Our Staff

Christine S. Rausch, M.D.

Dr. Christine Rausch is a specialist in skin cancer, Mohs micrographic surgery and reconstructive surgery. She graduated Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Richmond, where she completed her undergraduate degree in Biology. She received her Doctor of Medicine degree from Eastern Virginia Medical School, where she graduated as one of the top students in her class and was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society early in her junior year. She received her Internal Medicine and Dermatology training at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Following her residency, she completed her fellowship training in Mohs Micrographic Surgery at Geisinger Medical Center, under the direction of Victor Marks, M.D. Dr. Rausch is a Mohs College graduate, having done the extra one-year fellowship training program in skin cancer surgery, pathology and advanced reconstructive surgery. By virtue of her rigorous fellowship, she possesses the skills and experience necessary to perform Mohs micrographic surgery and reconstruction at all levels of complexity. She is an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Dermatology at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine and Assistant Director of the procedural dermatology fellowship, dedicated to the training of residents and fellows. She is board certified by the American Board of Dermatology and is an active member of the American Academy of Dermatology, and a fellow of the American College of Mohs Micrographic Surgery and Cutaneous Oncology (www.mohscollege.org). She is a licensed physician in the Commonwealth of Virginia. She is strongly committed to the care of her patients and the treatment of skin cancer with a focus on achieving superior cosmetic outcomes.

Learn more about choosing a surgeon by clicking on the link: How to Choose a Surgeon.

Why Choose a Fellowship Trained Mohs Surgeon

Alicia D. Wood, PA-C

Ms. Wood received her Bachelor of Science from Gardner-Webb University in North Carolina with double minor in Chemistry and French. She obtained her Masters of Physician Assistant from James Madison University. She was employed with interventional radiology at VCU Health Systems for three and a half years performing numerous types of procedures. Ms. Wood joined the Skin Surgery Center of Virginia in March 2011.

Professional affiliations include:

• American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA)
• Society of Dermatology Physician Assistants (SDPA)

Kerry Lavigne, M.D.

Dr. Lavigne is a board certified dermatologist who received her medical degree from the University of Tennessee College of Medicine. Her dermatology residency training was at Geisinger Medical Center. She is now spending a year in a procedural dermatology fellowship at VCU Medical Center. She rotates through our center one day a week on Wednesday as part of her training.

Alex Ortega, M.D.

Dr. Ortega received his medical degree from Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos in Lima Peru. He is now in his final year of dermatology residency training at VCU Medical Center. He rotates through our center one day every other week on Tuesday as part of his training.

Sarah Stechschulte, M.D.

Dr. Stechschulte received her medical degree from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. She is now in her final year of dermatology residency training at VCU Medical Center. She rotates through our center one day every other week on Tuesday as part of her training.

Our Staff

We take great pride in our staff's training and professional capabilities. The mohs team consists of the physician, certified physician assistant, mohs technician, patient care coordinator, medical assistant, licensed and registered nurse and a board certified dermatology surgical fellow and resident.

The physician assistants have attended a graduate level accredited physician assistant program and passed a national certificate examination. Physician assistants are state licensed and regulated by the board of medicine. They are able to practice medicine in a wide variety of settings, but mohs trained physician assistants have extensive additional training in the mohs technique including the ability to diagnose and treat skin cancers. They are also skilled in advanced reconstruction and fine suturing techniques. The physician assistant will or may have an integral role during the day of your surgery from the initial exam and consultation to the reconstruction with physician supervision. In addition to the physician assistant, the fellow and resident are often involved in surgery and reconstruction.

Facility

The Skin Surgery Center of Virginia is a tertiary care referral center accepting patient referrals from plastic surgeons, dermatologists, ENT surgeons and primary care physicians from a two hour radius surrounding Richmond.

Our facility is one of the few centers in Virginia specifically designed for the diagnosis and treatment of only skin cancer. The Skin Surgery Center of Virginia is an ambulatory surgical center and is modeled after a hospital environment. It conforms to and is approved by the State of Virginia, Medicare and the Joint Commission standards in design, policies and procedures, fire protection and safety, and handicap accessibility. These standards are considered the highest to ensure the safest surgical environment. Yet, surgery is performed in a comfortable, cost-effective, outpatient setting. We take pride in these distinctions as very few dermatologic surgery centers nationwide achieve them.

Furthermore, our procedure and exam rooms have state-of-the-art lighting for better detection of skin cancer and visualization of the cancer’s outer margins. Our lab is CLIA  (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments) approved and is on site for easy and quick processing of the pathology.

We also have a dedicated, comfortable separate waiting room for our patients undergoing Mohs surgery. The room has snacks, coffee, a small refrigerator, microwave and wireless internet access available for use.

Click on the images below to enlarge

Educational Training

The Skin Surgery Center of Virginia is honored to partner with VCU Medical Center for fellowship training to board certified dermatologists in Mohs Surgery and reconstructive surgery. The fellowship program in Mohs surgery and Procedural Dermatology is approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (AGME) of the America Medical Association.

The following is a list of our prior fellows including their medical school and where they are currently practicing.

The Skin Surgery Center of Virginia is also honored to participate in the training of residents from VCU Department of Dermatology. We have had many residents rotate through our center, gaining exposure to surgery, some of which have established their practice in Richmond. They include the following:

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