2023 Graduate Spotlight: Anna Tappel, MD

June 9, 2023

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From improving the lives of our patients to research breakthroughs, every resident and fellow who has joined the Division of Dermatology has left an indelible mark on our program through their talent, curiosity, and dedication to exceptional care.

As the Class of 2023 prepare to graduate and enter the next phase of their career, we asked our grads to reflect our their experience at UW Dermatology and their post-graduation plans.

Congratulations Dr. Anna Tappel!

Anna Tappel, MD

Area of Subspecialty Focus: Pediatric Dermatology & Procedural Dermatology
Hometown: Anchorage, Alaska
Medical School: University of Virginia School of Medicine
Internship: Preliminary Medicine, Virginia Mason Medical Center

What is next for you after graduation?

I will be moving to Denver to complete a 1 year fellowship in Pediatric Dermatology…but I won’t be gone for long!

What are your career goals?

My vision for my career changed a lot during residency. I originally saw myself going into private practice but then I completely fell in love with the collaborative spirit of academic medicine, as well as stumbling into a surprise passion for teaching and mentoring. I am angling to return to UW after completing my fellowship and don’t see myself moving away from Seattle again for a long time.

What did you enjoy most about the training experience at UW Dermatology?

(l-r) Drs. Sidney Hoskins, Lisa Maier and Anna Tappel volunteering at the 2023 Seattle King County Clinic.

The heart of this program is the quality people they have recruited. Everyone, from my wonderful co-residents to the phenomenal nurses and medical techs to the amazing teaching faculty, have made my residency experience truly a joyful 3 years of growth and learning.

What accomplishments in residency are you most proud of?

I’m leaving my dermatology residency more excited and energized about this specialty than I was when I started.

Who were your mentors and how did they support you?

Markus Boos: Markus has been many things to me in residency: mentor, friend, cheerleader, shoulder-to-cry-on. He walked with me though the peaks and valleys of residency and is a huge part of why I am going on to a pediatric dermatology fellowship.

Roy Colven & Meredith Sheedy & Jay Vary: Drs. Sheedy, Colven, and Vary were the consistent forces in my continuity clinic that, week by week, shaped me into a more knowledgeable, more proficient, and more compassionate physician.

What advice would you share with incoming dermatology residents?

For these three years, really lean into the opportunity to be a learner in a safe space. Congratulations, you made it into dermatology! Now you can stop worrying about being impressive and just ask those stupid questions.

Fun aspect of training or a favorite memory from residency?

(l-r) UW Dermatology residents Drs. Amoreth Gozo, Mariam Alam, Brian Connor, and Anna Tappel at the 2023 AAD.

Even at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the UW residency family still found creative ways to get together and have fun, from socially-distanced meet-ups in the parks, to Zoom trivia nights, cooking classes, and cocktail hours. We've now gotten back to the point where we can more safely have dinner parties and board games nights, but I can't imagine a group of people that could have supported my mental and emotional health better during a global pandemic.