Match poll/stats for those who applied, matched or unmatched.

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Case Western has a derm residency specifically for DOs. I'd imagine there are other similar programs at other institutions.

--Board scores: step 1 222, Step 2 n/a
--Clinical grades: Not AOA, 3 honors of 7.
--Med School: Top 10
--Research - MPH, research not derm related. 2 pubs.
--# of aways - 1
--# of programs applied to: 80.
--# of interviews 7 offers, went and ranked all.
--Where match: #5, top tier west coast program.
--Anything that helps app: Great personality and enthusiasm during interview makes a big difference. Think about your ideal future career and how your previous experience has prepared you for it.

Board Score: Step 1 = 233, Step 2 = 237 (not available during match)
Clinical grades: Not AOA, 4 honors, remainder high pass.
Med School: Top 10
Research Projects: 2 case reports submitted but not accepted, 1 review published, undergrad presentation at non-derm/non-medical chemistry conference and subsequent paper (again submitted but not accepted)
# of aways: 1
#programs applied to: 103
# of interviews offered: 7, could only go to 5, ranked 5
Where matched: #4 (couples matching rank, my personal #2) home program
Anything that helped: slightly older applicant with work experience outside medicine and interesting story, couples matched with applicant who is AOA (and better applicant than me!) and who got me some second looks from a couple programs. Spent hours and hours in the derm department working on research project, getting to every grand rounds I could, and got to know most of the staff well and they remembered me well on my interview.
Finally: I was very lucky! Lots of better applicants than I did not match, and I am very grateful.

Board Score: Step 1 = 230, Step 2 = 240
Clinical grades: Not AOA, 6 out of 10 at time of ERAS submission (w/ 2 high passes and 2 passes)
Med School: Mid-tier
Research Projects: 3 ongoing research projects (started in the middle/end of 3rd year), 1 case report submitted (not accepted at time of ERAS submission), 1 case report in the works, 1 online publication, 1 undergraduate poster presentation (non-derm related)
# of aways: 2
# programs applied to: 101
# of interviews offered: 7, was fortunate to like them all and subsequently ranked them all
Where matched: #5 (this program jumped between #2 and #5 multiple times before the final rank list was due!)
Anything that helped: Enthusiasm - found unique ways to communicate my passion for dermatology...and pretty much submerged myself in derm-related endeavors since making my decision! Honesty - I acknowledged that I was not a publication-heavy candidate and emphasized aspects of my application that were unique during my interviews. Supportive letter writers. Away rotations.
Finally: Be yourself and don't be afraid to be imperfect. Also, play well with others! Treat faculty, residents, staff, and other students with equal respect. And be confident in your abilities - if you don't think that you can do it, or if you don't know what you can contribute to the field, it's going to be hard to convince other people of what you are capable of.

Good luck to everyone applying this year! It'll be over before you know it. PM me if you have any questions.

Well I dual applied because my application had a few glaring weaknesses. Today was the happiest day when I opened my envelope to see I matched into derm.

Board Score: Step 1 = 258, Step 2 = 244
Clinical grades: Junior AOA, Honored all core rotations 3rd yr, derm elective, honored dermpath elective 4th yr, satisfactory derm elective 4th yr
Med School: Low tier?
Research Projects: None really...I am working on a paper with one chair but nothing published.
# of aways: 0
# programs applied to: 30
# of interviews offered: 2, one at my home program and another in the same state where I rotated
Where matched: #1 (I liked this program the best, oddly enough it was where I only got a satisfactory)
Anything that helped: I think my interview helped immensely. I relaxed and just tried to be myself, let them know what I like, who I am. I really wanted to be a dermatologist, just made some mistakes along the way such as not doing research. I think that came through with my interviewers. I could not be happier today.

This is my 3rd time applying !! I matched where I currently do research.

Board Score: Step 1 = 245
Med school: top tier
Research Projects: During med school and current. About 6 pubs.
# of aways: 1, I guess 3 total if you count places I did research at too.
# programs applied to: 9, maybe less this time around
# of interviews offered: 1
Where matched: #1

I was surprised when I didn't match the first time (of course I wasn't 100%, but I thought I had a good chance). If you truly want to be a dermatologist, do not give up !!!

Originally Posted by matched2011

This is my 3rd time applying !! I matched where I currently do research.

Board Score: Step 1 = 245
Med school: top tier
Research Projects: During med school and current. About 6 pubs.
# of aways: 1, I guess 3 total if you count places I did research at too.
# programs applied to: 9, maybe less this time around
# of interviews offered: 1
Where matched: #1

I was surprised when I didn't match the first time (of course I wasn't 100%, but I thought I had a good chance). If you truly want to be a dermatologist, do not give up !!!

