Wisco, Oliver

Oliver Wisco

Associate Professor of Dermatology, Clinician Educator

Overview

Dr. Wisco is the Director of the Brown Dermatology Cutaneous Oncology Program and the Chair of the Department’s Quality and Safety Committee. He is also the Director and Founder of the Brown University Health Center for Performance Measurement, which focuses on developing data-driven strategies to enhance healthcare quality, optimize clinical workflows, and improve patient outcomes. Additionally, he is on the academic faculty of the Brown University Master's in Health Informatics and affiliated faculty of Brown University's Spatial Studies in the Social Sciences (S4) Program and Data Science Institute.

Dr. Wisco is board-certified in Dermatology and Micrographic Surgery & Dermatologic Oncology. He completed dermatology residency at Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland AFB, TX and completed a Mohs Micrographic Surgery Fellowship under Donald J. Grande, MD, the first Mohs Surgeon in Boston, MA. He also completed a Melanoma Clinical Research, with a focus on data science, Fellowship under Hensin Tsao, MD, PhD and Arthur Sober, MD at Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital & the Wellman Center for Photomedicine in Boston, MA.

Much of Dr. Wisco’s medical career has been in the military, where he served for 27 years in the US Air Force. He has also previously served as academic faculty at Emory University School of Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.

In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Wisco has been heavily involved in healthcare improvement initiatives primarily through the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), the American College of Mohs Surgery (ACMS), and the American Medical Association’s National Quality Registry Network (NQRN). Most significantly, his work guided the development of the AAD’s national performance measurement system and data registry (DataDerm) for all of dermatology.

Dr. Wisco’s interest in healthcare performance improvement and informatics parallels his clinical research interest in understanding the risk factors that lead to high-risk skin cancer and advanced melanoma to improve care processes and promote health. With his research/performance improvement interest, informatics background, and policy work, Dr. Wisco is dedicated to exploring methods to integrate patients, clinicians, health systems, and city governments to drive the creation of healthy, sustainable communities.

Education

Medical School: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia, PA

08/98 - 06/02

Degree: D.O.

Sigma Sigma Phi (AOA Equivalent)
PCOM Simmy Ginsburg Humanitarian Award (Top PCOM Graduation Award)

Undergraduate: University of Portland, Portland, OR

08/94 - 05/97

Degree: B.S. Biochemistry

Magna Cum Laude
AFROTC Distinguished Graduate

Post-Graduate Training

Fellowship: Melanoma Clinical Research, Boston, MA

07/10 - 06/12

Massachusetts General Hospital, Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Harvard Medical School

Fellowship Director: Hensin Tsao, MD, PhD

Year 1 (07/10 - 06/11): Clinical Research Fellow - Joint Program with Mohs Surgery Fellowship

Year 2 (07/11 - 06/12): Visiting Research Fellow

Research Focus: how to effectively create a collaborative multidisciplinary team with a data infrastructure to perform future predictive analytics to better understand risk for advanced disease and how to develop mitigation / treatment strategies.

Fellowship: Micrographic Surgery & Cutaneous Oncology, Boston, MA

07/10 - 06/11

Mystic Valley Dermatology

Fellowship Director: Donald J. Grande, MD

Joint Mohs Surgery Fellowship with Melanoma Clinical Research Fellowship

Research Focus: evaluating the effectiveness of the surgical procedures (Staged Excision vs Mohs Surgery vs Standard Excision) for melanoma in-situ on the head & neck.

Dermatology Residency: Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland AFB, TX

07/05 - 06/08

San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium

MAJ David S. Berry Outstanding Resident Award (Top SAUSHEC Graduating Resident)

Internship: David Grant Medical Center, Travis AFB, CA

07/02 - 06/03

UC Davis Medical System

Brown Affiliations

Dermatology

Research Areas

Access to health care | Geospatial data | health informatics (eHealth/mHealth) | Risk-stratification | skin cancer

On the Web

Wisco-Wei Lab

Publications Visualize it

Wei G, Tran MM, Orsillo L, Mirza FN, Yumeen S, Yang E, Robbins A, Mehta A, Liu Z, Vance T, Kawaoka J, Qureshi AA, Wisco OJ. "A Geospatial Analysis of the Association between Access to Tanning Bed Facilities and Melanoma in the United States New England Region." Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2024.

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Chen A, Ray P, Rogers H, Bialowas C, Butala P, Chen M, Daveluy SD, Davidson C, Faringer P, Guarda H, Kantor J, Kaweski S, Lawrence N, Lickstein D, Lomax J, Parra S, Retson N, Suryadevara A, Smith R, Tollefson TT, Wisco OJ. "Evidence-Based Performance Measures for Reconstruction after Skin Cancer Resection: A Multidisciplinary Performance Measure Set." Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, vol. 153, no. 2, 2024, pp. 424e-441e.

