Dr. Richard J. DeAngelis, the second born of five boys, was raised in Morgantown, West Virginia. Though all of his brothers followed in their father’s footsteps to pursue real estate development or building construction, Richard was always drawn to more personable pursuits. His propensity in childhood to take things apart challenged him to put them back together without many leftover pieces. Ultimately in choosing a career Richard saw a different way he could use his version of “construction” skills. Following the example of his favorite uncle, Richard decided to pursue a career in the field of medicine.

It seems fitting, in retrospect, that his profession and passion is intimately involved with taking pieces out of his patients and then putting his patients back together again. But in his day-to-day practice since 1991 as a board certified dermatologist and Mohs micrographic surgeon, Dr. DeAngelis’ goal has been to leave out certain parts—the skin cancers that he meticulously and methodically excises from his patients.

Dr. DeAngelis is a second generation Mohs Micrographic Surgeon, and his practice in Anderson, South Carolina, is entirely devoted to skin cancer screening and treatment. Dr. DeAngelis spent approximately two years training under Dr. Rodney Kovach, to whom Dr. DeAngelis will always be indebted. By the end of their time together, Dr. Kovach and Dr. DeAngelis had co-authored a chapter entitled “Mohs Micrographic Surgery” in a medical textbook published in 1991. Dr. Kovach is board certified in both dermatology and dermatopathology and was personally trained by the late Dr. Fredric Mohs, the pioneer of the Mohs micrographic surgical procedure. Dr. Kovach is presently the chairman of the Department of Dermatology at West Virginia University.

Since 1991, Dr. DeAngelis has personally treated countless pre-cancers and over thirty thousand skin cancers. He presently utilizes the most technologically advanced diagnostic tools available to detect skin cancer in its earliest stage. For example, by utilizing epiluminescent microscopy, also known as dermoscopy, Dr. DeAngelis can literally look into the layers of the skin. This early detection device allows Dr. DeAngelis to visualize subtle changes that are characteristic of both early and evolving skin cancers, which are sometimes undetectable, even to the trained but unaided eye. When a patient’s treatment requires a more aggressive approach, Dr. DeAngelis treats the most challenging skin cancers with the gold standard of treatment—Mohs Micrographic Surgery.

Finding ways to improve the visualization of skin cancers is not only essential for the early detection of skin cancer, but Dr. DeAngelis is one of the very first Mohs surgeons in the country to actually perform Mohs surgical excisions while working through an operating microscope. The development of this “enhanced” Mohs micrographic surgical excision method improves the accuracy of his excisions and allows for an even greater degree of tissue conservation during surgery. This is of particular importance when a patient’s skin cancer is located in the delicate tissues surrounding the eyelids, lips, and nose. Dr. DeAngelis has always performed the vast majority of his own reconstructions following the removal of skin cancers from all over the body. He has definitely lived up to his childhood nicknames “Rick the Pic” and “the Pic-Pic,” in that he is extremely picky, a perfectionist to a fault.

Dr. DeAngelis is happily married and is challenged daily by four beautiful and interesting children. During his spare time, he tries to keep up with them and always hopes to participate in every facet of their lives. “Dad” never seems to forget his vocation, however, because he insists on wearing funky, floppy hats and long-sleeved shirts, even in the blazing South Carolina summers. So let’s just say that he’ll continue to participate in his children’s lives—as long as they’ll allow it!

Above all else, Dr. DeAngelis strives to always put his patients’ best interests first. He deems it an honor and a privilege to have befriended and learned from so many patients since he began his private practice in 1991. He will remain forever indebted to them for the many ways that they have contributed to his life, both personally and professionally.

