Dermatology Residency Program Websites

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DermViser

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So just to start a discussion, which Derm residency program websites did you guys like? Which ones do you think could use some (or a lot) of work?

What information do you guys think they should have on their program websites?

Residents and what years they are in and what schools they went to?
Alumni and what they're doing now? (this would be good to have I think)
Exact interview dates?
Fellowships?
Research opportunities?

Just something to talk about while you guys are waiting intently.

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I think this is a great topic. The process of applying in Derm is so opaque that there really needs to be a concerted effort to help applicants understand the choices they are making. After the application process, there are definitely things I wish I knew or at least asked.

Quantitative Things:
--Papers per resident published as a surrogate of mentorship or faculty members; put the journals on there too and whether they were case reports that barely qualify as research or something more legitimate
--Avg. percentile scores on the in-service as a surrogate of clinical knowledge or at least time off to study
--Grants/awards won by residents in the past several years
--List of faculty members that served as advisors to residents (and the projects advised) which indicate whether the big shots really actually care about residents
--% that went to any of the fellowships; data on those who didn't match would be useful
--List the institutions or practices where grads/recent alumni went on to
--% that went to academics/private practice
--Average of job offers per newly graduated resident

Qualitative Things
--This is tough to answer in a website, but I wish there was an anonymous way or at least free form text where senior residents or recent graduates can comment on research mentorship; was there enough money/time/support (statistical, laboratory, engineering, whatever) to get stuff done.
--Indication of which sub-specialities in Derm the department is exceptionally strong in. If you're great at Dermpath, let it be known. If you're the center for peds derm, terrific. If you don't do much cosmetics training, just admit it. If you don't have that much Mohs, please let us know.
--What's the alumni network look like? Are you getting connected to sweet job opportunities or on your own to figure it out once 4th year strikes.

And I love the @OveractiveBrain quote--I think there is much truth to it. I can't remember the paper, but it was maybe a year ago. Rads and Derm were the fields that had the most respondents declare they would not consider another speciality but had the highest proportion of respondents that regretted going into medicine...
 
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I think this is a great topic. The process of applying in Derm is so opaque that there really needs to be a concerted effort to help applicants understand the choices they are making. After the application process, there are definitely things I wish I knew or at least asked.

Quantitative Things:
--Papers per resident published as a surrogate of mentorship or faculty members; put the journals on there too and whether they were case reports that barely qualify as research or something more legitimate
--Avg. percentile scores on the in-service as a surrogate of clinical knowledge or at least time off to study
--Grants/awards won by residents in the past several years
--List of faculty members that served as advisors to residents (and the projects advised) which indicate whether the big shots really actually care about residents
--% that went to any of the fellowships; data on those who didn't match would be useful
--List the institutions or practices where grads/recent alumni went on to
--% that went to academics/private practice
--Average of job offers per newly graduated resident

Qualitative Things
--This is tough to answer in a website, but I wish there was an anonymous way or at least free form text where senior residents or recent graduates can comment on research mentorship; was there enough money/time/support (statistical, laboratory, engineering, whatever) to get stuff done.
--Indication of which sub-specialities in Derm the department is exceptionally strong in. If you're great at Dermpath, let it be known. If you're the center for peds derm, terrific. If you don't do much cosmetics training, just admit it. If you don't have that much Mohs, please let us know.
--What's the alumni network look like? Are you getting connected to sweet job opportunities or on your own to figure it out once 4th year strikes.

And I love the @OveractiveBrain quote--I think there is much truth to it. I can't remember the paper, but it was maybe a year ago. Rads and Derm were the fields that had the most respondents declare they would not consider another speciality but had the highest proportion of respondents that regretted going into medicine...
In terms of the match for applicants I think program websites should list their alumni and what they've done (pursued fellowship, if so in what and where? gone on to private practice, stayed in academia if so where?), what medical schools did those alumni come from. I also think they should go into greater detail as far as the institutions in which derm residency training takes place. Some places have part-time or volunteer faculty involved which makes me a little eery about it bc they're not full time faculty who are very much involved. Also how much training and in what way in each of the areas - general, cosmetic, peds, Mohs, etc. How does board review take place? How much time are you allowed off to attend conferences? Does that cut into vacation time?

Edit: Oops, realized you said that! lol.

Part of the problem with the process is that you really can't ask probing questions as to the quality of things or you will be labeled as snobby, bad to get along with, etc. and can easily be blackballed by residents or by faculty who take personal offense to any probing into their weaknesses in their program. Applicants don't expect all programs to be like Harvard or NYU, and it's not like any applicant will drop a Derm program from their match list.

Not to get off track, but I can't speak for Rads, but for Derm, at least from what I've read they are the ones who are most happy with their specialty AND don't regret pursuing medicine. I imagine this might not be the case for Radiology due to the job market and fellowship now essentially being a requirement.
 
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I would like to see weekly and yearly schedules.

The weekly schedule should document when clinics start/end, and when the department does didactics (is it two half-days a week, one half-day a week, or in-between morning and afternoon clinics).

In terms of yearly schedules, it would be helpful to show how many days/weeks/months of peds/Mohs/cosmetics/dermpath residents get during their PGY-2,3, and 4 years.

Edit: Also which journals does the program read. You can a lot about a program if they read JAAD and JDD vs JAAD and JID
 
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I would like to see weekly and yearly schedules.

The weekly schedule should document when clinics start/end, and when the department does didactics (is it two half-days a week, one half-day a week, or in-between morning and afternoon clinics).

In terms of yearly schedules, it would be helpful to show how many days/weeks/months of peds/Mohs/cosmetics/dermpath residents get during their PGY-2,3, and 4 years.

Edit: Also which journals does the program read. You can a lot about a program if they read JAAD and JDD vs JAAD and JID
True, I think an exact curriculum month to month of what rotations you're doing would be helpful. Also, all the journals are the same as residents get free subscriptions or paid for by the dept. thru out their 3 years for journal club: JAAD, Archives, Derm Surg, etc.
 
Couple thoughts:
List interview dates
Don't have old information (eg Submit by Nov 1 2010...)
Pictures of facilities (clinics, work areas, etc) that aren't super old
Resident/faculty profiles with pictures, institutions, etc
Step 1 cutoffs if they use them
A video or two wouldn't hurt
Web design that doesn't look like it came from 1997
A message from the director or chairman about the program
 
Couple thoughts:
List interview dates
Don't have old information (eg Submit by Nov 1 2010...)
Pictures of facilities (clinics, work areas, etc) that aren't super old
Resident/faculty profiles with pictures, institutions, etc
Step 1 cutoffs if they use them
A video or two wouldn't hurt
Web design that doesn't look like it came from 1997
A message from the director or chairman about the program
There are some that do videos -- Penn State for example does it.

Step 1 cutoffs aren't listed on the website on purpose (there are exceptions).

I agree though - I like to learn about the faculty who they are, where they went to school, what their interests are. Some faculty don't match their photo in terms of personality. Residents more which schools they came from - what areas of derm they're interested in.
 
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