Congrats, you're an inspiration and expect to get alot of PMs asking for advice.

--Board scores: step 1 255+, Step 2 270+
--Clinical grades: Junior AOA, all Honors
--Med School: Low-Mid Tier
--Research - PhD ~15 pubs in a derm-related field.
--# of aways - 1
--# of programs applied to: ~60
--# of interviews ~30 interviews
--Where match: #1, top tier east coast program.
--Anything that helps app: Had solid extracurricular experiences, including leadership positions. Strong letters from academic dermatologists.

Boards: Step 1 ~ 250; Step 2 ~260
Grades: Not AOA, but above average in class; "honors" in most M3 rotations
Research/Pubs: One ongoing research project with zero publications; 3 case reports submitted in time for ERAS (only 1 subsequently published); 1 oral presentation at AAD (gross & micro, only 4 minutes)
Aways: 2
Applications: 50
Interviews: Invited to 10; attended 8 (scheduling conflicts)
Matched at top choice; program with solid reputation
Misc: Older applicant with military experience and interesting resume

--Board scores: step 1 192, Step 2 188
--Clinical grades: Not AOA, no honors in 3rd year -- HP in family medicine, the rest were all P; honored my surgery sub-i and my dermatology elective ;-)
--Med School: Top 10
--Research - PhD (MSTP), research not derm related. 11 pubs here (+4 later on in derm during post-doc)
--# of aways - 0
--# of programs applied to: 106 DERM + 20 ENT
--# of interviews 13 offers in derm, went to all (unfortunately $$$$) before getting a prematch offer
--Where match: prematched at top tier East Coast program
--misc 2 years post-doctoral basic science research fellowship (4 pubs here IN DERM); military experience, led combat battalion in Afghanistan; also had the chair of program where I did my post-doctoral fellowship making personal phone calls on my behalf; presented orally at SID

Board scores: Step 1 250+, Step 2 270+ (score not available until interview season)
Grades: AOA, all preclinical honors, half clinical honors.
Med School: mid-tier
Research: 5 pubs (2 basic science, 3 derm review articles), did not take time off to do research.
Aways: 2 (1 within my region, 1 outside)
Programs applied to: ~90
Interviews: 19, attended & ranked 16.
Where matched: #3, an awesome program in the West coast!!!!
Misc: solid personal statement & compelling life/family story. extremely supportive home program & exceptional LORs (got to read them at one of my interviews).

having tiger blood helps too

Board Scores: Step 1: 235 Step 2: 265 (score available during application season)
Grades: AOA, all clinical honors including dermatology
School: Top 3
Research: 2 publications
Programs applied to: ~45
Interviews offered: 12
Interviews attended: 9
Where matched: #1 choice!!! Top tier program on east coast

Research was definitely a weak point on my application but I had TONS of extracurriculars. Also coming from a strong program helped on the application trail. That being said, networking seemed to be the most helpful on the trail, it really does have a lot to do with who you know. Good luck!

Board Scores: Step 1: 260s Step 2: 270s
Grades: AOA, all honors except 1 HP
School: low tier
Research: 1 pub
Programs applied to: ~90
Interviews offered: ~25
Interviews attended: 20-22
Where matched: #1
Misc: no home program; did 3 aways (did not match at one of these); got good letters from well-known faculty. I think what helped me the most is that I was just myself on interviews. Do not try to tell people what they want to hear. I was thanked on several occasions for not doing so, including the program where I matched.

Board Scores: Step 1: 240s Step 2: 240s
Grades: Not AOA, 1 Honors (family), 3 HP (medicine, psych, peds), 2 Pass (surgery, ob).
School: top tier
Research: Several meaningful pubs, several posters, conferences
Programs applied to: ~100
Interviews offered: 7
Interviews attended: 7
Where matched: #2
Misc: I did a year of research between 3rd and 4th year. I would not have matched or gotten interviews without this, I don't think. It got me some pubs but also a stellar letter of rec from my research mentor. This was key. I did one away rotation but didn't rank it very high. Prepared well for interviews and tried not to stress about them. A couple of more honors in 3rd year and I probably would have several more interviews. I think 3rd year grades and AOA are more important than research in getting interviews but at least I had the research thing to help out.

Step 1: 265, Step 2: 255
Junior AOA, honored everything for 3-plus years
Med school: Top ten
Research: A formal year-out in non-derm basic science, no pub by interview time. 2 smaller derm pubs completed.
Applied: 60 places
Interviews offered: 20
Interviews attended: 15
Where matched: #12
Misc: Happy with my new program but very confused as to why so many others decided to pass on me after seeing me in person. I'm not hideous and didn't wear a tie with swastikas. Despite my board scores I don't have the personality of a cardboard box - I thought the interviews went great (red-eyes be damned), got excellent feedback, and had an interesting life story/personal statement.

