Providers

Dr. Charles McDonald is the Founding Chairman of the Department of Dermatology, Alpert Medical School of Brown University as well as the Immediate Past Physician-in-Chief for the Department of Dermatology at Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island. He graduated from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry and later received a Master’s in Biology from the University of Michigan. He earned a medical degree at Howard University, College of Medicine, where he is currently a member of the Board of Trustees.Dr. McDonald completed his Internal Medicine residency training at the Hospital of St. Raphael and Dermatology residency training at Yale New Haven Medical Center in New Haven, Connecticut. He remained at the New Haven Medical Center for a Clinical Pharmacology/Oncology Fellowship. He is board certified in dermatology.

His professional interests include: Mycosis fungoides and lymphomas of skin, chemotherapy of psoriasis, dermatology of black skin, cytotoxic and immunosuppressive therapy in skin diseases, cutaneous reactions to cancer chemotherapy, scleroderma and critical care dermatology.

Sandy Chai, M.D. graduated from Brown University. She received her medical degree at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. Dr. Chai completed an Internal Medicine Internship at Rhode Island Hospital and Internal Medicine Residency at UCLA-Olive View Medical Center. She then completed Dermatology residency at Brown University. Her professional interests include medical dermatology, adolescent dermatology, and gynecologic dermatology.

Dr. Christopher DiMarco graduated from Drexel University College of Medicine and then went on to complete an internal medicine internship at Rhode Island Hospital in association with Brown University and a dermatology residency at Roger Williams Medical Center in association with Boston University. He is board certified in dermatology. Dr. DiMarco is the technology manager for the department and also serves on American Academy of Dermatology’s committee for Electronic Health Records. His clinical interests include treating acne, cutaneous oncology, dermatologic surgery, bullous disorders, general dermatology, and dermatopathology in patients of all ages. He has unique interests in the treatment of dermatologic conditions in athletes (Sports Dermatology) and the application of technology in patient care.

Dr. Drucker received his MD from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. He completed his dermatology residency at the University of Toronto and served as Chief Resident of the dermatology residency program. He then went on to work in the Division of Dermatology at the University Health Network in Toronto, winning local and national clinical teaching awards, including the Excellence in Clinical Teaching Award from the Canadian Dermatology Association Residents and Fellows Society.

Dr. Drucker is board-certified by the American Board of Dermatology and Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. He is a member of the American Academy of Dermatology, Canadian Dermatology Association and Society for Investigative Dermatology.

Dr. Drucker’s clinical and research interests include atopic dermatitis (eczema), supportive dermato-oncology and autoimmune connective tissue disease. Dr. Drucker is currently a research fellow in Dr. Abrar Qureshi’s lab with a focus on the epidemiology and burden of disease of atopic dermatitis.

Dr. Higgins graduated from Connecticut College, and received his medical degree from Florida State University College of Medicine where he graduated at the top of his class as a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha national medical honor society. He then completed internship in internal medicine at Yale University, dermatology residency at Brown University, and Mohs micrographic surgery fellowship at Yale University. While at Brown, he served as Chief Resident and was awarded the prestigious Haffenreffer Housestaff Excellence Award. He also served on the faculty of Yale School of Medicine, Department of Dermatology, as a clinical instructor.

Dr. Higgins is Board Certified by the American Board of Dermatology and is a member of the American Academy of Dermatology, American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, American College of Mohs Surgery, and the American Society for Lasers in Medicine and Surgery. He currently practices Mohs microscopically controlled surgery, laser and cosmetic dermatology. He served as the Resident Representative to the Board of Directors of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, and has been appointed to numerous leadership positions, including the American Academy of Dermatology’s Leadership Development Forum.

His interests include cutaneous oncology, complex surgical management of skin cancers, and melanoma. He has authored over 30 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. Dr. Higgins has also presented at numerous national meetings on skin cancer epidemiology.

