I think I should re-phrase my question given that it is eliciting misunderstandings.
I am a prospective medical student (haven't started yet).
I realize that fantastic USMLEs, LORs, AND RESEARCH are required.
I am asking for a "4-year plan" to get into derm, not that I do not wish to do research.
There are people who realize later on in med school that they want to do derm and must prep for just 2 or 3 years. Some do match. There are also people who spend 5, 6, 7, or 8 years, but that is not the focus of this thread.
I was looking for answers along the lines of
-> Do research during the summers with the derm department, starting the summer after MS1.
-> Focus on short-turnaround, quick publications such as case reports.
etc.
Thanks!
If you are looking for a 4 year plan to get into Derm, I assume that you are halfway through your 1st year of basic sciences. Since you are at a "Top Medical School" you've already put yourself in a good position. It's not a perfect position, and you still have plenty of time to do well or fail. Also, don't limit yourself to thinking that you have to go to a top derm program in order to become a dermatologist. All programs are prestigious simply by virtue of matching into this residency.
My advice to match into Dermatology in 4 years:
Do the right thing, be a good person, make friends with upper level students interested in dermatology, get involved with your Derm program early, start research early, start with small research projects first to gain quantity and to get your feet wet, do a larger project starting in mid-second year and completed by the end of your 3rd, honor as many basic sciences and clinical rotations as humanly possible, get at least a 250 on step 1 and 260 on step 2, blow away your shelf exams, get involved in student leadership at your school early, get involved with charity/volunteer outreach early, combine the previous efforts and be elected into AOA during your junior year, start the search for appropriate dermatology away rotations early in your 3rd year so you will have plenty of time to schedule these prized rotations early in your 4th year, find a well-known, well-rounded Academic Dermatology mentor; request letters of recommendation early from Academic Dermatologists who know you well and can speak of your special and exemplary attributes, be a delightful person and all-star student on away rotations, spend at least a month perfecting your ERAS application and personal statement in July between your 3rd and 4th year, apply to every Dermatology program on September 1st, ask to review your deans letter for errors in content well before the Nov 1st deadline, do not fall in love and therefore try to couples match, show up to all of your interviews well-prepared, well-dressed and on time; be honest with your interviewers and yourself about your intentions regarding residency and dermatology, send hand-written thank you notes to everyone who interviews you, get your mentor to send a follow-up email to your top program letting them know how much you loved their program emphasizing what an asset you would be to their program, never lie to a program telling them you are ranking them number 1, never pressure a program to promise you anything, never believe a program that promises to rank you to match, rank EVERY PROGRAM YOU INTERVIEW AT NO MATTER WHAT, schedule a celebration vacation after match day because if you do all of the aforementioned tips you will match and you will need a vacation.