You hear of rock-solid applicants "falling through the cracks" on SDN. I didn't believe these stories but it almost happened to me. I'm happy it didn't and pumped to be a dermatologist! My advice: it really is THAT important to apply broadly and literally go to as many interviews as you possibly can.

Thanks for sharing swman and acrochordon...just shows you why it's best to try to keep every interview possible, even if you can't make the pre-dinners. Congrats on the match!

There are so many factors involved and you never know why things went one way or the other. You would cringe if you get a chance to sit inside a ranking meeting to see how decisions are made...objective credentials are clearly important but so are the subjective politics...don't minimize the subjective part if you are thinking derm.

Hi guys -

I was wondering what people mean when they describe the "tier" of the program - it's so subjective (some programs are more rigorous for research-oriented, while others are clinically very strong, even if not considered top-tier). Is there a reason people aren't just outright stating program?

Just wondering

To be honest with you, I don't even pay attention to the tiers unless you really don't have many resources at all at your med school or you don't have a home derm dept. I know people that went to low tier med school that matched well and also people that went to high tiered schools that didn't match. That said the ranking of your school is yet another objective factor and can be a subjective factor too if the derm program has influential and productive faculty.

BUT, to answer your question, they are based on research rankings since most people go by NIH rankings to talk about tiers. Where does one tier end and the next begin....who knows....everyone has a different definition so don't expect one "correct" answer.

You can lose anonymity if you call out the program you are from so you're not going to see that here.

Originally Posted by letoilenoire

Well I dual applied because my application had a few glaring weaknesses. Today was the happiest day when I opened my envelope to see I matched into derm.

Board Score: Step 1 = 258, Step 2 = 244
Clinical grades: Junior AOA, Honored all core rotations 3rd yr, derm elective, honored dermpath elective 4th yr, satisfactory derm elective 4th yr
Med School: Low tier?
Research Projects: None really...I am working on a paper with one chair but nothing published.
# of aways: 0
# programs applied to: 30
# of interviews offered: 2, one at my home program and another in the same state where I rotated
Where matched: #1 (I liked this program the best, oddly enough it was where I only got a satisfactory)
Anything that helped: I think my interview helped immensely. I relaxed and just tried to be myself, let them know what I like, who I am. I really wanted to be a dermatologist, just made some mistakes along the way such as not doing research. I think that came through with my interviewers. I could not be happier today.

WTF holy crap I just read that part, it's a sad state when 258 step 1, junior aoa only gets you 2 interviews. Probably was the no pubs thing or the dual application, take heed future applicants, numbers alone ain't gonna do it almost everyone has those.

Originally Posted by dermathalon

Thanks for sharing swman and acrochordon...just shows you why it's best to try to keep every interview possible, even if you can't make the pre-dinners. Congrats on the match!

There are so many factors involved and you never know why things went one way or the other. You would cringe if you get a chance to sit inside a ranking meeting to see how decisions are made...objective credentials are clearly important but so are the subjective politics...don't minimize the subjective part if you are thinking derm.

Well...honestly, I think in my case, the personal connections were KEY to me getting interviews and getting ranked!

Step 1: 239, Step 2: N/A
Grades: not AOA, bottom third of my med school class (lol!! was shocked when i read my Dean's Letter!)
Med school: Mid tier
Research: Tons
Applied: 56 places
Interviews offered: 8
Interviews attended: 8
Where matched: #5
Misc: I am so happy I matched given my obvious weaknesses. I am especially happy to have matched in a research oriented program. So glad I was able to keep the derm research dream alive!

Good luck to everyone next year -- I am living proof that the Derm Match is tough, but not impossible!

Originally Posted by acrochordon

Well...honestly, I think in my case, the personal connections were KEY to me getting interviews and getting ranked!

I was really happy that you posted because it shows the point that you showed the side of the coin that connections matter...A LOT. Of course, congratulations!

In fact, the year that I matched, there was another person that had a grand total of 2 interviews and matched based on connections...and that person is going to make a great dermatologist and I was so happy for that person.

There really is an art to applying and matching and it's not all science.

Congrats to comedone as well! There's a future happy resident!

Board Scores: Step 1: mid 260s Step 2: high 260s
Grades: Junior AOA, all As (preclinical and clinical)
School: low tier
Research: 3 pubs
Away rotations: 2
Programs applied to: 92
Interviews offered: 13
Interviews attended: 13, ranked all of them
Where matched: #1
Misc: Apply broadly!! One of my friends said it best--let the programs choose you. When it comes to the interviews, you will be shocked by how amazing everyone in the room is--just have a good time with it! Be yourself, STAY POSITIVE, and treat each interview like it's your number 1 choice.

