Applying for a Procedural Derm/ Mohs Fellowship after residency/ as an attending?

[PremedSurvivor]

Hi all,

Due to a family medical emergency, I unfortunately had to withdraw from the match (couldn't make the interviews and had to take time off of residency). You can imagine how disheartening that is, but I don't regret the choice. That's growing older I guess.

For now, I'll need to get a job, but my true passion is surgery. I could take the Applied and practice Mohs, but I would prefer to have in-depth, systematic training. For what it's worth, my PD feels I have a strong application and solid letters. With that said..

1. How feasible/ realistic is it to apply and match Mohs after 1-3 years of being an attending?
2. What can I do to optimize my chances of getting matching? (i.e. particular practice setting, research, teaching, other activities)
3. Any tips for networking as an attending?
4. Any tips for applying to fellowship in an area I'm geographically tied to (Family)? I.e. would the PDs in the area see that as "training their competition"?

Thanks a bunch in advance

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[Skindoc83]

1. Very feasible
2. make connections in the field. I would consider trying to join a practice that employs a previous mohs PD or someone well known in the field that you could develop a working relationship with. Mohs is a small field so the two most important factors to matching are who you know and having the kind of personality that the PD wants To spend a year with
4. That can be an issue. I know of prominent leaders in the field that require their fellows to sign a contract saying they will not stay in the area when they finish training

 

[asmallchild]

1. Very feasible
2. make connections in the field. I would consider trying to join a practice that employs a previous mohs PD or someone well known in the field that you could develop a working relationship with. Mohs is a small field so the two most important factors to matching are who you know and having the kind of personality that the PD wants To spend a year with
4. That can be an issue. I know of prominent leaders in the field that require their fellows to sign a contract saying they will not stay in the area when they finish training

My understanding is that asking fellows to sign a non-compete or a restrictive covenant is no longer allowed. But it is sort of unspoken (and understandable) that PDs don't want to train their own competition and may decline to extend interview invites to local applicants. I feel like this would be a harder thing to mask as someone who has completed training and has settled down with a practice/home/etc versus a resident who may be training in a certain geographic area but can relocate after fellowship training.

 

[PremedSurvivor]

Thank you both so much. I may have flexibility in moving after the next 2-3 years, but at least immediately for the next year I would need to be geographically in one place.
So it sounds like you'd recommend maximizing exposure at conference, but any other ways to build connections with the attendings?

 

[MrBigglesworth]

Does your home program have a fellowship? If you want to match in the upcoming years, I would stay at an academic institution, preferably with a mohs fellowship. Otherwise there are some private groups that have fellowships, it might be worth reaching out to them and tell them you would be happy to work as gen derm etc for a spot in their training program.