Dr. Newsha Lajevardi is a board certified dermatologist who practices medical dermatology, pediatric dermatology, cutaneous surgery, laser surgery and cosmetic dermatology. Her academic interests include acne, rosacea, and skin pigmentation disorders.

Dr. Lajevardi completed her dermatology residency at the Brown University Department of Dermatology. She completed her internship in internal medicine at Saint Vincent Hospital in Worcester, Massachusetts. She received her medical degree from Michigan State University, master’s degree in medical sciences from Boston University and bachelor’s degree in psychology from Northwestern University.

During her time at Brown University she conducted research studies on skin cancer, alopecia areata, vitiligo, and dermatologic surgery. She has lectured to other physicians at both regional and national meetings and has published in several medical journals. She currently serves as the Quality Improvement Advisor to the dermatology residency program at Brown. As a member of the American Academy of Dermatology, American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, Women’s Dermatologic Society, Rhode Island Dermatology Society, and New England Dermatological Society, Dr. Lajevardi is very active in the dermatology community.

Dr. Muglia graduated cum laude from Bryn Mawr College with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and Italian and received her medical degree from UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School. She completed her internship and internal medicine residency at Roger Williams General Hospital (affiliated with Brown through 1997) in Providence, RI followed by a fellowship in immunodermatology and dermatology residency at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Denver. She is board certified in internal medicine, dermatology and pediatric dermatology. Dr. Muglia is currently the Director of the Division of Dermatology at The Miriam Hospital in Providence as well as the Director of the Dermatopharmacology Unit at Rhode Island Hospital. She also volunteers her time in the Contact Dermatitis clinic at Rhode Island Hospital and holds a weekly pediatric dermatology clinic at Hasbro Children’s Hospital.

She is actively involved in teaching medical students, dermatology residents and primary care residents in her academic practice, outpatient dermatology clinics and on the inpatient dermatology consultation service at Rhode Island and Hasbro Children’s Hospitals. Her clinical research interests include acne, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, fungal and viral infections of the skin and cutaneous T cell lymphoma.

She is an active member of the Rhode Island Medical Society, serving on the Public Laws Committee and as the dermatology representative to the Rhode Island Medical Society Council.

Victor A. Neel, MD, PhD, is a board-certified dermatologist and has completed nearly 14,000 Mohs procedures.

Dr. Neel is the Director of Brown Dermatologic Surgery Unit. He graduated from Princeton University; received his M.D. from Cornell University Medical College; and his Ph.D. in genetics from Rockefeller University. He completed his dermatology residency at Brown University School of Medicine. Afterwards, he became a fellow in Mohs Micrographic Surgery and Cosmetic Dermatology at the UCLA School of Medicine.

Professionally, Dr. Neel is a member of several professional associations including American College of Mohs Surgery (ACMS) and the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS), where he is a preceptor (teacher) for several procedures. Dr. Neel is also Assistant Professor of Dermatology at Harvard Medical School. He is a co-author of numerous peer-reviewed and non-peer reviewed publications in print, online media, and other media regarding issues such as skin cancers and Mohs surgery, as well as minimally invasive procedures to help aging skin. He has a particular interest in the biology of skin cancer and the genetics of aging, and has several ongoing clinical studies and basic research projects.

Dr. Paek graduated from Yale University and received her medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. She completed a clinical research fellowship at the National Institutes of Health, Internal Medicine internship at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York City, and Dermatology residency at Henry Ford Hospital in Michigan. She is the recipient of several awards and honors for research and patient care, including the Women’s Dermatological Society Academic Research Award and the Michael S. Benninger, M.D. Award for excellence as physician, researcher, and teacher at Henry Ford.

Dr. Paek will be joining the faculty of the Department of Dermatology at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University as Assistant Clinical Professor of Dermatology and co-director of the Center for Skin and Musculoskeletal Diseases. Her clinical and research interests include rheumatologic-dermatologic diseases, psoriasis, immune-mediated skin diseases, medical dermatology, biologic and immunosuppressive therapy for cutaneous diseases, general dermatology, photodermatology, and multicultural dermatology.