And don't let anyone tell you that 8/8 derm applicants from one school can't all match! You know who you are... congrats, guys!!

Step 1: 258, Step 2: 268
AOA: no
Grades: All honors except 1 HP
Med school: Mid tier
Research: No pubs, one case report and one review in progress during app and interview season
Applied: 70
Interviews offered: 4
Interviews attended: 4
Where matched: #1

Tough going there for a while. Lack of research really hurt. But ended up at the perfect place and couldn't be more pumped

--Board Scores: 247, 248
--AOA and class rank: not AOA, top quartile
--Reputation of medical school: Low-to-mid tier sans home derm program
--Research: 8 pubs, 3 (basic non-derm research), 5 derm case reports
--Honors in all 3rd year clerkships
--# and where you did away rotations: 2
--LOR: 5 from derms (all from away rotations)
--# of programs you applied to: 100+
--Where invited for interviews: 7
--Where matched: my number 1 at top-tier west coast!

seems like a lot of variability!!!

Originally Posted by Long Dong

WTF holy crap I just read that part, it's a sad state when 258 step 1, junior aoa only gets you 2 interviews. Probably was the no pubs thing or the dual application, take heed future applicants, numbers alone ain't gonna do it almost everyone has those.

Yea it was def due to lack of research and the fact that my school had a lot of competitive people apply to derm this year. Looking back I think I would have applied way more broadly as well. I am so grateful it worked out.

Step 1: 250, Step 2: 257
AOA: yes
Grades: All honors, except 1 HP
Med school: low-mid tier (state school)
Research: 1 pub (non-derm related), one derm case report submitted during application season
Aways: 1 away
Letters: 2 derm letters, 2 medicine letters
Applied: 80
Interviews offered: 10
Interviews attended: 9
Where matched: #1 (Top ranked academic program)

I was pleasantly surprised by the match outcome. I'm not from a big name school, I didn't rotate at the institution I matched at and basically didn't do any research in derm (let alone take time off). I think what helped was that I had interesting things about myself to talk about on my application and during interviews that made me stand out. Overall, the application cycle was crazy, I met so many amazing people on the interview trail.. olympic athletes, concert pianists, people who discovered genes for specific diseases... I just feel lucky to match the first time around.

I think the last few posts illustrate a very important, yet underemphasized, part of the Derm match process. Simply put, completing LOTS of research is not necessary to get interviews. Completing SOME research is very important in getting interviews. Think of it like a checked box on your application.

My personal advice for all those wanting to match into derm: it's much better to concentrate your efforts on doing as well as possible in classes, rotations and boards. Work in one original article, or maybe a few case reports/review articles sometime prior to applying.

It is difficult to argue against AOA (which is a culmination of excellence in all of the above attributes) being the most important factor in getting many interviews and few interviews.

Step 1: 270, Step 2: N/A
AOA: yes
Grades: All preclinical honors, half clinical honors
Med school: Top 20 with a strong Derm dept
Research: 1 pub, 1 case report in submission, 2 poster presentations at a national conference (all derm), 2 ongoing research projects (1 derm, 1 non-derm)
Additional Degrees: MBA
Aways: 0
Letters: 2 derm letters, 2 medicine letters
Applied: 80
Interviews offered: 15
Interviews attended: 14
Where matched: #4

My fiance and I successfully couples matched Derm-Rads!!! I was pleasantly surprised where we ended up - I originally was wait listed by the program, and only got an invite after my fiance interviewed there. Moral of the story - always couples match with awesome Radiology applicants (or something like that).

can a lot of research (i.e. defined as >10 derm publications of any nature) offset any deficiencies in your app?

Originally Posted by Gunneria

can a lot of research (i.e. defined as >10 derm publications of any nature) offset any deficiencies in your app?

Probably. I would like to think that several decent publications (not 10 case reports in throwaway journals) would help out significantly if you don't have AOA status or a stellar step 1 score.

My previous post was more a recommendation to those starting out from scratch. There is definitely a place for using research/research fellowships to buff your application.

If you search, I think there was a thread that listed a good guideline for published research hierarchy that was similar to: Nature/Cell/Science>>>NEJM>JAMA>JID>JAAD>Archives of Derm>everything else.

230s step one 230s step 2
not AOA, but As (no pass/fail system) in clinical rotations
low tier medical school
Aways: 0, obviously
Programs applied to: 7
Interviews offered: 4
Currently an intern in a competitive OBGYN program
Currently working on a derm lit review, 3 OBGYN publications
Father is a dermatologist
Letters from current program, medical school attendings, no dermatology letters
pre-match offer at competitive program


SO HAPPY TO HAVE MY LIFE BACK!

