MS0 looking for some derm advice from you guys

[Blain77]

Hi, just wanted to introduce myself to the derm board. I've been accepted to multiple med schools so far, but haven't decided which to attend. I have an interest in dermatology and psychiatry--two specialties on vastly different sides of the competitiveness scale. I have a few questions I was hoping you guys could help me out with concerning derm.

1. If I have the slightest interest right now, and given that its in your best interest as a future derm applicant to start focusing your interest early, would it be best for me to pick a school that has ACTIVE research going on in its derm department? I'm debating between two schools that both have derm departments. One is a top 25 school with lots of research in derm, the other school is not ranked and does not have an active research component in its derm department but does tend to take a student from the school each year.

2. Is my approach in shooting for derm early, and if I fall short, falling back on psychiatry sound? It's such a gamble to pursue derm with so many unknown factors (grades, board scores, connections, clinical grades, can you shine at your school)?

3. I'm concerned that if I choose the top 25 school that I won't be able to shine as easily amongst a higher-achieving crowd, and thus my derm aspiration could crash before it really even gets started. Is the best approach to derm to first pick the best med school you can absolutely get into and afford, and see where the chips fall?

4. Now that some of you here are 3rd years, 4th years, and even residents and have learned so much about applying to derm, what advice could you give me in pursuing this derm interest that you wish you knew this early in the game when you were picking med schools to attend and before starting med school?


Thank you so much to those that take the time to share their opinion and insight. I'll be reading with much interest.

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[DermMatch]

Choose the school that you are a good fit with. Then go from there.

You're overthinking this. Get on campus first.

 

[Blain77]

Choose the school that you are a good fit with. Then go from there.

You're overthinking this. Get on campus first.

Thanks for the reply. Being a good fit at a school is important, that's why I've narrowed it down to these two schools and am now just splitting hairs between them. With the knowledge you guys have here I was hoping there was some insight you guys could share concerning building up your derm interest and application that you wish you had known when you were in my shoes.

 

[InertQuail]

You don't need to be at a big name program to match derm. Matter of fact, your school doesn't even need a derm dept. in order for you to match derm. You just have to show great interest and do pretty damn good in med school. I'm at a low tier school with no derm dept., and every year people match into derm. In my derm quest I have gone outside my institution to do research and clinical rotations. Your school will not constrain you, and I think in some ways it looks better if you do great things with limited means (e.g. seeking out quality research opportunities around the country when/if your own school does not provide them).

 

[Ignite hardcore]

Hey bro, it looks like you are putting some good thought into this, a healthy amount of foresight.

Having early interest is good in that you can get involved early in research. Research is an important part of your application, but getting involved early is only good if you can keep up academically. Classes come first and making sure you prepare well for the boards is priority number one-a high step 1 score is much more important than anything else whether it be reputation of school, research, volunteering, etc. I would go to the school where you felt the best about, where you felt you would be comfortable and happy. Don't worry about outshining others and how this would be more difficult if you go to a highly ranked school. Your performance will sort itself out, go to the school that you were most pumped about.

I would go to the school that is nearest the beach, but that is just me. I don't think ranking of school matters that much. The region of school turns out to be fairly important. If you are an east coast honk (I don't know why anyone is), then go to a highly ranked school out there. Ivy league schools are pretty snooty about keeping it in the family.

I know your interest seems firm right now, but there is no need to get locked in on doing only derm. Keep an open mind and definitely lie low regarding your interest in derm. Almost everyone holds some kind of bias about derm, keep your mouth shut and do well in all your rotations. You will have fun, med school is much better than people make it seem. It is fun. You will make great friends--enjoy the journey, no need to miss out on the present by always looking forward to the future. Don't make yourself miserable worrying about matching derm, especially not in the first two years.

 

[bananamed]

Choose the school that you are a good fit with. Then go from there.

You're overthinking this. Get on campus first.

Thinking about derm this early indicates you're a lifestyle/$ seeker. Not a good start.

 

[InertQuail]

Thinking about derm this early indicates you're a lifestyle/$ seeker. Not a good start.

sure it's a good start. what? you're not in it for the dough? not even a little bit? can you say with a straight face that you'd still go into derm if you had to work the hours of a surgeon? or if you'd be making <80K/yr? c'mon, get off your high horse.

 

[Blain77]

Thank you guys for the helpful and informative replies. They certainly give me something to think about.