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Diehl K, Krippaehne E, Minasyan M, Banh M, Yumeen S, Mirza FN, Hajjar K, Ng J, Wais N, Goulding A, Yu I, Tran MD, Sheikh A, Lai C, Panchal N, Kesler A, Serad S, Brown J, Lippincott A, Wei G, Vance T, Wisco OJ. "Exploring Skin Pigmentation Adaptation: A Systematic Review on the Vitamin D Adaptation Hypothesis." Cutis, vol. 113, no. 5, 2024, pp. E15-E21.

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Eble SM, Wisco OJ, Boccuto L, Laffin B, Parker VG, Davis NJ, Temples HS. "Genetic factors associated with hidradenitis suppurativa, a literature review." International Journal of Women's Dermatology, vol. 10, no. 2, 2024, pp. e158.

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Diehl K, Stoos E, Becker A, Orfaly VE, Nelson J, Gillespie J, Ng J, Tobey T, Latour E, Ludzik J, Berry EG, Geller AC, Jacobe H, Leitenberger J, McClanahan D, Tran J, Prasad S, Mengden-Koon S, Nelson KC, Petering R, Verdieck A, Savory S, Smith EH, Tofte S, Weinstock MA, White K, Wisco O, Curiel-Lewandrowski C, Swetter SM, Witkowski AM, Ferris L, Black S, Xu R, Xu S, Leachman S. "Melanoma toolkit for early detection for primary care clinicians: a 1-year follow-up on outcomes." Frontiers in Medicine, vol. 11, 2024, pp. 1500216.

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Wisco OJ, Diehl K, Clark MR, Gilson RT, Cohen LM. "Pruritic Rash on the Shins." American family physician, vol. 109, no. 1, 2024, pp. Online.

PubMed

Diehl K, Barber C, Wisco OJ, Young J, Osswald S, Cohen L. "Superficial Acral Fibromyxoma on the Thumb-Nail Bed." Rhode Island medical journal (2013), vol. 107, no. 4, 2024, pp. 16-18.

PubMed

Orsillo L, Tran MM, Yumeen S, Mirza FN, Robbins A, Wei G, Vance T, Kawaoka J, Wisco O. "Tanning beds in unusual locations: the geographic distribution of non-salon tanning facilities across the US." Archives of Dermatological Research, vol. 316, no. 6, 2024, pp. 302.

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Moseley I, Ahmed F, Lin E, Lim R, Hoang M, Baranwal N, Robinson-Bostom L, Libby T, Wisco O, Qureshi A, Cho E. "Host and primary tumor factors for the development of multiple cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas among a retrospective cohort in Rhode Island." Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, vol. 89, no. 3, 2023, pp. 511-518.

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Ahmed F, Moseley I, Lin E, Lim R, Baranwal N, Hoang M, Libby T, Wisco O, Robinson-Bostom L, Gupta S, Qureshi A, Cho E. "The Association of Neighborhood-Level Socioeconomic Status and Tumor Diameter in Squamous Cell Carcinoma." Journal of Investigative Dermatology, vol. 143, no. 1, 2023, pp. 170-172.

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Kahn BJ, Abrantes T, Yumeen S, Wisco O. "How We Do It: Melolabial Drawbridge Island Pedicle for Reconstruction of Nasal Ala and Perialar Cheek." Dermatologic surgery : official publication for American Society for Dermatologic Surgery [et al.], vol. 48, no. 12, 2022, pp. 1356-1357.

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Wisco OJ, Marson JW, Litchman GH, Brownstone N, Covington KR, Martin BJ, Quick AP, Siegel JJ, Caruso HG, Cook RW, Winkelmann RR, Rigel DS. "Improved cutaneous melanoma survival stratification through integration of 31-gene expression profile testing with the American Joint Committee on Cancer 8th Edition Staging." Melanoma research, vol. 32, no. 2, 2022, pp. 98-102.

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Toman J, Michael GM, Wisco OJ, Adams JR, Hubbs BS. "Mohs Defect Repair with Dehydrated Human Amnion/Chorion Membrane." Facial plastic surgery & aesthetic medicine, vol. 24, no. 1, 2022, pp. 48-53.

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Wisco OJ, Imbriano P, Zullo M, Adelson D. "Aligning research core outcome set development with clinical care performance measurement." Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, vol. 81, no. 2, 2019, pp. 654-655.