Originally Posted by Long Dong

WTF holy crap I just read that part, it's a sad state when 258 step 1, junior aoa only gets you 2 interviews. Probably was the no pubs thing or the dual application, take heed future applicants, numbers alone ain't gonna do it almost everyone has those.

I actually think the biggest problem was this:

programs applied to: 30

That's a really low number of programs to apply to for derm. I'm guessing the low number is because he applied in another specialty as well, but even if you want to apply to another specialty along with derm, you should still apply to a ton of (if not all) programs.

Fortunately, things still worked out.

.

Guess I'll kick off things for the class of 2012.

Step 1: >250, Step 2: >260
AOA: yes
Grades: All preclinical honors, one clinical honors (Psych) and the rest A's
Med school: mid tier state school
Research: 1 non-derm pub, 2 derm case reports
Aways: 2
Letters: 2 derm letters, 1 medicine letter, 1 research letter (from nonderm field)
Applied: ~100
Interviews offered: 17
Interviews attended: 16
Where matched: #1 (where I did one of my aways)

I definitely think the combination of my good grades during M1/M2 and Step I/II scores helped (my third year grades were good but not great). Research wasn't a very strong point for me and I was worried that would hold me back. I also think that my LORs were probably pretty good, if for no other reason than I tend to come off as very personable in person. I was nervous as hell during the whole application and interview process, right down until match day. So glad to only have to do this once, and looking forward to having lots of you guys as my future colleagues!

Step 1: 256 Step 2: 257
AOA: yes
Grades: 1/2 pre-clinical honors, honors for all my clinicals
Med school: mid-tier state school
Research: (4) first-author ENT pubs, (1) first-author derm case report, had several more derm projects cooking...
Aways: 3
Letters: 3 derm (mohs surgeon at my home school which was strong, pedi-derm attending from an away which was very strong, and one from the chair at another away which I think was very mediocre/cookie-cutterish) and 1 ENT (research advisor/mentor)
Applied: ~65
Interviews offered: 22
Interviews attended: 17
Where matched: #1 (west-coast program, did not do an away there, received a phone call from the chair 2 weeks before match lists were due telling me that they were going to rank me very highly)

Misc: my grades/test scores/research were pretty typical for your average derm applicant, nothing that's going to really jump out at you like a 260+ or a pub in JID would....so I was pleasantly surprised by the number of interviews I received. I think a lot of it has to do with my story and what got me interested in dermatology, which I was able to convey in my personal statement. I was originally interested in ENT but made a switch to dermatology really late so I made this the focal point of my PS. Surprisingly, I was told by a lot of the interviewers that they were very intrigued by my story and really wanted to meet me.

It goes without saying, but strong LORs are SO important. I had a very good relationship with a bigwig pedi-derm attending at one of my aways who wrote me an awesome letter. Almost every person I interviewed with talked about that letter and a few even showed it to me. One was at a top program and the attending straight up told me that the reason they invited me for an interview was because of that letter. connections go a long way.

Steps: I high 250's, II high 260's
AOA: yes
Grades: Top 2% of class
School: mid-tier state school with solid, but unknown derm program
Research: 1 basic science first author (non derm), 2 derm case reports
Aways: 1
Letters: 4 derm, very strong; one from well-respected and connected pedi derm
Applied: 85
Interviews: 26
Attended: 14
Matched: #2, southern program at which I did not rotate. Received a call from department chair 1 week prior to ROL submission deadline saying I didn't need to worry about matching

Misc: Thought my numbers where good relative to most competitive applicants, but not stellar. My goal from that standpoint was to have the stats that would help me clear all the filters, which I'm not sure occurred given what I have heard about the step I scores from this cycle. I do, however, have a very unique background which I incorporated into my personal statement with a lot of humor. I think this helped me get interviews I may not have otherwise and was told as much at just about every place I visited on the trail. Also, I think my mentor, who was a pedi derm, was extremely well respected in pedi circles which I know netted some interviews for me that I may not have otherwise garnered. In such a small field, networking is huge... having great faculty who serve as advocates for applicants and will call/email programs on your behalf is huge. It's kind of arbitrary I guess, but such is life. If you don't have someone who will make calls for you, do an away at a place where you think you can foster something with someone who will.

