Gilchrist was the first professor to concentrate on dermatology at Johns Hopkins, joining the faculty in 1898. His guide to the common skin diseases, published for the use of medical students at Hopkins, was printed leaving the versos of its printed leaves blank so that students could add their own notes and photographs to the text. Six composite actual black & white photographs of skin diseases were produced, probably around the time of publication, "Illustrating Gilchrist's Outlines of Skin Diseases" so that students could tip them in to their copies. The contents of this book indicate that Gilchrist also devoted some of his attention to pediatrics.

Gilchrist also invented the Gilchrist Bandage, a sling designed to immobilize or fix the shoulder joint or upper arm. Gilchrist never authored a textbook, making this outline or syllabus, that circulated in manuscript from 1900 to 1915, his only publication in book form. Digital facsimile of the 1918 printing from Google Books at this link.