About Dr. Tkach

Dr. Tkach has been practicing dermatology for over 35 years and established the Bozeman Skin Clinic in 1975. That's a lot of patients. You will find that Dr. Tkach has a relaxed, comfortable, non-threatening style of working with patients. Because of his commitment to helping you, most visits are about 30 minutes. He often uses this microscope to examine the skin closely.

Dr. Tkach is strongly oriented toward the scientific aspects of medicine. Just as importantly, he is feelings-oriented as much as symptom-oriented. Your feelings are valid and real. Your feelings are important to Dr. Tkach. The skin is a mirror that reflects what is going on in the body and in the mind.

Education:

• High School Fairfax, VA- first place winner of Virginia state science talent search
• Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD- BA in Biology
• University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI- M.S.- microbiology/microbial genetics (molecular biology). His master's thesis was on the effect of drugs on macromolecular synthesis in E. coli.
• University of Colorado, Denver, CO- doctor of medicine.
• Presbyterian Medical Center, Denver, CO- rotating internship. This was the last of this traditional internship.
• University of Colorado, Denver, CO- 3 years residency in Dermatology

Active Medical Licenses:

• Colorado
• Montana

Certifications:

• National Board of Medical Examiners Parts 1, 2, 3
• State Board of Medical Examiners Colorado
• State Board of Medical Examiners Montana
• American Board of Dermatology
• Special certification in Dermatopathology by the American Board of Pathology and the American Board of Dermatology

Professional Memberships:

• Montana Academy of Dermatology: served two terms as president.
• American Academy of Dermatology
• American Society of Dermatopathology
• American Chemical Society
• American Society of Clinical Hypnosis

Continuing Medical Education Work:

Dr. Tkach tries to keep up to date by attending weekly noon conferences at the hospital and annual winter meetings of the Montana Academy of dermatology. Since 1978, he has attended Friday seminars and colloquia at MSU in organic chemistry and in physics where he is well known to the professors. A self imposed and self designed CME program 2000-1 included closing the office 6-8 hours a week during prime patient care time to take courses in Immunology, the Biology of Human Cancer, and Advanced Cellular Molecular Biology. He does many literature searches on his patients' conditions to help them better.

Published Books:

• Pocket Guide to Dermatohistopathology Differential Diagnosis
• Medicine in Bozeman, MT in 1983
• Rapid Reintegration Procedure - Edgar A. Barnett, M.D. and John R. Tkach, M.D.

Publications:

Dr. Tkach's first research publication was on the role of autoimmunity in chronic brain syndrome. (Alzheimer's Disease). Other publications have dealt with:

• The treatment of Necrobiosis Lipoidica Diabeticorum
• Pseudofolliculitis barbae;
• Treatment of childhood chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis
• Exacerbation of genital herpes due to yeast vaginitis
• Treatment of onychomycosis (toenail fungus infections)
• The first article on side effects and efficacy of topical minoxidil treatment of male pattern hair loss
• Treatment of Fox-Fordyce Disease with retinoic acid
• Ear acupuncture anesthesia
• Composition of gallstones
• Keratoacanthoma of the glans penis
• Effects of birth control pills on acne
• Lipoma induced headaches
• Aquagenic urticaria
• Allergic contact urticaria due to benzoyl peroxide
• Indomethacin treatment of generalized hyperhidrosis
• Indomethacin- induced hyperglycemia in psoriatic arthritis
• Platelet-Inhibition therapy of ulcerated necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum
• Hydroxyzine treatment of erythema multiforme-a prednisone sparing method
• Genetics for genealogists
• Popsicle panniculitis
• Two articles in Dermatologic Clinics 1989: Finding and inventing alternative therapies: How I do it (lead article) and The wisdom of Henry Lewis

Professional Work

1. Solo private practice of dermatology 1975-present
2. Consultant to Merck Sharpe & Dohme
3. Consultant to National Library of Medicine- wrote MEDLINE/ MEDLARS MESH headings revisions for dermatology A-M.
4. Published THE TKACH LETTER for years. A newsletter for Montana and other dermatologists to share ideas. Participants were as far ranging as Indonesia.
5. Consultant to MEDICAL ECONOMICS
6. Reviewer for the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology
7. Adjunct Professor of Chemistry, Montana State University

Most Difficult Test

I got an "A" in nuclear physics under Edward Teller at the University of Hawaii 1966.Other interests:

1. Dr. Tkach is a contracted consultant to Merck. He has worked on new treatments for fungus infections and psoriasis.
2. He wrote the computer column BALLOTS AND BYTES for CAMPAIGNS AND ELECTIONS for four years.
3. He wrote the computer column BYTES FOR BRIGHTS for GCT as magazine about the education of gifted children for four years.
4. With a general interest in history and specifically history of medicine, Dr. Tkach initiated the topic choice for the annual history of medicine conference (WWAMI at MSU Bozeman) for 2010 on the history of public health nursing. Dr. Tkach presented a lecture on public health nursing in Gallatin County 1926-1929.
5. Immunology: Dr. Tkach worked for about a year developing a model for the evolution of the immune system. This lead to the notion of getting tissue from blood sucking insects from amber embedded specimens by cloning dinosaurs. He founded the "Extinct DNA Study Group" at MSU, a group of six MSU, UC Berkeley, and CDC scientists. Lead by Dr. George Poinar's work at UC Berkeley, they grew bacterial spores that were 40 million years old. Look for the hallway wall photo in the office when you come in.
6. Dr. Tkach has had three articles published in the Journal of Irreproducible Results.
7. Did you know that Dr. Tkach worked his way through college, graduate school, and medical school teaching classical guitar? Some of my happiest moments were playing duets with my students and watching them flourish.
8. Dr. Tkach has extensive training and experience in medical hypnosis and in the Rapid Reintegration Procedure for the treatment of psychologically based symptoms.
9. Dr. Tkach has taught separate summer courses for gifted children in Physics, Paleontology, and Astronomy.