Derm Advice

[mdquestion]

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Sorry for a long post---SDN is always a good sounding board.

I'm a med student at a Top 20 school and have become more interested in dermatology. This stresses me out more than anything, knowing that my ability to match (and to match WHERE I want to) will be much harder than my classmates if I choose this path. I'm also far from 100% sure about derm as a career and harbor other interests in medicine (don't we all?). Also considering Hem/Onc or Pathology at this point. Mainly I'm looking for advice on what I should do in the next year/prioritize if I want to consider a derm residency and how I can learn more about derm and whether or not it's a career that would suit me.

Some thoughts:
Second year is busy, but manageable so far. Got a good TA gig to help reduce the loans. I have to do a scholarly project to graduate and am working in a basic science lab (blood-disease gene therapy related), though don't expect to accomplish enough to publish by the time Step 1 studying rolls around. I might phase this down starting in January depending on how much progress I realistically make in the next 3 months. Also do health education research (really interesting, high impact, news-worthy stuff- my group's work has been featured in NYT, Newsweek, etc. and I'll be presenting my works at two prestigious national conferences this year). Otherwise, I run a free clinic once a month and generally try to veg out on my weekends/catch on studying in my free time. Generally, I don't make time for things unless I enjoy them.

Post TAing (ends in 2 weeks!), my schedule will be manageable that I can devote a lot of time to making sure I'm prepared for Step I. My school also has substantial built-in time for studying (8 weeks) and I can extend that a month or two if I want.

My main concern is that I have no substantial research experience in dermatology. Looked for a research advisor last Spring but didn't find a lab at my school that had a project available I was really interested in doing/an advisor I'd want to do it with. Research/pubs record outside of derm should be above average for most med students. I've already published a 1st author basic science paper (mid-tier journal) and will be publishing another 1st author basic science paper (higher tier journal) by next year from research pre-med school. Both our in fields and concepts of basic science that couldAlso working a health education paper for Academic Medicine that is an interesting quantitative/qualitative study. My only "derm-related pub" is a review paper I wrote this summer on new treatments for melanoma in a relatively low/mid-tier journal.

Anyway...what are some thoughts/ideas for how I should proceed as a MS2/3? I'm not 100% decided on dermatology (though, it's where I see myself happiest so far). I like the "research" projects I'm working on now, so I don't feel a huge impetus to start on something derm related especially when I don't want to add anymore activities to my "schedule". Was thinking about adding a low commitment thing third year (epidemiology research in derm)....but not sure.

 

[hawk126]

No mesh

 

[asmallchild]

Sorry for a long post---SDN is always a good sounding board.

I'm a med student at a Top 20 school and have become more interested in dermatology. This stresses me out more than anything, knowing that my ability to match (and to match WHERE I want to) will be much harder than my classmates if I choose this path. I'm also far from 100% sure about derm as a career and harbor other interests in medicine (don't we all?). Also considering Hem/Onc or Pathology at this point. Mainly I'm looking for advice on what I should do in the next year/prioritize if I want to consider a derm residency and how I can learn more about derm and whether or not it's a career that would suit me.

Some thoughts:
Second year is busy, but manageable so far. Got a good TA gig to help reduce the loans. I have to do a scholarly project to graduate and am working in a basic science lab (blood-disease gene therapy related), though don't expect to accomplish enough to publish by the time Step 1 studying rolls around. I might phase this down starting in January depending on how much progress I realistically make in the next 3 months. Also do health education research (really interesting, high impact, news-worthy stuff- my group's work has been featured in NYT, Newsweek, etc. and I'll be presenting my works at two prestigious national conferences this year). Otherwise, I run a free clinic once a month and generally try to veg out on my weekends/catch on studying in my free time. Generally, I don't make time for things unless I enjoy them.

Post TAing (ends in 2 weeks!), my schedule will be manageable that I can devote a lot of time to making sure I'm prepared for Step I. My school also has substantial built-in time for studying (8 weeks) and I can extend that a month or two if I want.

My main concern is that I have no substantial research experience in dermatology. Looked for a research advisor last Spring but didn't find a lab at my school that had a project available I was really interested in doing/an advisor I'd want to do it with. Research/pubs record outside of derm should be above average for most med students. I've already published a 1st author basic science paper (mid-tier journal) and will be publishing another 1st author basic science paper (higher tier journal) by next year from research pre-med school. Both our in fields and concepts of basic science that couldAlso working a health education paper for Academic Medicine that is an interesting quantitative/qualitative study. My only "derm-related pub" is a review paper I wrote this summer on new treatments for melanoma in a relatively low/mid-tier journal.

Anyway...what are some thoughts/ideas for how I should proceed as a MS2/3? I'm not 100% decided on dermatology (though, it's where I see myself happiest so far). I like the "research" projects I'm working on now, so I don't feel a huge impetus to start on something derm related especially when I don't want to add anymore activities to my "schedule". Was thinking about adding a low commitment thing third year (epidemiology research in derm)....but not sure.

I've always felt the time to pursue a project (assuming a traditional medical school curriculum) is 2nd year. You'll have some time to arrange research in between classes.

I would recommend dropping EVERYTHING and taking Step 1 very seriously.

And I would also recommend keeping your obligations to a minimum during 3rd year. I think it is important to be an outstanding student both at the academic and clinical level and it's hard to do that if you are constantly worrying about research as a 3rd year.

There's probably some slight advantage to being "gung ho" about derm from the very beginning. But in the end, I think it is healthier to approach medical school with an open mind and if you are building upon excellent grades in the pre-clinical years, an excellent Step 1 score, excellent grades in the clinical years, and some research experience (regardless of the field it is in), you should still be in excellent shape. Not to mention still well-positioned if you ultimately decide derm is not what you want.

 

[mdquestion]

I've always felt the time to pursue a project (assuming a traditional medical school curriculum) is 2nd year. You'll have some time to arrange research in between classes.

I would recommend dropping EVERYTHING and taking Step 1 very seriously.

And I would also recommend keeping your obligations to a minimum during 3rd year. I think it is important to be an outstanding student both at the academic and clinical level and it's hard to do that if you are constantly worrying about research as a 3rd year.

There's probably some slight advantage to being "gung ho" about derm from the very beginning. But in the end, I think it is healthier to approach medical school with an open mind and if you are building upon excellent grades in the pre-clinical years, an excellent Step 1 score, excellent grades in the clinical years, and some research experience (regardless of the field it is in), you should still be in excellent shape. Not to mention still well-positioned if you ultimately decide derm is not what you want.

I am doing projects. 2 actually (1) in gene therapy...novel technique that could....and I think is now....being applied to some pediatric derm conditions (2) health education research. I like my projects and am trying to ask...is it OK to just stick with them if they aren't technically "derm-related" but I find them interesting. I'm doing fine with keeping up with class so far and I have an enormous block of available time to study for boards (up to 4 months if I really wanted to take it).

Real question is...is it OK to keep chugging along with what I'm doing until I really decide derm is what I want to do?