Michelle Min, MD, MSCi, is an associate professor and serves as the director of Rheumatologic Dermatology at the UC Irvine School of Medicine.

Michelle Min, MD, MSCi

Key Diagnostic and Therapeutic Pearls for Connective Tissue Disease, With Michelle Min, MD

2026 Society of Dermatology Physician Assistants (SDPA)

 Summer Dermatology Conference, Michelle Min, MD, MSCi, discussed the growing importance of collaboration between dermatology and rheumatology during her presentation, ‘The Rheum-Derm Connection: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Pearls.’

Dermatologists play a critical role in diagnosing and managing connective tissue diseases alongside rheumatologists.

Skin biopsies are often only one piece of the puzzle, making clinical expertise and pattern recognition essential for accurate diagnosis.

Close collaboration between dermatology and rheumatology can improve care for patients with complex autoimmune and systemic diseases.

Min believes ‘rheum-derm’ to be an emerging subspecialty within dermatology, noting its being fueled by increasing clinical interest, expanding research efforts, and the development of new medications for complex autoimmune and connective tissue diseases. According to Min, dermatologists are uniquely positioned to contribute to the diagnosis and management of systemic conditions manifesting in the skin.

“I think most of us in [dermatology] understand that it's important to have a good relationship with at least one rheumatologist in the community, and I think the rheumatologists do reach out to dermatology for their expertise in the skin,” Min expressed.

While many clinicians are already known to work closely with rheumatologists through the management of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA), Min noted her belief in dermatology’s role extending well beyond those more familiar disease states. A central theme of her presentation was the diagnostic value dermatologists bring to connective tissue diseases.

 while rheumatologists frequently rely on skin biopsies to help evaluate patients, biopsy findings are often more nuanced than many clinicians realize. In some conditions, histopathology alone may not provide a definitive diagnosis, making clinical expertise critical.

As an example, Min noted the appearance of cutaneous lupus and dermatomyositis as nearly identical on skin biopsy, despite representing distinct diseases with different clinical implications. Similarly, she pointed to the challenges connected with diagnosing sclerosing disorders such as eosinophilic fasciitis, where even deep biopsies may fail to capture key diagnostic features. In such situations, dermatologists may be able to provide valuable guidance regarding biopsy interpretation, diagnostic testing, and clinical correlation.

Min also stressed the importance of pattern recognition developed through clinical experience. For many autoimmune and connective tissue diseases, dermatologists who routinely evaluate these conditions can often identify characteristic findings within moments of examining a patient. She suggested that this expertise can help clarify uncertain diagnoses and prevent unnecessary testing or misclassification of disease.

The discussion also underscored the growing need for interdisciplinary care. Min noted that strong working relationships between dermatologists and rheumatologists have become increasingly important as treatment options continue to expand. She expects collaboration between the specialties to become even more essential as additional systemic therapies and targeted treatments emerge for autoimmune and connective tissue disorders.

Ultimately, Min encouraged dermatology clinicians to recognize the significant role they can play in diagnosing and managing rheumatologic diseases, arguing that dermatology should be viewed as an integral partner in caring for patients with complex systemic autoimmune conditions.

Disclosures: Min had no relevant disclosures of note.

Min M. The Rheum-Derm Connection: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Pearls. Presented at SDPA Summer 2026. Jun 10-14, 2026.

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This SDPA interview highlights the connection between dermatology and rheumatology, noting diagnoses that can be challenging for rheumatologists.

Michelle Min, MD, MSCi

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