And to the poster who said that my derm interest this early makes me look like a lifestyle/$$ seeker, well, I could see how my interest and questions can be interpreted that way. Yes, I do want a life and yes I do want to live well money-wise if I am going to work so hard in med school and make such a life sacrifice to the profession. Unfortunately, the very competitive nature of derm almost necessitates that students start working towards derm before they even have significant exposure. I mean, if all of a sudden you decide late in MS3 that derm is your calling and you haven't spent the last 2.5 years building derm connections, doing derm research, having the GPA and high board scores, you shot yourself in the foot. I do have a genuine interest in derm; just trying to go into med school with my eyes wide open and not hinder my ability to be competitive for derm down the road by being aloof early in med school.

 

[bananamed]

sure it's a good start. what? you're not in it for the dough? not even a little bit? can you say with a straight face that you'd still go into derm if you had to work the hours of a surgeon? or if you'd be making <80K/yr? c'mon, get off your high horse.

If those are your motivating factors, you're not going to make it. Period.

 

[InertQuail]

If those are your motivating factors, you're not going to make it. Period.

They're not my only motivating factors, but they definitely play a role, as they do for you, even though you may not be willing to fess up to it. as to whether i'll make it or not, we'll see in a year.

 

[bananamed]

They're not my only motivating factors, but they definitely play a role, as they do for you, even though you may not be willing to fess up to it. as to whether i'll make it or not, we'll see in a year.

Best of luck to you. I'd keep those motivating factors quiet though. Or else luck may not even help.

 

[InertQuail]

Best of luck to you. I'd keep those motivating factors quiet though. Or else luck may not even help.

dang, now I can't start my personal statement with my planned opening of:

"I hate skin, it's icky and stupid, but I want to get paid and relax for the rest of my life..."

and the final sentence of:

"so as you can see, i generally kick all sorts of ass and if you don't take me your program will sink into a craphole of despair for the next 1000 years, Evil Dead style, b i t c h e s!!!"

 

[deltamed]

1. What med school you go to will matter little in your derm chances. "top" schools might have more famous faculty who *can* write you important letters, but it's probably harder to stand out. I would definitely consider tution in your decision, however. Makes a HUGE difference graduating with 80k debt from a state school vs 250k from a private one. And doesn't really affect your derm chances although I would argue having a derm dept is definitely an advantage.

2. Lifestyle and money matters. Don't let anyone tell you different or you'll regret it. Of course you must enjoy the field as a primary concern. As for motivation, having a lifestyle was definitley one of my motivators and I easily matched.

Good luck.

 

[bananamed]

dang, now I can't start my personal statement with my planned opening of:

"I hate skin, it's icky and stupid, but I want to get paid and relax for the rest of my life..."

and the final sentence of:

"so as you can see, i generally kick all sorts of ass and if you don't take me your program will sink into a craphole of despair for the next 1000 years, Evil Dead style, b i t c h e s!!!"

I'd work on your sense of humor too.

 

[InertQuail]

I'd work on your sense of humor too.

There's no way you're not somebody's mother in law. Yeah, that's a double negative. You gonna nitpick that too? Geez, I bet you're just a treat to live with. Maybe you have enough decency to live alone, sparing those around you of your judgmental proclivities.

 

[Doublecortin]

Thinking about derm this early indicates you're a lifestyle/$ seeker. Not a good start.

No, it does not. Early bird gets the worm.

"Not a good start" - says who?

Hey man, don't listen to nay-sayers. Start derm research, shadow derm attendings, if you truly like derm, than stick with it.

I am in the same boat as you are, except I am an MS1. What I've found is that there will always be a lot of negative people around you, you have to block them out and focus on your thing.

 

[Cirrus83]

If you actually are sure that you want to do derm there's nothing wrong with getting a head start, but something like 90% of med students don't really decide until 3rd year what they want to do.
Until you've actually experienced what psych or derm are actually about I would honestly just focus on dealing with your transition to med school.
Once you've settled in I'd probably go talk to the department heads or other docs in your school's derm department (assuming it has one) about what you should and can do. Most affiliated docs are going to do what they can to help you get into their field if you express serious interest in it-plus you're also free (or cheap) labor for whatever research projects they've been wanting to do. Admittedly some doctors might not answer your e-mails or calls since they're insanely busy, but there's plenty who will (and, at least anecdotally, dermatologists seem to reply to e-mails the fastest).
Also, you'll have your first summer free after MS1, and you can spend that time doing a project with whatever specialist you want.

But right now what color curtains you'll have in your room is probably more important than freaking out about what you should be doing to get into derm Seriously I've changed my mind about specialities about a bazillion times since getting to med school after various experiences either turned me on or off to several fields, and there'll probably be plenty more schizoid episodes to come.

Seriously, if you've gotten into med school just relax and enjoy your last idyllic days of relaxing with your friends because it'll be quite a while before you get that again.

