013.
- Pathogenesis of Mucous Membrane Pemphigoid. Dermatol Clin. 2011 Jul; 29(3):479-84.
- Therapeutic Approaches to Patients with Mucous Membrane Pemphigoid. Dermatol Clin. 2011 Oct;29(4):637-41.
- Activation of the mesostriatal reward pathway with exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) vs. sham UVR in frequent tanners. Addiction Biology 17: 68P686.
- Tanning as a behavioral addiction. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse 36(5):284-90 (May 2010)
- Hooked on Tanning: Why You Shouldn't Start. The Skin Cancer Foundation Journal. Vol 30. 2012.
- Photosensitive Disorders in HIV. Cockerell and Calame: Cutaneous manifestations of HIV infection. Copyright 2010. Manson Publishing, 73 Corringham Road, London, NW11 7DL, UK.
- Leprosy of Lucio and Latapí with extremity livedoid vascular changes. International Journal of Dermatology 2013;52(10):1245-7Psoriasis as the Marker of Underlying Systemic Disease. Skin Therapy Letter. 2008 Feb; 13(1):1-5.
- Patient Advocacy in the Technological Age. Journal of the Dermatology Nurses Association. July/August 2013 - Volume 5 - Issue 4, pp: 187-237. Dermatologists and Social Media, Editorial & Commentary for June 2013 Dialogues in Dermatology.
- A Girl With Cerebriform Palmar Plaques. Consultant For Pediatricians. 2013;12(7):317-318.