2026 Elevate-Derm Summer Conference Day 1 Recap

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The third annual Elevate-Derm Summer Conference kicked off Wednesday at the Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center in San Diego, California, welcoming dermatology physician associates, nurse practitioners, and other clinicians for several days of clinical education, networking, and case-based learning. The opening day centered on a dedicated JAK-iNSTITUTE Symposium, offering attendees an in-depth look at the evolving role of Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors across inflammatory skin diseases.

JAK-iNSTITUTE Opens With Practical Treatment Strategies

The afternoon began with Walter Liszewski, MD, who reviewed the use of JAK inhibitors in immunologically mediated skin disorders before Lisa Swanson, MD, followed with a session focused on efficacy, safety considerations, and patient selection. Together, the presentations established a clinical framework for understanding where JAK inhibitors fit into modern dermatologic practice.

Education continued with interactive panel discussions addressing laboratory monitoring requirements and patient counseling strategies. Eileen Cheever, PA-C, Walter Liszewski, MD, Buchi Neita, PA-C, and Lisa Swanson, MD, shared practical considerations clinicians encounter when initiating and managing patients receiving JAK inhibitor therapy.

Case-Based Learning Highlights Real-World Decision Making

One of the afternoon's signature educational sessions featured case-based roundtables led by Eileen Cheever, PA-C, Victoria Garcia-Albea, NP, Keri Holyoak, PA-C, and Buchi Neita, PA-C. Designed as an interactive workshop, the session encouraged attendees to apply evidence-based principles to real-world clinical scenarios and discuss management strategies with faculty and peers.

The educational program concluded with a SkinSync Live panel on the contemporary management of hyperpigmentation disorders, where Cheever and Veronica Richardson, NP, explored current approaches to caring for patients with pigmentary conditions.

Networking Extends Beyond the Classroom

Following the CME programming, attendees had opportunities to connect during the Arrival Event with Exhibitors before continuing discussions at an evening dinner symposium focused on chronic hand eczema management. Invitation-only networking events rounded out the first day, emphasizing Elevate-Derm's commitment to fostering collaboration alongside continuing education.

Looking Ahead to Day 2

Thursday's agenda shifts to a broader range of dermatology topics, including alopecia and scalp disorders in patients of color, atopic dermatitis across the lifespan, artificial intelligence in dermatology, hidradenitis suppurativa management, hyperpigmentation in skin of color, and updates in psoriatic disease. The day concludes with the conference's Stars & Stripes Dinner Cruise, bringing attendees together for an evening of networking on San Diego Bay.

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