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Swetter SM, Tsao H, Bichakjian CK, Curiel-Lewandrowski C, Elder DE, Gershenwald JE, Guild V, Grant-Kels JM, Halpern AC, Johnson TM, Sober AJ, Thompson JA, Wisco OJ, Wyatt S, Hu S, Lamina T. "Guidelines of care for the management of primary cutaneous melanoma." Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, vol. 80, no. 1, 2019, pp. 208-250.

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Wisco OJ, Hajar T, Grande DJ. "Commentary: Skin cancer in the military." Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, vol. 78, no. 6, 2018, pp. 1193-1194.

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Johnson MM, Leachman SA, Aspinwall LG, Cranmer LD, Curiel-Lewandrowski C, Sondak VK, Stemwedel CE, Swetter SM, Vetto J, Bowles T, Dellavalle RP, Geskin LJ, Grossman D, Grossmann KF, Hawkes JE, Jeter JM, Kim CC, Kirkwood JM, Mangold AR, Meyskens F, Ming ME, Nelson KC, Piepkorn M, Pollack BP, Robinson JK, Sober AJ, Trotter S, Venna SS, Agarwala S, Alani R, Averbook B, Bar A, Becevic M, Box N, E Carson W 3rd, Cassidy PB, Chen SC, Chu EY, Ellis DL, Ferris LK, Fisher DE, Kendra K, Lawson DH, Leming PD, Margolin KA, Markovic S, Martini MC, Miller D, Sahni D, Sharfman WH, Stein J, Stratigos AJ, Tarhini A, Taylor MH, Wisco OJ, Wong MK. "Skin cancer screening: recommendations for data-driven screening guidelines and a review of the US Preventive Services Task Force controversy." Melanoma management, vol. 4, no. 1, 2017, pp. 13-37.

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Wisco OJ, Adelson D. "Basal cell carcinoma screening drives a comprehensive approach to skin cancer." Br J Dermatol, vol. 174, no. 6, 2016, pp. 1182-3.

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Leitenberger JJ, Rogers H, Chapman JC, Maher IA, Fox MC, Harmon CB, Bailey EC, Odland P, Wysong A, Johnson T, Wisco OJ. "Defining recurrence of nonmelanoma skin cancer after Mohs micrographic surgery: Report of the American College of Mohs Surgery Registry and Outcomes Committee." Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, vol. 75, no. 5, 2016, pp. 1022-1031.

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Council ML, Alam M, Gloster HM Jr, Bordeaux JS, Carroll BT, Leitenberger JJ, Wisco OJ, Maher IA. "Identifying and defining complications of dermatologic surgery to be tracked in the American College of Mohs Surgery (ACMS) Registry." Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, vol. 74, no. 4, 2016, pp. 739-45.

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Moss TA, Spillane AP, Almquist SF, McCleskey PE, Wisco OJ. "Palmoplantar keratoderma with progressive gingivitis and recurrent pyodermas." Cutis, vol. 93, no. 4, 2014, pp. 193-8.

PubMed

Balagula Y, Mattei PL, Wisco OJ, Erdag G, Chien AL. "The great imitator revisited: the spectrum of atypical cutaneous manifestations of secondary syphilis." International Journal of Dermatology, vol. 53, no. 12, 2014, pp. 1434-41.

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American Academy of Dermatology., American College of Mohs Surgery., American Society for Dermatologic Surgery Association., American Society for Mohs Surgery., Ad Hoc Task Force., Connolly SM, Baker DR, Coldiron BM, Fazio MJ, Storrs PA, Vidimos AT, Zalla MJ, Brewer JD, Begolka WS, Berger TG, Bigby M, Bolognia JL, Brodland DG, Collins S, Cronin TA Jr, Dahl MV, Grant-Kels JM, Hanke CW, Hruza GJ, James WD, Lober CW, McBurney EI, Norton SA, Roenigk RK, Wheeland RG, Wisco OJ. "AAD/ACMS/ASDSA/ASMS 2012 appropriate use criteria for Mohs micrographic surgery: a report of the American Academy of Dermatology, American College of Mohs Surgery, American Society for Dermatologic Surgery Association, and the American Society for Mohs Surgery." Dermatologic surgery : official publication for American Society for Dermatologic Surgery [et al.], vol. 38, no. 10, 2012, pp. 1582-603.

