Dermatology Resident wannabe

[spyhopper]

hi all,

just got accepted EDP for the 2003 entering class, but i'm graduating from college in december, so i have a semester off. i've done some derm work, MOHS surgery shadowing mainly, have authored a case study, and have a wonderful relationship with a well-respected dermatopathologist. i have moved recently and can't work with him anymore, but want to do something before med school starts to help me on my way to a derm residency. any suggestions? should i try and find some research to do? i really would like to set myself apart from other applicants and would like advice on exactly what would and would not help. something a little offbeat and creative would be nice, but i don't know how realistic that is. any advice is much appreciated!!!

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[nuclearrabbit77]

i'd take some time off to do something fun and exciting,..like going abroad or some roadtrip. when yer' done with that, i say check out some sexy cool labs at your school that you can work at, and hit them up so you can work there for a while before med skool starts. if you can pull it off, you may get a paper, and even continue doing research while you start your M1 year. in addition, there are plenty of research fellowships and abstract competions that you can apply to during then as well, and you'll have a head step since you'll already be situated in a lab at your skoo.

in regards to residency, you have a long way to go (even with your research background, i mean, everyone going to derm will have a research background.heheheheh). you'll have to spank the boards, and you'll have to spank yo' classes, and seducing a residency director might help as well.

remember to have fun and be open to other types of possible career choices.

werD

nuclearrabbit

NUFSOM - class 2006

 

[Lloyd Christmas]

Your performance in med school that is, the number of classes you have with "honors," your performance in your wards and sub-internships in years three and four, and your USMLE board scores, are key to getting into a very competetive residency like derm. From what I have gathered, your Step I board scores could be the most important of these factors.

As for doing things pre-medschool to help you get a good residency, they only thing I could say is to get some experience shadowing - like you have done - so that you can get a feel for what you are getting in to.

I'm not even sure that what you did pre-med will really be considered too heavily once you begin applying for residencies in four or so years. You performance in med school is by far the most important thing. Needless to say, once you are in med school you will want to do some shadowing and continue volunteering and stay involved (it is tougher than you think). You will have three years of med school before you will be applying to residency - so there is a lot of time in med school to "set yourself apart."

 

[SomeFakeName]

The horror, the horror...

 

[Mutterkuchen]

I agree with the the glowing rabbit. You are in an very enviable position, you have a guarantee for next year. I don't suggest that you sit and eat cheetos for six months, but go do something fun. If I had six months, I would go abroad and, or go volunteer in South America, or something.

I don't know your age, but assuming you are under 25, you are really at the prime of your life. Seriously take some time and live it. You have research experience, you have a pub, now go have fun. My PI is a remarkable scientist and a terrific doctor, but the most interesting thing about her is not her research. It is the fact that she worked as a 22 year old in the Central Asia as a medical volunteer in a refugee camp in a war torn area for a couple of years. No one cares about some undergraduate research experience.

Congrats on your acceptance!

 

[spyhopper]

thanks for all the helpful advice guys. i actually just got back from living in a village in costa rica for the summer, and spent lots of time livin' it up down there, so i totally agree with your recommendations. just wanted to see if i could use my down time productively, but any undergrad or prematriculation experience doesn't sound like it would help me anyway. if anyone thinks otherwise, let me know - i'm still open to suggestions.

 

[Lara]

The only thing I can think of is perhaps going to scutwork.com - they'll have links to just about all the derm programs, and some may include profiles of their current residents. That might give you a idea of what sort of activities can help get you in. But I agree chances are that anything during undergrad wouldn't carry too much weight. One thing I've heard is that many potential derm applicants actually take a year off med school (NIH funded I think) just to do research.

I have to say I'm rather glad to be leaning towards primary care! Though I'm sure top IM/Peds residencies demand quite a lot, too...

 

[DermRes]

It is going to be helpful early on to really get to know a program director, be it in your own school a nearby school. If there is a derm department in your school, see if you can sit in on the journal club or basic science leture on your own time.

Knowing the program director early on will set you apart from other candidate. This way a program director will know if he can work with you. Good candidate are all over the place. There is nothing worse than selecting someone to be the resident base on credentials only to find out that the person is an arrogant jerk.