Bias towards attractive / beautiful people in derm?

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Foot Fetish

Foot Fetish

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I've been looking at the web pages of derm residency programs, and it seems like the overwhelming majority of the residents are attractive females. Many are downright smoke shows. I'm a bit stunned, honestly. The dudes are more variable in the facial aesthetics department, but it seems like they're all at least lean / not overweight. Are they selecting for good-looking people in derm or am I just seeing things?
 
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I have to admit, I've noticed that too. I've seen this in plastics as well. Might be self-selecting. Might be implicit.
 
Lol derm residents' physical appeal is probably better than the a average resident simply due to the fact that they've probably had time to exercise/tan/salon stuffs since finding out they matched. There's some sort of 'derm glow' phenomena going on. Then their resident pictures get better every year (or at least don't show worn out faces) simply because they're not being worked to the bone like the guy or gal at the community general surgery program who's busy inspecting some patient's gangrene at 11pm. They're incredibly smart though, so I'm not scoffing at them or anything--just sitting in on one of their meetings and trying to follow along is like deciphering Morse code.
 
Taco Time said:
Lol derm residents' physical appeal is probably better than the a average resident simply due to the fact that they've probably had time to exercise/tan/salon stuffs since finding out they matched.
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Derm residents aren't dumb enough to go tanning.

And yes, on average we are an attractive bunch. But we start that way, it's not just us winning the War of Aesthetic Attrition. Probably some self selection at play.
 
I'm guessing the avg derm resident takes 2x the avg resident time to get ready in the morning.
 
Foot Fetish said:
I've been looking at the web pages of derm residency programs, and it seems like the overwhelming majority of the residents are attractive females. Many are downright smoke shows. I'm a bit stunned, honestly. The dudes are more variable in the facial aesthetics department, but it seems like they're all at least lean / not overweight. Are they selecting for good-looking people in derm or am I just seeing things?
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I think this is for the same reason that dentists tend to have impeccable shimmering teeth. They're selling themselves in addition to their skills.
 
There's actually a defensible reason for the increasing "attractiveness" over residency (though I think I'm an exception to this, ha!). Cosmetics are a part of our job - being able to discuss intelligently and make informed recommendations. So knowing how different chemicals combat aging, or how a laser feels on the skin, or how long until you see a cosmetic result with botox, these are all part of our job. Some of this info is best gained by trying out the products.

What's that old ad: I'm not just the president of hair club for men, but also a client? That's us. 🙂
 
sholamd said:
What's that old ad: I'm not just the president of hair club for men, but also a client? That's us. 🙂
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Will I be discriminated against for my male-pattern baldness during derm residency interviews? I have a pretty handsome face to compensate.
 
FindMeOnTheLinks said:
My class must've missed the memo on this one
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PL198 said:
meh not sure about this
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I am extremely confident that, compared to the US population as a whole, all medical school classes are more attractive. I think a lot of med students grow up in affluent areas and don't fully appreciate how many Wal-people there are and how much of an attractive bubble that they lived in and continue to live in. Med school classes are also better off compared to the 2/3 of US citizens that are overweight or obese.
 
NWwildcat2013 said:
I am extremely confident that, compared to the US population as a whole, all medical school classes are more attractive. I think a lot of med students grow up in affluent areas and don't fully appreciate how many Wal-people there are and how much of an attractive bubble that they lived in and continue to live in. Med school classes are also better off compared to the 2/3 of US citizens that are overweight or obese.
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Or they may just prefer more "junk in the trunk". You never know...
 
Foot Fetish said:
I thought my classmates were pretty mediocre when I first got here. 6 months in, and now they're starting to look pretty good. Dx: I'm developing "med school goggles"
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Really? I think I'm the opposite lol. I thought a good number in my class were okay-looking until I had to spend all this time with them...they're driving me up a damn wall.
 
Taco Time said:
Lol derm residents' physical appeal is probably better than the a average resident simply due to the fact that they've probably had time to exercise/tan/salon stuffs since finding out they matched. There's some sort of 'derm glow' phenomena going on. Then their resident pictures get better every year (or at least don't show worn out faces) simply because they're not being worked to the bone like the guy or gal at the community general surgery program who's busy inspecting some patient's gangrene at 11pm. They're incredibly smart though, so I'm not scoffing at them or anything--just sitting in on one of their meetings and trying to follow along is like deciphering Morse code.
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Did you just say dermatologists tan? I work in a derm office.... I've never seen a paler lot of people in my life.