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Ad Hoc Task Force., Connolly SM, Baker DR, Coldiron BM, Fazio MJ, Storrs PA, Vidimos AT, Zalla MJ, Brewer JD, Smith Begolka W, Ratings Panel., Berger TG, Bigby M, Bolognia JL, Brodland DG, Collins S, Cronin TA Jr, Dahl MV, Grant-Kels JM, Hanke CW, Hruza GJ, James WD, Lober CW, McBurney EI, Norton SA, Roenigk RK, Wheeland RG, Wisco OJ. "AAD/ACMS/ASDSA/ASMS 2012 appropriate use criteria for Mohs micrographic surgery: a report of the American Academy of Dermatology, American College of Mohs Surgery, American Society for Dermatologic Surgery Association, and the American Society for Mohs Surgery." Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, vol. 67, no. 4, 2012, pp. 531-50.

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Mendese G, Wisco O, Allan A, Quinn T, Grande D. "Concomitant Merkel cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma presenting as a solitary nodule." Dermatologic surgery : official publication for American Society for Dermatologic Surgery [et al.], vol. 38, no. 10, 2012, pp. 1753-5.

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Wisco OJ, Sober AJ. "Prognostic factors for melanoma." Dermatologic clinics, vol. 30, no. 3, 2012, pp. 469-85.

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Mattei PL, Beachkofsky TM, Gilson RT, Wisco OJ. "Syphilis: a reemerging infection." American family physician, vol. 86, no. 5, 2012, pp. 433-40.

PubMed

Moss TA, Beachkofsky TM, Almquist SF, Wisco OJ, Murchland MR. "Alopecia with perifollicular papules and pustules." The Journal of family practice, vol. 60, no. 2, 2011, pp. 95-8.

PubMed

Bandino JP, Norton SA, Aldrich SL, Wisco OJ, Hodson DS, Murchland MR, Grande DJ. "Low-grade myxofibrosarcoma presenting at the site of prior high-grade disease." J Cutan Pathol, vol. 38, no. 10, 2011, pp. 808-13.

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Mattei PL, Johnson RP, Beachkofsky TM, Wisco OJ, Hivnor CM, Murchland MR. "Pruritic rash on trunk." The Journal of family practice, vol. 60, no. 9, 2011, pp. 539-42.

PubMed

Beachkofsky TM, Wisco OJ, Osswald SS, Hodson DS. "What is your diagnosis? Labial lichen planus." Cutis, vol. 88, no. 1, 2011, pp. 13, 17-20.

PubMed

Wentzell JM, Wisco OJ. "The helix jelly roll flap." Dermatologic surgery : official publication for American Society for Dermatologic Surgery [et al.], vol. 36, no. 7, 2010, pp. 1183-90.

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Clark SM, Beachkofsky TM, Wisco OJ, Hodson DS. "Verrucous papule on thigh." The Journal of family practice, vol. 59, no. 11, 2010, pp. 645-8.

PubMed

Schwendiman MN, Beachkofsky TM, Wisco OJ, Owens NM, Hodson DS. "Primary cutaneous nodular amyloidosis: case report and review of the literature." Cutis, vol. 84, no. 2, 2009, pp. 87-92.

PubMed

Beachkofsky TM, Wisco OJ, Osswald SS, Osswald MB, Hodson DS. "Pulmonary cutaneous metastasis: a case report and review of common cutaneous metastases." Cutis, vol. 84, no. 6, 2009, pp. 315-22.

PubMed

Beachkofsky TM, Wisco OJ, Owens NM, Hodson DS. "Verrucous nodules on the ankle." The Journal of family practice, vol. 58, no. 8, 2009, pp. 427-30.

PubMed

Parra SL, Wisco OJ. "What is your diagnosis? Perniosis (Chilblain)." Cutis, vol. 84, no. 1, 2009, pp. 15, 27-9.

PubMed

Wisco OJ, Wentzell JM. "When an M is a V: vector analysis calls for redesign of the M-plasty." Dermatologic surgery : official publication for American Society for Dermatologic Surgery [et al.], vol. 35, no. 8, 2009, pp. 1271-6.

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Wentzell JM, Wisco OJ. "Embryologic fusion planes: a plea for more precise analysis." Dermatologic surgery : official publication for American Society for Dermatologic Surgery [et al.], vol. 34, no. 6, 2008, pp. 851-3; author reply 853.

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Wisco OJ, Sloan SB, Johnson RP. "Erythematous annular lesions." American family physician, vol. 76, no. 11, 2007, pp. 1709-10.

PubMed

Howe WR, Wisco OJ, Sartori C. "Fixed cutaneous sporotrichosis in an adolescent boy: a case report." Cutis, vol. 78, no. 5, 2006, pp. 337-40.

PubMed

Wisco OJ, Ritter SE, Murchland MR. "What is your diagnosis? Benign familial chronic pemphigus." Cutis, vol. 75, no. 4, 2005, pp. 208, 210-12.

