PM request: Applying to derm as an IM resident

[DermMatch]

---

Members do not see this ad.

"I'm a PGY2 now and just did derm rotation and loved it. So now I've decided that finally I found my passion and withdrew from an IM fellowship match to pursue derm as a career. I do not have derm research, just an MPH, and a [prestigious national] grant with [other big-time bonus prizes in an IM specialty with close derm-related ties]. Should I pursue a 1 year research fellowship in derm and apply this coming fall for 2012? Can I join Derm [in 2010] if I apply this fall?"

Edited to anonymize specific information and to cut to the chase.

Welcome comments.

 

[DermViser]

"I'm a PGY2 now and just did derm rotation and loved it. So now I've decided that finally I found my passion and withdrew from an IM fellowship match to pursue derm as a career. I do not have derm research, just an MPH, and a [prestigious national] grant with [other big-time bonus prizes in an IM specialty with close derm-related ties]. Should I pursue a 1 year research fellowship in derm and apply this coming fall for 2012? Can I join Derm [in 2010] if I apply this fall?"

Edited to anonymize specific information and to cut to the chase.

Welcome comments.

You may have already seen this:

http://www.derminterest.org/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=298

Similar: http://www.derminterest.org/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=253

 

[Long Dong]

I can tell you about the 2 people I've know about who where pgy2 IM and got into derm. One left his IM res before pgy3 and did a research fellowship with a famous psoriasis guy in the bay area and matched into a big program in the mid west that has taken fellows in the past. Another left IM pgy2 when a new program opened up and had a slot available for first year derm res. The post from DIGA might be more helpful.

 

[asmallchild]

I've met a surprising amount of applicants who finished other residencies before pursuing dermatology. All of them did appear to have a research fellowship before moving on to dermatology.

 

[Long Dong]

There was another thread about career changes a little further below I'll just cut n past my response from that thread here as well:

I can tell you about the people I've encountered. At my program a few attendings or residents have completed IM or peds. They seemed to have completed their training at the same institution so the department already knew them. My program is a larger program so funding is not that much of an issue. When I applied there was this pgy3 ent resident I meet at a few interviews, they told me they where getting interviews at larger more research orientated programs.

You might want to ask faculty about this at DIGA: http://www.derminterest.org/phpbb3/v...68fe3bf8e943d8

Here are some old thread from the dermboard about people switching:

http://dermatology.yuku.com/topic/54...rmatology.html

http://dermatology.yuku.com/reply/29...ml#reply-29763

You can use the search function on dermboard and maybe can find some more threads if you dig deeper. I just searched for a few. It does appear that when people switch into derm some time spent doing derm research might be in order if you already don't have connections to a program or in derm. Hope that helps.