Aaron M. Secrest

Aaron M. Secrest, MD, PhD, MBA, serves as an Adjunct Assistant Professor in Dermatology and Population Health Sciences at the University of Utah School of Medicine. Currently on a two-year sabbatical as a senior medical officer at Christchurch Hospital in New Zealand, he remains engaged with the University Hospital outpatient clinic through the Rapid Access Dermatology clinic. His clinical practice emphasizes patient-centered care, utilizing tools like Skindex-16 to assess quality-of-life impacts of skin conditions while prioritizing cost-effective treatment strategies.

Dr. Secrest's academic background includes:

• MBA from University of Utah (2020)
• PhD and MPH in Epidemiology from University of Pittsburgh
• MD from University of Pittsburgh
• Dermatology Residency at University of Utah (Chief Resident)
• Pediatrics Internship at Cincinnati Children's Hospital
• B.S. in Microbiology (minors: Asian Studies, Business Management) from Brigham Young University

His research program centers on quality-of-life assessment in dermatology, healthcare access disparities, and cost-effectiveness analysis. He pioneered the clinical implementation of Skindex-16 to quantify symptom burden, emotional impact, and functional limitations across conditions like psoriasis and autoimmune bullous diseases. His work bridges clinical dermatology with health economics, addressing challenges in high-deductible insurance environments through value-based care models.

Recent publications reveal consistent focus on patient-reported outcomes as clinical vital signs, teledermatology applications for underserved populations, and methodological rigor in dermatology research. His studies frequently examine emotional burdens of chronic skin conditions on patients and families while analyzing healthcare system inefficiencies like prior authorization burdens and medication cost barriers.

Dr. Secrest collaborates extensively through the Dermatology PRO Consortium and maintains active clinical partnerships despite his sabbatical. His team-based approach integrates epidemiologists, health services researchers, and clinicians to advance patient-centered dermatology care models, with particular attention to homeless populations and global health contexts like Ghanaian healthcare systems.