Originally Posted by hawk126

Steps: I high 250's, II high 260's
AOA: yes
Grades: Top 2% of class
School: mid-tier state school with solid, but unknown derm program
Research: 1 basic science first author (non derm), 2 derm case reports
Aways: 1
Letters: 4 derm, very strong; one from well-respected and connected pedi derm
Applied: 85
Interviews: 26
Attended: 14
Matched: #2, southern program at which I did not rotate. Received a call from department chair 1 week prior to ROL submission deadline saying I didn't need to worry about matching

Misc: Thought my numbers where good relative to most competitive applicants, but not stellar. My goal from that standpoint was to have the stats that would help me clear all the filters, which I'm not sure occurred given what I have heard about the step I scores from this cycle. I do, however, have a very unique background which I incorporated into my personal statement with a lot of humor. I think this helped me get interviews I may not have otherwise and was told as much at just about every place I visited on the trail. Also, I think my mentor, who was a pedi derm, was extremely well respected in pedi circles which I know netted some interviews for me that I may not have otherwise garnered. In such a small field, networking is huge... having great faculty who serve as advocates for applicants and will call/email programs on your behalf is huge. It's kind of arbitrary I guess, but such is life. If you don't have someone who will make calls for you, do an away at a place where you think you can foster something with someone who will.

If your numbers are not considered stellar, it's a sad sad day....

Congrats on the match!

Steps: I 272, Step II Not available - took it late
AOA: Junior AOA
Grades: All Honors and one High Pass
School: mid-tier school with an essentially non-existent derm department
Research: 2 case report publications, neither with a "big name"
Aways: 1
Letters: 4 from derm, 2 from "big names"
Applied: 90
Interviews: 7
Attended: 7
Matched: #3 ... Got a call from this PD 3 days before rank list due.Happy with where I ended up, but rather surprised at how few interviews I had. Goes to show grades are not everything! My advice to all applicants is to make as many connections as possible. Also, do as many aways as possible!

Originally Posted by Notme123

Steps: I 272, Step II Not available - took it late
AOA: Junior AOA
Grades: All Honors and one High Pass
School: mid-tier school with an essentially non-existent derm department
Research: 2 case report publications, neither with a "big name"
Aways: 1
Letters: 4 from derm, 2 from "big names"
Applied: 90
Interviews: 7
Attended: 7
Matched: #3 ... Got a call from this PD 3 days before rank list due.Happy with where I ended up, but rather surprised at how few interviews I had. Goes to show grades are not everything! My advice to all applicants is to make as many connections as possible. Also, do as many aways as possible!

Yea, reading down your list I was expecting to see 15+ interview invites min... surprising, indeed.

Congrats, nonetheless.

Originally Posted by Notme123

Steps: I 272, Step II Not available - took it late
AOA: Junior AOA
Grades: All Honors and one High Pass
School: mid-tier school with an essentially non-existent derm department
Research: 2 case report publications, neither with a "big name"
Aways: 1
Letters: 4 from derm, 2 from "big names"
Applied: 90
Interviews: 7
Attended: 7
Matched: #3 ... Got a call from this PD 3 days before rank list due.Happy with where I ended up, but rather surprised at how few interviews I had. Goes to show grades are not everything! My advice to all applicants is to make as many connections as possible. Also, do as many aways as possible!

Hmm connections help but sounds like you had some or maybe more than many other candidates might with 2 big names. Were your interviews at strong programs still? I had a friend match at a top place after interviewing only at a few programs 8 albeit all top places with just 1 mid-tier.

Im not sure how you determine a programs "strength" but no ivy league interviews, although I was not a research heavy applicant. I think I matched at a good clinical program however.

Just matched, so excited

--Board Scores: 250's Step 1 and Step 2 (Took in July of MS4)
--AOA and class rank: Senior AOA
--Reputation of medical school: Middle tier with similarly ranked derm program - I think I got a great education here though and that we produce excellent dermatologists, but no big names.
--Research: 1 poster and 1 summer research fellowship from undergrad, 2 Published derm articles in peer reviewed (not pubmed listed) journal, 1 derm paper in sports med journal accepted during interview season (1st author case report), 2 other papers submitted but not accepted yet. Some oral presentations and posters also (8 in total), but none of them are derm related.
--Honors in clerkships: 4 H (incl med & sx), 2 HP
--# and where you did away rotations: 2 aways, one at a top tier west coast program that didn't interview me, and 1 at a solid (but not top) program that interviewed me.
--# of programs you applied to: 80
--Where invited for interviews: 17, was able to attend 15
--Where matched: #1 choice top tier midwest program (a program that didn't invite me to interview in their first round of invites). I did not receive any communication from them.
--Anything that helped your app: No phone calls, no big name letter writers, I've never been to a big name school, don't have any other graduate education (such as masters or PhD). I was confident but not cocky. Truly enjoyed all of my interviews and tried to view it as a chance to meet all of the leaders in the field and have fun. I couples matched with a very strong applicant and I think that the strength of their application helped me get interviews. I think the sheer volume of posters and presentations helped me, even though they aren't all that notable on their own. Other parts of my application such as leadership, scholarships, personal statement, community service etc were strong. Letters were strong and from people that knew me well, but none of them said I walked on water.

