Is it possible to pursue a dermatology residency after a pediatrics residency?

[merna.a]

Is it possible to pursue a dermatology residency or fellowship after completing a pediatrics residency?

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[Dral]

Residency: Yes. It would likely need to pretty much be funded by the institution though. This can make things a bit more complicated.

Fellowship: Yes if you completed derm residency first (I'm assuming you are referring to peds derm fellowship).

 

[merna.a]

For a peds derm fellowship - are any available after completion of pediatric residency as I am currently completing a pediatric residency.

For residency- do you have to apply for a derm residency spot and complete a derm residency after your pediatric residency.

 

[Skindoc83]

Yes you would have to do a full 3 year derm fellowship. i know quite a few people who have done this route. No one wants to do Peds derm so it seems like programs are willing to take pediatricians on as residents in the hopes that they will do Peds derm eventually

 

[merna.a]

Yes you would have to do a full 3 year derm fellowship. i know quite a few people who have done this route. No one wants to do Peds derm so it seems like programs are willing to take pediatricians on as residents in the hopes that they will do Peds derm eventually

Which derm fellowship programs are keen on taking on pediatrics residents? Thank you in advance!

 

[Dral]

For a peds derm fellowship - are any available after completion of pediatric residency as I am currently completing a pediatric residency. No

For residency- do you have to apply for a derm residency spot and complete a derm residency after your pediatric residency. Yes

Long story short, to be boarded in peds derm, you must complete a full derm residency, peds derm fellowship, and fulfill requirements for board certification. In that case one would be double boarded in derm and peds derm.


So to clarify, unless there is an outlier program, you cannot go from Peds residency to a Derm fellowship. Here are the pathways to all the 'main' fellowships.

Intern/TY/surg intern/peds intern year ->Three year Derm residency -> Mohs surgery (just became boarded afaik)
Intern/TY/surg intern/peds intern year ->Three year Derm residency -> Dermatopathology
Intern/TY/surg intern/peds intern year ->Three year Derm residency -> Peds derm
Intern/TY/surg intern/peds intern year ->Three year Derm residency -> Cosmetics (not boarded afaik)

There are a few other 'fellowships' (like rheum, cutaneous oncology, etc) there are research learning based fellowships, but again, those take derm residencies prior. They also do not lead to any sort of subspecialty board certification.

There are also pre-residency research fellowships that are a separate thing. Those are usually one to two year positions focused on research. They are done between third and fourth year of med school or after intern year. They are mainly for those individuals who are trying to gain entry into a derm residency program. To clarify, these are called fellowships, but they do not lead to any type of board certification. BC is mainly for Mohs, Dermpath, and Peds derm.

Here is more info for you:

Pediatric Dermatology

www.abderm.org

 

[90sportsfan]

For a peds derm fellowship - are any available after completion of pediatric residency as I am currently completing a pediatric residency.

For residency- do you have to apply for a derm residency spot and complete a derm residency after your pediatric residency.

No, at least not the accredited ones. They require completion of a Dermatology Residency program. They do not accept fellows who completed a Pediatric Residency only.

There is no way to backdoor into this. If you want to do Peds Derm and be board-certified, it will require you to do a Dermatology residency and then the fellowship. Getting into a Derm residency will be the biggest challenge due to competitiveness. It would also require a good and convincing “story” as to why you want to make the switch (in addition to research), and you would have needed stellar med school grades, board scores, and letters from your med school. Then comes the pay cut (and opportunity cost lost) and having to go through the rigors of residency again.

Of course, you may be able to find some type of unaccredited peds dermatology fellowship so that you could build a derm niche into your regular peds practice. But it won’t be accredited and you will be held to the standard of care of a dermatologist if you take on Derm cases, so that’s not without risk.

 

[chocolatecheese]

Canadian derm resident here - the fellowship at SickKids in Toronto primarily takes peds residents but is considered unaccredited. Not sure if this would give you the ability to practice in the States and/or Canada and would need to be something you need to look into.