 

[Derm1210]

Perhaps having a big-name school associated with your name doesn't exactly hurt when your application is being reviewed. I realize the reasons the OP was concerned (i.e., difficulty distinguishing yourself, etc), but my thought is this: If a PD gets 10 applications from a no-name school and 10 applications from a top-tier school, he/she isn't likely to interview very many of the applicants from the no-name while they're likely to look at the top-tier apps much closer (and maybe interview multiple of them). Any thoughts?

 

[PoisonIvy50]

I think you are putting the cart before the horse; you need to get adjusted to medical school before you can start thinking about specializing, etc...

Pick the best medical school in which you can be happy, and then do your best to stand out academically this upcoming year. My only advice as to positioning yourself for derm is make sure your med school has an active derm department, where research is possible if you choose.

Good luck!

 

[formerdermres]

This is great.

Guess what - if you truly don't believe that compensation and hours are making a difference in your choosing dermatology, you're the single applicant who has felt that way in the last 20 years. Or you're nuts.

And being truthful (at least to yourself, which is kind of what these anonymous boards are) won't prevent you from making it.

In fact, think about what your interviewer will think if you tell them a few years from now that compensation doesn't matter.

The trick is finding a way to admit it that is honest but doesn't give short shrift to the larger map of your life.

 

[InertQuail]

This is great.

Guess what - if you truly don't believe that compensation and hours are making a difference in your choosing dermatology, you're the single applicant who has felt that way in the last 20 years. Or you're nuts.

And being truthful (at least to yourself, which is kind of what these anonymous boards are) won't prevent you from making it.

In fact, think about what your interviewer will think if you tell them a few years from now that compensation doesn't matter.

The trick is finding a way to admit it that is honest but doesn't give short shrift to the larger map of your life.

Always the voice of reason...

Bananamed, take a brief moment to step down from your ethereal stoop and glance at this post. Maybe you'll get some perspective to add to that God-like sense of omniscience.

 

[niranjan162]

Thinking about derm this early indicates you're a lifestyle/$ seeker. Not a good start.

At least hes bein honest, instead of claiming derm is the best thing since sliced bread and thats y he wants to do it.

If medicine didnt pay nobody would do it, hence primary care shortage.

 

[laxman310]

Hi, just wanted to introduce myself to the derm board. I've been accepted to multiple med schools so far, but haven't decided which to attend. I have an interest in dermatology and psychiatry--two specialties on vastly different sides of the competitiveness scale. I have a few questions I was hoping you guys could help me out with concerning derm.

1. If I have the slightest interest right now, and given that its in your best interest as a future derm applicant to start focusing your interest early, would it be best for me to pick a school that has ACTIVE research going on in its derm department? I'm debating between two schools that both have derm departments. One is a top 25 school with lots of research in derm, the other school is not ranked and does not have an active research component in its derm department but does tend to take a student from the school each year.

2. Is my approach in shooting for derm early, and if I fall short, falling back on psychiatry sound? It's such a gamble to pursue derm with so many unknown factors (grades, board scores, connections, clinical grades, can you shine at your school)?

3. I'm concerned that if I choose the top 25 school that I won't be able to shine as easily amongst a higher-achieving crowd, and thus my derm aspiration could crash before it really even gets started. Is the best approach to derm to first pick the best med school you can absolutely get into and afford, and see where the chips fall?

4. Now that some of you here are 3rd years, 4th years, and even residents and have learned so much about applying to derm, what advice could you give me in pursuing this derm interest that you wish you knew this early in the game when you were picking med schools to attend and before starting med school?


Thank you so much to those that take the time to share their opinion and insight. I'll be reading with much interest.

1. General consensus is that its easier to get an "in" through a home dermatology department. Publishing is pretty common among derm apps, so you definitely want to try to hop on active research, or work with someone who consistently generates publications.

2. Sure approach derm early, if you think you are mature enough to not portray your interest as purely lifestyle. Although lifestyle is most likely the reason for derm's competitiveness, it is not the value it adds to medicine. Dermatology is an important field, just like any other, and as much as other specialties hate derm for their easy hours, they still consult them on their expertise for wound care, infectious disease, medications reactions, and skin malignancies.

3. See #1. If you really want derm, then go to the school with the best derm department. You are right, its harder to shine when almost everyone smart, gregarious, and hard working. Welcome to the most competitive specialty in medicine.

4. I didnt approach a department until 3rd year, because I wanted to get a fair amount of clinical exposure, be comfortable around patients, and have a confident presence. Remember, you only get ONE opportunity to make a first impression. If you think you can make that BEST impression as a first year with little clinical exposure, and not come across as ONLY a gunner for lifestyle but also someone who genuinely cares about their patient problems, then the sooner the better. Also, the more you know the more you can interact with residents and attendings on an intellectual level.