I hope this helps. I was super nervous for this whole past year (frequently nervously reading this forum) and am on cloud 9 now that I matched!

Since no one ever replies on the Derm forum here and I always got frustrated about that I will give you my stats.

Boards: Step 1 - 258, Step 2 - 251 (not reported)
Grades: Even mix of Pass, HP, and H 3rd year. Honored 3 Derm rotations 4th year (1 home, 2 aways). Did a derm research elective as well at home institution (H). See below about my feelings on if grades matter.
AOA: Yes, Senior AOA
Med School: Midwest school, maybe top 40, not really sure
Letters: 1 from big name derm at home institution, 1 from derm faculty who knew me well, and 1 from big name derm at away rotation
Research: 1 derm review article published, 3 case reports in progress at time of submission
Unique stuff: Student council president, derm volunteer stuff, other typical med school stuff (really don't think any of this mattered a whole lot).
# Interviews: Applied ~60, 11 Offers, went on 10, ranked all 10 (most were in the midwest -> derm seems to be VERY regional in terms of where you get offers unless you are an all-star)
Matched: YES!!!!!! At my home program

Things that matter: If you want to match into derm maximize 3 things:
1. Board scores (obvious) - will get you in the door, but doesn't matter as much after that
2. AOA (THIS is super important in derm, not sure why) - no one ever mentioned my 3rd year grades, which as you can see above were not the best of the best. All they cared about was that I was AOA and what my board score was.
3. Letters/aways - letters are very important for derm which I never really took to heart until after this process. Everyone always commented that my letters were very good, and I got interviews at places my writers were affiliated with, etc. So my theory is that if you want to go somewhere specific, especially if it is not near the region of the country you go to school in, you NEED to do an away there, and you NEED a letter from someone at that program, unless you are an all-star, in which case it doesn't matter as much

Stuff I could have done better:
1. Research aways thoroughly. This information is hard to find, but I didn't really look deep enough into the programs I applied to. I did 1 reach school and 1 safer school (in terms of competitiveness), I think that is a good strategy. However, I'm not really sure if it would have worked out because I ended up putting my home school higher than both aways I did.
2. More research - not super sure about this. I actually talked about my research very little during the interviews. However, I think I would have gotten more interviews at more academic places if I had some more substantial stuff.
3. Apply smarter - THIS is important - Again, I am from the midwest, you know my stats - but I got rejected from EVERY SINGLE west coast and east coast school I applied to. I really think derm is more regional than everyone thinks - I even heard feedback from one east coast program that they do not typically even read the applications from midwest candidates unless they are spectacular (aka better than mine apparently). Therefore, if you have similar stats to me, I would save your money in applying to schools far away from yourself geographically, unless you have some sort of connection.
4. Last, develop connections if you can. I am fairly certain that connections are extremely important in the small world of derm. I'm still not certain on the best way to do this, but if you can do it, do it!

Good luck to everyone, and congrats to those who just matched!

Steps: Step I - 246, Step II - 256
AOA: Senior AOA
Grades: 5/6 Clinical Honors and one Pass (OB/GYN) (no high-pass given at institution)
School: low/mid-tier midwest school without a dermatology department
Research: 2 first author derm case report publications in reputable journals, one fourth author basic science derm pub in reputable journal, and 1 non-derm first author radiology paper
Aways: 3
Letters: alot, I pick and chose which ones I wanted to include with what program
Applied: 74
Interviews: 14
Attended: 11
Matched: #2 ...a great west coast program I did an away rotation at, no contact at all from program. soo happy to have matched where I did.

Will post just for the sake of helping the more "normal" derm hopefuls:

Steps: I high 230s, Step II not available during interview season
AOA: No
Grades: 6 or so preclinical honors, NO clinical honors (honors are tough to get at my school and my dean's letter was very strong still)
School: mid/low-tier midwestern school w/ derm department
Research: a book chapter, 2 abstracts, 1 poster, a few online publications (started research M1 year, this was HUGE I think and showed commitment to the field)
Aways: 2 (did research at a 3rd)
Letters: 4 derm, 2 from big names
Applied: everywhere, 100+
Interviews: 9
Attended: 8 (1 conflict)
Matched: #8...thank GOD, matched at a place that I did not rotate and that wasn't my home program. Pretty surprised I fell so far down my list as my interviews and away rotations all went really well based on feedback, but I'm still extremely excited about matching.