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mitochondria_power_plant said:
Did you just say dermatologists tan? I work in a derm office.... I've never seen a paler lot of people in my life.


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I'm willing to go out on a limb and say that a derm resident spends more time in the sun than any neurosuregery resident that gets up at 4 am and leaves the hospital at 8 pm. All the derm resident has to do is simply get to the hospital/office by 7:30 and leaving by 4, which are common hours. Also, tanning might be kinda frowned upon, especially with the deserved melanoma-awareness spiel that they promote in their offices to patients. Point being made is that not all derm residents tan, but that they seem to take care of their aesthetics far more than their colleagues that are residents in other respective fields. This really isn't up for debate.

Bags under the eyes of an ortho resident? Probably due to a 28 hour shift or just standing on their feet and trying to maneuver and hammer some joints around. Bags under the eyes of a dermatologist? Just doesn't fit. Also, keep in mind that derm deals with a lot of patients that pay out of pocket --> these patients are usually well-off financially --> they have no problem with and are probably comfortable around the dermatologist with designer shoes and clothes; the same can't be said for the EM resident working an overnight shift in Detroit.
8a8b7f2a61a3b0acc2f4c152bc47b804.jpg
 
Taco Time said:
I'm willing to go out on a limb and say that a derm resident spends more time in the sun than any neurosuregery resident that gets up at 4 am and leaves the hospital at 8 pm. All the derm resident has to do is simply get to the hospital/office by 7:30 and leaving by 4, which are common hours. Also, tanning might be kinda frowned upon, especially with the deserved melanoma-awareness spiel that they promote in their offices to patients. Point being made is that not all derm residents tan, but that they seem to take care of their aesthetics far more than their colleagues that are residents in other respective fields. This really isn't up for debate.

Bags under the eyes of an ortho resident? Probably due to a 28 hour shift or just standing on their feet and trying to maneuver and hammer some joints around. Bags under the eyes of a dermatologist? Just doesn't fit. Also, keep in mind that derm deals with a lot of patients that pay out of pocket --> these patients are usually well-off financially --> they have no problem with and are probably comfortable around the dermatologist with designer shoes and clothes; the same can't be said for the EM resident working an overnight shift in Detroit.
8a8b7f2a61a3b0acc2f4c152bc47b804.jpg
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Getting in at 7:30? What kind of abusive residency is that?
 
Taco Time said:
Also, keep in mind that derm deals with a lot of patients that pay out of pocket --> these patients are usually well-off financially --> they have no problem with and are probably comfortable around the dermatologist with designer shoes and clothes; the same can't be said for the EM resident working an overnight shift in Detroit.
8a8b7f2a61a3b0acc2f4c152bc47b804.jpg
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The vast vast vast vast vast majority of patients in derm are not paying out of pocket at all. This is doubly true in a residency program where the percentage of cash services are usually much lower.

I will continue to agree, however, that we tend to be much more attractive than other fields.
 
Taco Time said:
I'm willing to go out on a limb and say that a derm resident spends more time in the sun than any neurosuregery resident that gets up at 4 am and leaves the hospital at 8 pm. All the derm resident has to do is simply get to the hospital/office by 7:30 and leaving by 4, which are common hours. Also, tanning might be kinda frowned upon, especially with the deserved melanoma-awareness spiel that they promote in their offices to patients. Point being made is that not all derm residents tan, but that they seem to take care of their aesthetics far more than their colleagues that are residents in other respective fields. This really isn't up for debate.

Bags under the eyes of an ortho resident? Probably due to a 28 hour shift or just standing on their feet and trying to maneuver and hammer some joints around. Bags under the eyes of a dermatologist? Just doesn't fit. Also, keep in mind that derm deals with a lot of patients that pay out of pocket --> these patients are usually well-off financially --> they have no problem with and are probably comfortable around the dermatologist with designer shoes and clothes; the same can't be said for the EM resident working an overnight shift in Detroit.
8a8b7f2a61a3b0acc2f4c152bc47b804.jpg
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I agree with you. I'm just saying they when a derm resident uses their free time to go to the beach they go through an entire bottle of SPF45 while staying under a wide brimmed hat and an umbrella. Mohs surgery doesn't always have pretty results...


