Professor passes away at age 85

  UCLA Victor Newcomer

By Jennifer Vargas
Daily Bruin Contributor

Victor Newcomer, a professor at the School of Dermatology, died
of congestive heart failure March 15 at the age of 85.

Newcomer taught at the school for 46 years. He was also the
former chief of dermatology at the Veterans Affairs Greater Los
Angeles Healthcare System and served in the UCLA visiting speakers
program for many years.

While at UCLA, he was one of the first recipients of the Golden
Apple Award, an annual honor given to the most outstanding
professor in the medical school. He also received the Golden Apple
Award from the California Medical Association in 1986. His career
was commemorated by his students, who established the Victor D.
Newcomer Award for excellence in teaching.

He served as the president for the Pacific Dermatologic
Association, the vice president for the American Academy of
Dermatology, and as the vice president for the American
Dermatologic Association. He also served as the president of the
UCLA Clinical Faculty Association from 1977-1978.

Newcomer was also awarded honorary membership in the American
Academy of Dermatology in 2001.

Newcomer’s dedication to academics is also visible through
his published articles and involvement in issues concerning medical
education and geriatric dermatology. Geriatric dermatology focuses
on the skin care for the elderly.

He co-authored the book “Geriatric Dermatology: Clinical
Diagnosis and Physical Therapy” with Edward Young Jr., M.D,
in 1989. He also wrote “Geriatric Dermatology: Color Atlas
and Practitioners Guide” in 1993.

“He wrote resolutions to the California Medical
Association about treating patients without limitations that are
posed by insurance and HMOs,” said Marcia Lewis, who worked
with Newcomer on writing journals for the past 10 years.

Aside from medicine, “Newcomer was a a real activist for
the environment,” Lewis said. He was also an expert at
growing orchids and succulents.

A memorial for Newcomer will take place at the Serra Retreat
Chapel in Malibu at 1 p.m. today.