Dermatology: Faculty Spotlight

A graduate of the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine, Dr. Bertucci went on to complete residencies in both Internal Medicine and Dermatology, followed by a year-long Fellowship in Dermatologic Surgery. Over the years, he has been fortunate to have had the opportunity to take on increasingly larger leadership and educational roles in the dermatology community.

At the 2023 American Society for Dermatologic Surgery / Association Annual Meeting held in Chicago, Illinois, Dr. Vince Bertucci completed his term as ASDS/A President, having served from October 2022 to November 2023. He was the second Canadian dermatologist to be elected to this position, following Dr. Alastair Carruthers, who held the position in 2006-07. In Dr. Bertucci’s words, “I feel very humbled and privileged to have had the opportunity to lead this prestigious 6,400-member organization whose members have pioneered many of today’s dermatologic surgery innovations, from Mohs surgery to lasers and neuromodulators.”

During his tenure, Dr. Bertucci led the organizations’ strategic planning effort, embracing the theme Reflect, Strategize, and Evolve. The post-pandemic timing presented an opportunity for deep reflection and transformation. Through member surveys, focus groups, and various leadership and staff meetings, the organization identified three foundational pillars: education, advocacy, and marketing and communications. Dr. Bertucci’s support laid the groundwork for a detailed three-year plan focusing on these pillars.

During his presidency, Dr. Bertucci led the development of several new initiatives with a focus on education and leadership. The cornerstone of his legacy was the creation of a three-year longitudinal core curriculum for residents on cosmetic and surgical dermatology, a program that was personally important to Dr. Bertucci. Resident Cosmetic & Surgical Derm Essentials, a new online educational series, was launched in August 2023 to help residents prepare for their board exams and ready them to practice medicine. This series supports residents through the life of their residency education. The standardized longitudinal core curriculum is based on the American Board of Dermatology (ABD) Certification Pathway Core Exam Study Guide for Surgical Dermatology for residents and is appropriate for the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada certification exams, incorporating all oncologic and cosmetic procedures. The series consists of 30 lecture topics, with 10 lectures being released every year. Dr. Bertucci welcomes all Canadian Dermatology Residency Programs to take advantage of this offering.

In the spirit of translating research from the bench to the bedside, Dr. Bertucci also launched the Practice Changing Publications webinar series with expert panelists from across North America. During these webinars, a leading dermatologic surgery article is highlighted along with related scientific literature, followed by a discussion of how that research is transforming the practice of dermatology and dermatologic surgery. Members appreciated the engaging format followed by Q&A delving into literature and research that is impacting the specialty.

Other successful educational initiatives during Dr. Bertucci’s presidency included the DermChat Roundtable webinars, live Masters Circuit course, and the Advanced Injection Techniques and Strategy course. For the Advanced Injection course in New York, Dr. Bertucci served as co-director and faculty, as he has for multiple years, in an event that offered an in-depth review of facial anatomy and cosmetic injections. This intimate learning experience provided attendees with expert lectures, live patient demonstrations, and real-world cases with hands-on training.

Effective public education continued to be critical in 2023 for ASDS at a time when many claim to be an expert. Under Dr. Bertucci’s leadership, the Society's members combined their voices with a unified message to combat inaccurate and misleading information in the media, through its award-winning “Own Your Expertise” social media campaign. This effort offered members curated content to share, which reinforced ASDS members’ education and highlighted the innovation and pioneers in dermatology.

In other activities, Dr. Bertucci chaired the Executive Director Search Task Force that is responsible for hiring a new Executive Director after the recently announced retirement of their longstanding director.

These efforts, and many more, were led by Dr. Bertucci. He has since transitioned to the ASDS Immediate Past President role for 2023-24, continuing to serve on the ASDS Board of Directors and supporting the future success of the organization.

On a more local level, Dr. Bertucci continues to contribute to the University of Toronto through elective dermatology resident rotations, undergraduate teaching, dermatologic surgery lectures to the dermatology residents, and the Dermatologic Laser Surgery and Aesthetic Dermatology Fellowship, which he co-directs with Dr. Kucy Pon. Dr. Bertucci has a deep passion for sharing knowledge and teaching, having directed many courses over the years.

Dr. Bertucci has held numerous leadership positions over the years, including president of the Canadian Dermatology Association and the Canadian Society of Dermatologic Surgery, Executive Committee member of the Toronto Dermatological Society, and Chair of the American Academy of Dermatology Membership Committee, to name a few.

Dr. Bertucci practices in the Toronto suburb of Woodbridge, Ontario where he runs a boutique cosmetic dermatology practice, does clinical research, and enjoys publishing. He is sought after for his attention to detail and kind, gentle, and engaging manner. When he’s not in his office, chances are you’ll find him speaking at a conference on some of his favourite topics, such as advanced facial assessment and injectables, spending time with his two beloved adult children, or enjoying the outdoors.