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NWwildcat2013 said:
This is also why medical students more attractive than the general population on average. Attractive people are favored their whole lives.
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Pretty much this. Derm is so competitive that they can pick who they want.

Regardless, FIT is a big reason how people end up in their specialties.

If you were a guy, would you really want to work around the Derm Ice Queens? Some would.

If you were an ugly woman, would you really want to work around the Derm Ice Queens?

P.S. - Don't underestimate the transformative power of makeup!
 
Slack3r said:
Lot of misconceptions up in here.
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I agree.

Sometimes my acne is out of control, and I can say the same of my coresidents.

TBH, in regards to UV light, I am more concerned about wrinkles and photoaging than skin cancer.

Not all derm residents are blondes with big boobs/guys whose dicks hit the floor. Yes, being attractive helps, but there's more to derm than being perceived as attractive.
 
It makes sense that people for whom regular gym/spa/makeup application time matters will gravitate towards a field that allows that.
 
Huggy said:
Although there are some people who are born with amazing genetics, I strongly disagree that people are just stuck being unattractive. With very minimal effort, you can improve your appearance dramatically imo.

For guys:

Go to a semi-nice salon and experiment with different hairstyles, find one that looks best, then go to cheaper stylists and show pictures.
Keep facial hear neat and trimmed. If you have pubes all over your face stick with shaving for now.
Wear either contacts or a more modern pair of glasses.
Get a female friend to fix up your eyebrows once every few weeks. If you're too ugly to have female friends yet, just work on the middle.
Purchase a nose hair trimmer, keep those babies in line
Keep chapstick on hand if those lips are crusty
Have good dental hygiene
Shower 1-2x per day using decent products and facial wash
Keep nails short - get a manicure/pedicure if you want (I know many guys that do this, I never have just because I don't want to pay)
Moisturize twice a day to get that soft baby face
Use hand lotion
Do some cardio and weight training a couple times a week.
Eat healthy, stay hydrated
Improve your sense of fashion, especially purchase clothes that fit correctly (90% of guys I know purchase one size too big in everything)


Every single "unattractive" person I know skips at least several of these things. Your appearance is largely in your own control.
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Lol this is spot on. Especially the last part (the clothes). SO many guys I know just wear **** clothes. That, along with the haircuts and facial hair game.. get with it or get ran over by it!
 
NWwildcat2013 said:
This is also why medical students more attractive than the general population on average. Attractive people are favored their whole lives.
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IDK. An average girl can look hot if you have your head in First Aid all day. I call it Med School Goggles. When you step outside, you're amazed at how attractive non-med school people actually are.
 
BurghStudent said:
IDK. An average girl can look hot if you have your head in First Aid all day. I call it Med School Goggles. When you step outside, you're amazed at how attractive non-med school people actually are.
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Lol I didn't think this was a real thing until you start seeing couples pop up out of nowhere by week 6. And the ones determined to find a spouse by the end of orientation week just scare me.
 
chibaddie said:
Lol I didn't think this was a real thing until you start seeing couples pop up out of nowhere by week 6. And the ones determined to find a spouse by the end of orientation week just scare me.
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Yep, sidestep that madness fam. Wear a chastity belt when you're on OB/GYN. They're in heat.
 
BurghStudent said:
IDK. An average girl can look hot if you have your head in First Aid all day. I call it Med School Goggles. When you step outside, you're amazed at how attractive non-med school people actually are.
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Seriously this. Luckily we have an adjacent undergrad campus to remind me what women are actually supposed to look like.
 
BurghStudent said:
IDK. An average girl can look hot if you have your head in First Aid all day. I call it Med School Goggles. When you step outside, you're amazed at how attractive non-med school people actually are.
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zero0 said:
Seriously this. Luckily we have an adjacent undergrad campus to remind me what women are actually supposed to look like.
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Public service announcement: med school isn't great for the average male's appearance, either.

For what it's worth, I've been married since long before I entered med school so I don't really care what my male classmates look like. Just saying that the long hours of studying aren't discriminatingly unkind to my gender.
 
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