Advice: I had interviews mostly in the midwest, but some randoms in other regions. I would disagree w/ golf4mbs and I strongly advise you to apply everywhere. I was highly surprised by some interviews I received. In the end, I didn't match at one of those programs, but you never know.

In terms of interviews, people like to say that once you get the interview scores, grades, etc. matter way less, but I'm not so sure that's true. I had really great interviews and I prepared very well for all of them. The issue with derm is the interviews are super short and they ask a lot of softball questions. It's super hard to mess one up, honestly. So I think since most people interview well, programs just go back to the paper application to determine ROLs.

Lastly, take all advice w/ a grain of salt. Everyone thinks they know why they did or did not match, but barring those with strong connections, no one knows the real reason. This is a very competitive field and some people with great applications just don't make the cut. Just work as hard as possible in every single area. If it's what you want just go for it and let the cards fall where they may. Just prepare yourself for the worst and have a strong backup plan.

Steps: Step I and Step 2 - both in the 260's
AOA: Junior AOA
Grades: 5/6 Clinical Honors and one High Pass (Psych)
School: low/mid-tier southern medical school with a dermatology department
Research: 1 first author case series paper "accepted" (big time derm journal) and 1 second author poster completed at the time of application submission... 4 other research "activities" in the works
Aways: 1
Letters: 4 (all derm) - 3 from home department (1 was “derm research”, 1 from a big-shot derm at the away rotation - ALL OF MY LETTERS WERE EXTREMELY STRONG, WHICH I THINK WAS KEY!)
Applied: 94
Interviews: 23
Attended: 19 (couldn’t go to the other 4 due to conflict)
Matched: #2 ...an AWESOME midwest program that I never rotated at. I had the best "feeling" about this program after leaving the interview and was thoroughly impressed! The program never contacted me, but I sent them a thank you e-mail before the ROL was due and was told a mere "Good Luck!" (Ha!)

Advice: The entire process of getting into derm was a whirlwind of a journey! I think board scores and AOA will get you invites, but your personality at the interviews will determine how you will fall on someone's ROL. Be yourself, be fun, be personable, and really show that you're a great fit for the program and the wonderful field of dermatology

I think my Letters were KEY in securing some major interviews. I thought that coming from a no-name school would hurt, but I interviewed at some ivy league institutions and other big name derm departments that I would have only dreamed of interviewing at... and all of them mentioned how strong my LORs were... especially the hot-shot guy from the away I did. They all said we know how this guy writes and can tell if he really likes someone (so apparently he writes good and bad letters) and they were impressed by his letter and could tell he was strongly endorsing my application to dermatology residency :-) . Make sure you know your letter writers and request that they submit "strong" letters on your behalf. Derm is a beastly battle, and any flaw in your application can cut you out! I would say the more derm letters the better (I got all 4 - one was derm "research"), but 3 derm/1 IM or 3 derm/1 surg will suffice as well. Derm is a small field so it's good to submit as many derm letters as possible. Also, all must be professors in the academic setting (I know this sounds trivial, but I've heard of people not matching because they would submit a private doc's letter).

Research is key! And as you can see, a case report or case series will suffice in some cases (I did no big time basic science research). I think 1 publication or accepted article at the time of application submission will do. A lot of great people are applying to derm and these programs need to find some way to weed out people (those who don't do research). So work your way up by doing a case report then go onto to more significant work (I had a review article and an extremely interesting honors project in the works at the time of submission).

AWAYS AWAYS AWAYS are big! I wish I had done more, but this is a great way to break into a region of the country you would not get interviews in if you hadn't done an away. I would say rotate at your home institution and do 2 aways if you can!

Applications: APPLY EVERYWHERE! You never know who will invite you. Do not restrict yourself. I think I got a lot of invites due to the simple fact that I applied to nearly every program. This is not the time to worry about finances or money... trust me, once you become a dermatologist all of that will be trivial. You want to maximize your chances of matching, so why risk it? Matching made spending all that money SOOOOOO WORTH IT… haha.

GOOD LUCK c/o 2014 with your applications to dermatology residency!

Steps: Step I 260's, Step 2 260's
AOA: Junior AOA
Grades:7/7 clinical honors
School: isolated mid tier state school with derm department
Research: 2 second author articles (one derm, one not) submitted. One derm poster presentation.
Aways: 0
Letters: 3 derm, 1 neuro; 1 from department chairman (didn't know me super well), 1 big name derm letter but I don't know if it was really that strong, other letters very strong
Applied: 86
Interviews: 13
Attended: 12
Matched: #4

Obviously I had good grades/boards going for me but beyond that I wasn't anything special. Likely because of my lack of research most of my interviews were at clinically focused programs which I was fine with. I think an away would have been helpful but it still worked out just fine not having one.