IMG derm residency

[PathOne]

While I'm happily content with looking at skin through a microscope, a friend of mine wants to get into a derm residency. However, she's a graduate from some Carib school (think it's St. George's but not sure), and the dermatologists I know says that there's no point in even trying to apply, because she'll NEVER get a residency, simply because she doesn't have a US degree. I'd like to get some second opinions, so I can encourage or discourage her..

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[prominence]

The closest "your friend" will ever get to dermatology is by doing a derm rotation.

As far as residency goes, IMGs have no chance at dermatology. Maybe if she does an IM residency first, and then applies for derm afterwards, she may improve her chances of landing a derm residency to 5% (at best).

I agree that pathology is not bad as a safety specialty for dermatology.

 

[Fermata]

Yep.

There's always dermatopathology if she still wants to deal with skin stuff.

 

[Sharky]

She has no chance simply because she is coming from the caribbean. If she wanted a shot she should have gone to a US allopathic school and if she even wanted a slight chance she should have gone to a US osteopathic school simply because DO schools have their own derm programs that only DOs can apply to.

 

[ny skindoc]

Believe it or not in recent years about 2-3 IMGs have matched into Derm per year(out of around 260 spots .) I believe that a spot at a New York program actually did go to a SGU grad a couple years ago. Those IMGs who get in have amazing research credentials,advanced degrees or extensive academic derm experience in another country.If your friend is totally dedicated to Derm, has top board scores and can compete academically then doing a couple of years research fellowship at a strong derm program with publications and developing solid contacts might get her in.Its a very long shot as there are plenty of US grads with top credentials who can not secure a position.Its not impossible.. but its hard to encourage her. It might be better to focus on almost any other field.

 

[PathOne]

Thanks for the input, which pretty much matched what I've heard from others. I also believe that dermpath through pathology (as myself) is a more survivable path to go. Of course it's not true derm, but it's also a chance to work in a derm dept. during fellowship.

 

[Fermata]

Thanks for the input, which pretty much matched what I've heard from others. I also believe that dermpath through pathology (as myself) is a more survivable path to go. Of course it's not true derm, but it's also a chance to work in a derm dept. during fellowship.

Good luck to you.

You have a very reasonable plan.

 

[Phil Anthropist]

prominence, there's been Caribbean graduates who've done exactly that. Perhaps rare, but it has been done. See article below.

Sharky, it is possible.

ny skindoc, I think your comments are accurate and realistic (i.e. it might not be such a great idea to encourage her and at a very least she should have a backup). I think this is the New York resident you're referring to:

http://www.sgu.edu/NewsEvents.nsf/webContent/FD6618386D4694CA85256DF9005A75F4

Brent D. Wainwright, MD, Class of 2000 was recently awarded the highly competitive Fred Wise, MD Award, sponsored by the New York Academy of Medicine?s Dermatology Section in New York City, winning against a field of residents from Cornell, Columbia, and Mt Sinai.

Residents from New York City area dermatology training programs presented reports on their investigative work and a panel of peers selected the winning paper.

Dr. Wainwright, a Dermatology resident in the Albert Einstein College of Medicine?s program, presented a paper entitled ?Serum High Molecular Weight Antigen Levels and Clinical Outlook in Melanoma.? This research effort by the SGU graduate follows a NIH Research Fellowship in Immunodermatology at New York University Medical Center from 2001-2002.

?Dermatology is currently the most difficult residency to obtain, even for top US graduates,? according to Wainwright, it?s one of the ?hot? residencies these days. Wainwright encourages SGU graduates to pursue excellence and has offered to assist any SGU graduate applying for residencies in the field. He continues to stay in close contact with the current students in Grenada, with meetings planned for early 2004 on the True Blue campus.

The former Student Government President and his wife, Sandra K. Wainwright, also in the SGUSOM Class of 2000, are a couple to watch as they continue their close ties with the university.

Peace.

-Phil

 

[Apollyon]

Oh goodness...Sandra. What a body...beautiful, and she can sing. She sang a song from "Phantom of the Opera" at the one talent show, and it was incredible. I missed my chance with her, and she hooked up with Brent, and, the next thing I know, they're married. She is truly the "total package".

 

[Phil Anthropist]

Oh goodness...Sandra. What a body...beautiful, and she can sing. She sang a song from "Phantom of the Opera" at the one talent show, and it was incredible. I missed my chance with her, and she hooked up with Brent, and, the next thing I know, they're married. She is truly the "total package".

So you're trying to tell me that you can be an IMG, match derm, AND marry a beautiful woman that can sing too?! Now this, I refuse to believe!

 

[macrosky]

http://medicine.uchicago.edu/section_pages/derm/resident_list.htm
here are at least 2 IMGs in Chicago derm residency program

 

[DrBowtie]

Those are different. They are foreign citizens from foreign medical schools. I forget which IMG vs. FMG but a US citizen going to an offshore medical school is below the former.
I think that anything is possible. Stephw on the RadOnc boards matched into rad onc (an equally competitive specialty) from the caribbean.
It takes something really special to match into those specialties from the caribbean so it is truly rare.

 

[peppersgrl]

I do have a friend that matched into a derm program at Martin Luther King/Drew hospital for derm (4 years ago) but he was a doc in another country. When he came to the US, he did an IM residency in NY and then did a derm residency. He did do tons of research and published a lot during his IM residency though. He actually even got a cosmetic surg fellowship after his derm residency. It can be done but it's really hard.

 

[novacek88]

It's not just a long shot, it's a long road. Doing extensive research and trying to make contacts could include up to 3 or 4 years. If it's going to take that many years of networking and research just to stand a chance, she might as well reapply to a U.S. medical school and start over. Honestly, that's probably her best chance!

I mean seriously, I wouldn't spend 3 years in a lab doing research and making contacts just for the slim chance that I might get accepted to a derm residency. If I'm going to spend that much time, I might as well reapply to school and just study 24/7 to finish in the top 10 percent and score over 240 on Step I.

 

[teaparty123]

I wanted to add that a SGU grad last year matched at one of the Harvard affiliated programs in Boston. She was an average student as far as I know but She was incredibly Hot...I beleive she used to work for MTV before...so I dont know what she did but she got in...so anything is possible

 

[ny skindoc]

I wanted to add that a SGU grad last year matched at one of the Harvard affiliated programs in Boston. She was an average student as far as I know but She was incredibly Hot...I beleive she used to work for MTV before...so I dont know what she did but she got in...so anything is possible

I didnt see any carib grads on the most recent match list at either of the 2 Boston area programs.But yes there are some IMGs so it is possible.http://www.dermboard.com/docs/2004-2005.htm

 

[JohnHolmes]

While I'm happily content with looking at skin through a microscope, a friend of mine wants to get into a derm residency. However, she's a graduate from some Carib school (think it's St. George's but not sure), and the dermatologists I know says that there's no point in even trying to apply, because she'll NEVER get a residency, simply because she doesn't have a US degree. I'd like to get some second opinions, so I can encourage or discourage her..

Unless your friend walks on water, turns water to wine and can make a loaf of bread feed 1000 people, IMG is a pathognomic finding for "get real."

JH

 

[PathOne]

http://medicine.uchicago.edu/section_pages/derm/resident_list.htm
here are at least 2 IMGs in Chicago derm residency program

I know one of them. He's a fully trained Dermatologist in Austria, who went on to do phototherapy research at MGH and was a assistant prof of Derm at Harvard. However, he wanted to have US board certification, so he was accepted at Chicago. I wouldn't be surprised if the other IMG in the program had a similar background.