By Lin Lofley

The Agape Clinic sits in East Dallas, a resource for the underserved in the area, and a place that depends on community partners such as UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Dr. Daniel Condie and Dr. Kara Pretzlaff

Among the resources the clinic can trace back to UT Southwestern is the participation of many medical students who volunteer, to learn and to do whatever they can to be of assistance.

Dr. Daniel Condie and Dr. Kara Pretzlaff, winners of the 2015 Award for Excellence in Dermatology, have spent a lot of time at the Agape Clinic – time apparently well spent.

The dermatology award is given to the graduating medical student who has advanced dermatological patient care, research, or teaching in a special way, or who shows promise for leadership in these areas. Each of the recipients will get a certificate and $500.

“Daniel and Kara represent the best in medicine,” said Dr. Amit Pandya, Professor of Dermatology. “They are bright and academically accomplished, but their approach to patients is characterized by humility, compassion, empathy, attentiveness, curiosity, and cultural competence. These are the hallmarks of a true physician, and I believe they are deserving recipients of the Award of Excellence in Dermatology.”

Dr. Daniel Condie

Dr. Condie earned an undergraduate degree in business management at Brigham Young University while also taking premed classes. The Eagle Scout from El Paso said he liked his research experience in orthopaedic surgery, and he also felt the pull of anesthesia and pain management, but something caught his eye when he was in his second year of medical school.

“The Dermatology lectures presented by our faculty just fascinated me,” he said. “Then I began shadowing dermatologists and volunteering at The Agape Clinic, and I knew I was where I wanted to be. I believe that dermatology will hold my interest the rest of my life.”

The Condie family – wife Whitney and sons Peyton, Brad, and Drew (4, 2, and 1, respectively), will pack up and move for a year to Newport News, Virginia, where Dr. Condie will work at Riverside Regional Medical Center before returning to UT Southwestern to complete his training.

“We’re excited to see a different part of the country,” said Dr. Condie, who pays tribute to his wife – “She’s supportive, helpful, and very patient” – at every opportunity.

Dr. Kara Pretzlaff

She knew she had a passion for the sciences, but it wasn’t until her experiences in the Medical Scholars Program at St. Louis University that Dr. Pretzlaff knew she wanted to pursue medicine. Her own dermatologist would become her biggest mentor.

“I had a lot of doctors when I was growing up,” she said. “But the impression my dermatologist made on me encouraged me to look into the field she loved so much.”

So she was inclined toward the specialty early on, but she didn’t discount others.

“I tried to keep an open mind all through my rotations,” the Carrollton native said. “But the farther I went with it, I just didn’t find anything about dermatology that I didn’t like.

“What I particularly like about dermatology is that it continues to rely so much on the history and physical exam – it’s an incredibly visual field. And we get the chance to work with people of all ages.”

Dr. Pretzlaff will serve an intern year at Baylor University Medical Center Dallas before returning to UT Southwestern for her residency. “My family is thrilled – my parents and sister – that I’ll still be here in town, and I’m happy about it, too,” she said.

She envisions practicing either general dermatology or pediatric dermatology in the future.

Asked about Dr. Pretzlaff, Dr. Condie noted that she served as president of the Dermatology Interest Group and student coordinator at the Agape Dermatology Clinic.

“She was in charge of all we did at Agape,” he said. “She’s helpful and knowledgeable. I admire how much she gives back to her community, and I’m very excited that we’ll be co-residents soon.”