EPHC Welcomes Much Needed Dermatology Specialist

Melanie Buckley, Physician Assistant, is the newest addition to Eastern Plumas Health Care’s staff. Her specialty, dermatology, is so in demand, weeks before her arrival she already had a full schedule of patients for her first day here. Buckley said she expects to see a lot of skin cancer patients—much of this from sun damage. She’ll determine whether skin lesions are benign or malignant, and she can do small skin surgeries in EPHC’s Portola office.

According to Buckley, past skin damage (that’s all of us who lay our bodies out every summer and baked them to a crisp) “starts to present in the 30s and 40s.” Which means that our past does come back to haunt us, and it would be a healthy idea to make an appointment with Buckley, just to be on the safe side. Along with skin lesions, Buckley said she expects to see a lot of “rashes and acne,” patients here, as well.

Buckley brings with her some impressive credentials. She has worked with Dr. Dianne Kamenetsky, MD, a Board Certified Dermatologist in
Truckee, for the past three years. There, she’s gained extensive experience in both medical and cosmetic dermatology. Buckley said that she works independently of Kamenetsky, and that she “likes doing surgical procedures and the variety of types of things I see that keep it interesting.”

A graduate of the highly respected UC Davis Physician Assistant/Family Nurse Practitioner Program, Buckley was Valedictorian of her class. She is a licensed medical provider, and she performs exams and surgeries, develops and implements treatment plans, including writing prescriptions, and is able to see patients on her own.

Buckley said that she’s really looking forward to working at EPHC, because she “enjoys getting to meet and treat a variety of people every day.” She loves the area, also – she is a snowboarder and loves walking with her dogs. Buckley grew up in Marysville and came up to Graeagle during the summers. She appreciates the “beauty and the peaceful” nature of
Eastern Plumas County. In fact, she said that she likes that “Graeagle and Portola are even a bit quieter [than Truckee] and they still have a really nice community feel.”

Melanie Buckley will be available to see patients in Portola one Friday each month. For more information or to make a dermatology appointment with Buckley, call (530)832-6600.