Curriculum Vitae

Richard J. DeAngelis, M.D.
Skin Cancer Centre
1409 North Fant Street
Anderson, South Carolina 29621
(864) 231-8599

Medical Education
Doctor of Medicine (M.D).
West Virginia University School of Medicine
Morgantown, West Virginia
1983-1987

Postdoctoral Training
Intern, Family Medicine
West Virginia University Medical Center
Morgantown, West Virginia
July 1987 – June 1988

Resident, Department of Dermatology
West Virginia University
Morgantown, West Virginia
July 1988 – June 1991
Board Certification
Diplomat
National Board of Medical Examiners
Certificate Number 343852
1987

Diplomat
American Board of Dermatology
MEN 05501870180
1991; re-certified 2001

Licensure
State of South Carolina
License Number 15293
1991

Societies
American Society for Mohs Surgery, Fellow
American Society of Dermatologic Surgery, Fellow
Piedmont Dermatological Society of South Carolina
International Society of Dermoscopy

Publications
Kovach RF, DeAngelis RJ. “Mohs Micrographic Surgery.” Textbook of Otolaryngology.
Editor: Dale Rice, Chairman of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, 1991.

Kovach RF, Hochberg J, DeAngelis RJ, Welton WA. “Congenital Melanocytic Nevus:
A Histological Simulator of Malignant Melanoma.” Journal of Plastic Surgery.

Presentations During Residency
“Tumors of the Skin – Benign and Malignant”
Lecture to third year medical students; Medicine Clerkship
West Virginia University School of Medicine
Morgantown, West Virginia
July 1988 and October 1988

“Syringocystadenoma Papilliferum”
Case Presentation
West Virginia State Medical Meeting
Greenbrier, West Virginia
August 1988

“Primary and Secondary Skin Lesions”
Lecture to third year medical students; Medicine Clerkship
West Virginia University School of Medicine
Morgantown, West Virginia
August 1989, October 1989, March 1990, and April 1991

“Minor Surgical Procedures”
Lecture to Department of Family Medicine
West Virginia University School of Medicine
Morgantown, West Virginia
June 1990

Conferences and Courses During Residency
American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting
“Basic Cutaneous Surgery and Laboratory Session”
“Dermatologic Laser Surgery”
“Skin Grafts”
New Orleans, LA
December 6-10, 1986

Schering Soft Tissue Workshop
“Flaps and Grafts – Intermediate Course”
Instructor – John Zitelli, M.D.
Pittsburg, PA
November 4-6, 1988

“Superficial Anatomy and Cutaneous Surgery” Director – Hugh Greenway, M.D.
San Diego, CA
July 17-21, 1990

Dermatopathology Board Review
Director – David R. Barron, M.D.
Cincinnati, OH
May 18-19, 1991

Post Residency Major Conferences
American Society of Mohs Micrographic Surgery & Cutaneous Oncology (ASMMSCO)
October 31 - November 3, 2002 – Chicago, IL
October 8 - October 12, 2003 – New Orleans, LA
October 27 - October 30, 2005 – Atlanta, GA

American Society for Mohs Surgery
Focus on Skin Cancer
May 27 – May 29, 2005 – Phoenix, AZ
May 24 – May 27, 2007 – Santa Anna Pueblo, NM

American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meetings
1991 – 2001; 2008

Dermoscopy Courses
Director – Ashfar Marghoob, M.D.
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
NY, NY
September 16, 2007 and October 27-28, 2007

Post Residency Major Presentations
Piedmont Dermatological Society
“Reconstruction of Nasal Defects following Mohs Micrographic Surgery (MMS)”
“Reconstructing Forehead and Temple Defects following Mohs Micrographic Surgery”
“Melanoma in a Sea of Seborrheic Keratoses: A Study in Dermoscopy”
April 1993

Anderson Area Medical Center
Family Practice Residency Program
“Skin Cancer: Risks, Recognition, and Rx”
October 2000 and April 2003

Piedmont Dermatological Society
“Surgical Sweet Cost Cutting Pearls”
January 2003

Anderson Area Medical Center
Grand Rounds Presentation
“The Differences Defined: Mohs Micrographic Surgery (MMS) vs. Traditional Surgery
in the Evaluation of Margins for Skin Cancer Removal”
April 2005

Piedmont Dermatological Society
“An Introduction to the Accu-Scope Operating Microscope”
September 2007

ASMS – AAD Intersociety Liaison Session
“Accu-Scope Assisted Mohs Surgery: A Novel Approach”
San Antonio, TX
February 2008