PubMed

Research

Research Overview

In the US, there is a significant skin cancer burden of disease that drives healthcare costs and utilization. Recent advancements in treatment modalities have lessened the morbidity & mortality incurred by patients. However, while this progress is improving the burden of disease, further work must be dedicated towards identifying and characterizing the highest at-risk populations to allow for more targeted interventions. The skin cancer community has a broad understanding of the risk factors that traditionally lead to the occurrence of disease, but limited knowledge exists on how to predict who will present with advanced disease. Within the public health and social science sectors, there has been significant work evaluating how socioeconomic status and other related social factors, and how they relate spatially, influence disease and care delivery. There has also been a refocus on how prominent diseases influence the delay in treatment for less “critical” medical problems. This has been demonstrated with COVID-19 and how the epidemic has created an access-to-care barrier for timely care of diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. In reviewing this current work, we have recognized that there is a gap in our understanding on how social access-to-care barriers and other disease priorities, along with their geospatial influence, act as risk factors, or magnify traditional risk factors, that impact the development of advanced skin cancer disease. As such, the primary focus of Dr Wisco's research team is to assess how social, geospatial, and disease access-to-care factors, along with traditional skin cancer risk factors and genetic predisposition, influence skin cancer disease severity to better address high-risk populations.

Research Statement

Dr. Wisco's research team's current main projects include the following:

Evaluation of Advanced Skin Cancer Risk in the United States, A National County Level Geospatial Risk Analysis

The objective of this retrospective study is to identify the populations of patients in the United States that are at greatest risk for advanced stage skin cancer. We will be using skin cancer, US census, and public health larger public domain data sources to perform multivariate and geospatial analysis to identify at-risk populations. By identifying these at-risk populations and examining access-to-care risk factors and how they relate geographically, we hope to better focus care on identified high-risk populations.

Predictive Modeling of Advanced Skin Cancer Risk in Rhode Island, A Geospatial Risk Analysis

The objective of this retrospective study is to identify the populations of patients in Rhode Island that are at greatest risk for advanced stage skin cancer. By examining the Rhode Island standard skin cancer patient factors, along with access-to-care risk factors and how they relate geographically, we hope to better focus care on identified high-risk populations. In addition, through this population-level data analysis, an opportunity also arises to identify where data gaps exist that could be addressed. It is intended that this study will also enhance the institution’s clinical research infrastructure by supporting the development of a high quality, sustainable, and relevant database in a common cancer.

Department of Defense Melanoma Prognostic Risk Analysis and Disease Surveillence Plan Development

This retrospective study is a DoD-wide research initiative to comprehensively assess potential influencing risk factors in patients, affiliated with the Department of Defense, that have been diagnosed with melanoma. The design of the proposed study is two-pronged, consisting of an epidemiologic and geospatial research component to develop a comprehensive prognostic index for melanoma within the DoD and a translational research component to identify the methodology to validate, refine, and clinically apply this data into a future DoD-wide disease surveillence plan.

Background

Education and Training

Year	Degree	Institution
2002	DO	Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
1997	BS	University of Portland

Honors and Awards

Sigma Sigma Phi

Affiliations Visualize it

Collaborators

Name	Title
Chen, Elizabeth	Interim Director of the Center for Biomedical Informatics, Associate Professor of Medical Science, Associate Professor of Health Services, Policy and Practice
Cho, Eunyoung	Associate Professor of Epidemiology, Associate Professor of Dermatology
Kraines, Morganne	Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior
Mwenda, Kevin	Director of Spatial Structures in the Social Sciences, Associate Professor of Population Studies (Research)
Sarkar, Neil	Associate Professor of Medical Science, Associate Professor of Health Services, Policy and Practice
Vance, Terrence	Instructor in Dermatology
Weinstock, Martin	Professor of Dermatology

Affiliations

Academic Faculty, Master's in Health Informatics
Affiliated Faculty, Spatial Structures in the Social Sciences (S4)
Affiliated Faculty, Data Science Institute
Brown University

Adjunct Associate Professor of Dermatology
F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine of the Uniformed Services University

Appointments

Director of Cutaneous Oncology, Mohs Surgeon. Rhode Island Hospital, -

Associate Professor of Dermatology, Clinician Educator. Brown Univeristy , -

Researchers@Brown

Researchers@Brown

Oliver Wisco

Associate Professor of Dermatology, Clinician Educator

Overview

Brown Affiliations

Research Areas

On the Web

Publications Visualize it

Research

Research Overview

Research Statement

Background

Education and Training

Honors and Awards

Affiliations Visualize it

Collaborators

Affiliations

Appointments

Teaching

Teaching Overview