Alternative routes for getting into derm?

[Belleza156]

Do alternative routes exist if ones cv isn't cookie cutter copy of the average derm applicant? ie step 1 +250, AOA, honors on most everything and +6 publications ..........


I have heard of some taking a year off and doing research. Also heard of some pursuing internal medicine residency and applying for derm when they complete IM. Do these strategies work? Are there any others?


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[basal]

Doing a research year is classically the way to go for those who don't have the stats. It's worked for the people I've seen do it. If you don't want to do a research year though, you could always do a bunch of aways at less desirable programs and hope that one of them likes you enough to rank you highly. If you ended up going unmatched you could then go on to do a derm research fellowship after your intern year and then apply again (although it will likely cost you two years of research post-internship vs. only doing one year during med school.)

 

[pandoraone]

I notice people often say 6+ papers; I had a question about that.

Is it:
- 6 case reports?
- 6 first authorship papers?
- 6 co-authorships?
- 6 papers in JAAD or 6 in random, no name journals?

 

[Iwy Em Hotep]

Do alternative routes exist if ones cv isn't cookie cutter copy of the average derm applicant? ie step 1 +250, AOA, honors on most everything and +6 publications ..........


I have heard of some taking a year off and doing research. Also heard of some pursuing internal medicine residency and applying for derm when they complete IM. Do these strategies work? Are there any others?


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A few options exist:

1) Traditional 1-2 year research fellowship, whether named/funded or not.
2) Complete medicine residency first (more popular out West).
3) Shine on certain away rotations. Some programs value a good impression than numbers.

Or just apply. Not everyone has the "right" application on paper.

 

[sore eye asses]

My stats:

-Step 1: 227
-Step 2: 219
-AOA: no (aside: I knew a guy who got freshman AOA because he just looked like he could dismantle a standardized test - kinda like buying futures)
-Pubs: none (unless you count my self-published novella on shepherding tactics for the shrewd Balkan Peninsulan, and few do...)
-Extracurricular activities: Self-loathing, wishing death on fellow motorists and inanimate objects (e.g. traffic lights), watching myself in the mirror and trying to figure out which is really my left side
-Hand-job proficiency: Journeyman
-Dermatology match: First time 'round, top 10 program.

Moral: I've said this before, and I'll say it again, it's not the size of your brain, but how you use it to control your hand grip. Make believe like you're having a unilateral petite mal seizure of the upper extremity, only keep those fingers semi-clenched.

 

[alcon1]

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[basal]

I notice people often say 6+ papers; I had a question about that.

Is it:
- 6 case reports?
- 6 first authorship papers?
- 6 co-authorships?
- 6 papers in JAAD or 6 in random, no name journals?

Usually a combination of the above. The serious academic types who have done a research fellowship might have several papers in good journals, but for most of us that is unobtainable as a med student. When I applied I had several poster presentations (ranging back to my undergrad and most not in derm), a case report, and a submitted 2nd author article. Even though I don't think anyone was all that impressed with my research, it was valuable in the sense that I was able to get strong letters from the attendings I did the research with.

 

[Belleza156]

My stats:

-Step 1: 227
-Step 2: 219
-AOA: no (aside: I knew a guy who got freshman AOA because he just looked like he could dismantle a standardized test - kinda like buying futures)
-Pubs: none (unless you count my self-published novella on shepherding tactics for the shrewd Balkan Peninsulan, and few do...)
-Extracurricular activities: Self-loathing, wishing death on fellow motorists and inanimate objects (e.g. traffic lights), watching myself in the mirror and trying to figure out which is really my left side
-Hand-job proficiency: Journeyman
-Dermatology match: First time 'round, top 10 program.

Moral: I've said this before, and I'll say it again, it's not the size of your brain, but how you use it to control your hand grip. Make believe like you're having a unilateral petite mal seizure of the upper extremity, only keep those fingers semi-clenched.

I honestly thought you were joking with this post. But I looked through a few of your posts from a couple years back, and I guess you did get in to derm! You must have one hell of a personality and that favored you Your writing is pretty comical dating to way back when you started on SDN.....I'm sure your personal statement stuck out. Thanks for the response.

 

[Belleza156]

Doing a research year is classically the way to go for those who don't have the stats. It's worked for the people I've seen do it. If you don't want to do a research year though, you could always do a bunch of aways at less desirable programs and hope that one of them likes you enough to rank you highly. If you ended up going unmatched you could then go on to do a derm research fellowship after your intern year and then apply again (although it will likely cost you two years of research post-internship vs. only doing one year during med school.)

Not too sure what a derm fellowship is...never heard of it? Is it better to take a break within med school and do research so I apply as a US Senior? Or better to graduate and do the derm fellowship and apply as a US Independent applicant?

 

[Iwy Em Hotep]

Not too sure what a derm fellowship is...never heard of it? Is it better to take a break within med school and do research so I apply as a US Senior? Or better to graduate and do the derm fellowship and apply as a US Independent applicant?

A derm *research* fellowship is a year dedicated to research at an institution. Many of them exist.

As for applying during medical school and after medical school, there are only a few differences:
1) By applying during medical school, you may be eligible for medical student grants, etc. within your home institution.
2) By applying after medical school, you may able to independently see patients, which will make your more desirable to accomplish clinical work at other institutions.

 

[sore eye asses]

I honestly thought you were joking with this post. But I looked through a few of your posts from a couple years back, and I guess you did get in to derm! You must have one hell of a personality and that favored you Your writing is pretty comical dating to way back when you started on SDN.....I'm sure your personal statement stuck out. Thanks for the response.

That post was a joke...what really happened was:

I rotated at a program in the east the rhymes with hail and when I was there I killed and drank the blood of a key attending who's name is also a sandwich meat. i used the blood of this attending to match into derm and become a powerful resident. i also resurrected this attending and taught her how to publish the third edition of her seminal text. she really likes me a lot and sometimes we go golfing together. this is one route into derm, but it is unorthodox and hard to replicate.

good luck!

 

[GreenGeek]

That post was a joke...what really happened was:

I rotated at a program in the east the rhymes with hail and when I was there I killed and drank the blood of a key attending who's name is also a sandwich meat. i used the blood of this attending to match into derm and become a powerful resident. i also resurrected this attending and taught her how to publish the third edition of her seminal text. she really likes me a lot and sometimes we go golfing together. this is one route into derm, but it is unorthodox and hard to replicate.

good luck!

Sounds like something I've been always wanting to do. Perhaps I can work on the 4th edition.