Rank These Residency Programs (Academic Track Focus)

[dermieeast]

(This post more targeted at the derm residents/attendings who post here)

I'm a 4th year applying to dermatology. About 14 interviews so far, but may only attend 12 based on schedule conflicts. I'm really interested in an academic career (epidemiology/clinical research, not basic science). Got shafted from most of the ultra-"top" programs, but got a fair number of interviews at academic-oriented places. Assuming I want to eventually end up at a top academic program on the West Coast or Northeast as clinical/research/teaching faculty, how would you rank the following programs? I realize there is no exact science to this, but I just want to make sure I end up at a program that really values resident research and academic career development.

Boston U
U Minnesota
U Chicago
Hopkins
U Miami
U Colorado
Jefferson
Kaiser LA
UC-Irvine
Stanford
USC
Mayo Clinic

Also...does it matter for pedigree of your intern year when applying for dermatology faculty positions? I have a few (easier) transitional year programs, but also some prelim interviews at highly academic places (i.e. Harvard hospitals). Will it look better to say, come out as a Brigham intern year graduate than, say, a Scripps Transitional Year graduate when you're applying for jobs? Thanks in advance.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[DermViser]

Your internship year does not matter in terms of dermatology faculty positions. Nobody cares once you've graduated derm residency.

What type of academic career are you looking for? Research (what type?) or Clinician? You can try to do it all, but in reality, you'll probably have more of a niche in one area or the the other. Also different programs have different strengths in different topic areas of derm due to their faculty they have there. So this might influence your rank list bc you'll be mentored by a faculty member in that area.

There is no formula or specific check-boxes to getting an ultra-top program in derm (however you define an ultra-top program -- top 10, top 20, whatever). Nearly all academic (university-based) programs value resident research and academic career development. The only thing that differs is the extent of that.

Congratulations on getting the number of interview invites you got.

 

[asmallchild]

(This post more targeted at the derm residents/attendings who post here)

I'm a 4th year applying to dermatology. About 14 interviews so far, but may only attend 12 based on schedule conflicts. I'm really interested in an academic career (epidemiology/clinical research, not basic science). Got shafted from most of the ultra-"top" programs, but got a fair number of interviews at academic-oriented places. Assuming I want to eventually end up at a top academic program on the West Coast or Northeast as clinical/research/teaching faculty, how would you rank the following programs? I realize there is no exact science to this, but I just want to make sure I end up at a program that really values resident research and academic career development.

Boston U
U Minnesota
U Chicago
Hopkins
U Miami
U Colorado
Jefferson
Kaiser LA
UC-Irvine
Stanford
USC
Mayo Clinic

Also...does it matter for pedigree of your intern year when applying for dermatology faculty positions? I have a few (easier) transitional year programs, but also some prelim interviews at highly academic places (i.e. Harvard hospitals). Will it look better to say, come out as a Brigham intern year graduate than, say, a Scripps Transitional Year graduate when you're applying for jobs? Thanks in advance.

If your interest is in a certain location, I would rank those places higher. Entering academics after residency is typically not difficult but it should ease your way in if people in the area are familiar with your name/work particularly if you are productive with your research as a resident.

 

[DermViser]

If your interest is in a certain location, I would rank those places higher. Entering academics after residency is typically not difficult but it should ease your way in if people in the area are familiar with your name/work particularly if you are productive with your research as a resident.

I would also add how much you click with the faculty as well -- yes, it's an interview, but you can gain a lot of insight into how they behave during an interview and how they can be as attendings. There are many great mentoring faculty who are the kindest, down to earth people you will meet and there are big-wig derms who can be the most pompous but not at all mentoring towards those under them. You want to be in an environment in which you will thrive and sometimes just infrastructure isn't the only criteria.

 

[dermieeast]

Your internship year does not matter in terms of dermatology faculty positions. Nobody cares once you've graduated derm residency.

What type of academic career are you looking for? Research (what type?) or Clinician? You can try to do it all, but in reality, you'll probably have more of a niche in one area or the the other. Also different programs have different strengths in different topic areas of derm due to their faculty they have there. So this might influence your rank list bc you'll be mentored by a faculty member in that area.

There is no formula or specific check-boxes to getting an ultra-top program in derm (however you define an ultra-top program -- top 10, top 20, whatever). Nearly all academic (university-based) programs value resident research and academic career development. The only thing that differs is the extent of that.

Congratulations on getting the number of interview invites you got.

I'm looking for a research/clinical combined career. Emphasis on clinical and epidemiological research, which seems easier to balance career-wise with clinic and teaching responsibilities. I've done the basic science thing, and it's not in my long-term plan.

Of the programs I've gotten interviews at, are any considered better/worse? I worry about certain places (Kaiser, USC) where there doesn't seem to be a lot of research and/or it's a small department without much training diversity (i.e. Kaiser). I also go to medical school at a Top "10" program, and I get the sense that almost all the new faculty are recruited from other "top" programs.

 

[Grace82]

I agree with the previous comments but to more directly address your question the top 3 programs that stand out from your list as big academic names in derm are Miami, Stanford and Mayo. Obviously this is just my opinion and choosing a program is highly personal and dependent on your specific interests and other factors (location etc)

 

[Dermione Granger]

Did you ask the "where are your graduates now?" question? That may give you a better idea about how well prepared/interested residents are for academic positions. For instance, I might be wrong but even though Miami has a 2+2 track, they have only produced one academic faculty (at another institution) in recent years...Keep in mind resident interests are very individual-independent and vary year after year. I agree with everyone else, you can really be a faculty pretty much anywhere.

 

[dermieeast]

Did you ask the "where are your graduates now?" question? That may give you a better idea about how well prepared/interested residents are for academic positions. For instance, I might be wrong but even though Miami has a 2+2 track, they have only produced one academic faculty (at another institution) in recent years...Keep in mind resident interests are very individual-independent and vary year after year. I agree with everyone else, you can really be a faculty pretty much anywhere.

Well, haven't interviewed at most of these places yet. Though, on the few interviews I have been on, there actually has honestly been very little to no time to ask questions of faculty (yes, they sometimes give you 2 minutes at the end of a 8 minute interview...but you can never get good answers in that time period).

Any sense of those programs listed above that are more academic focused? I get the sense that Mayo, Colorado, Stanford, Hopkins, and UChicago tend to produce more publications than some of the other programs....but not sure how important that is.

 

[Dermione Granger]

I see, yep it could be hard especially for programs that do super short/panel interviews. You may be able to ask for that info on a follow up thank you email to PD/faculty. Some programs have that info posted on their website as well.

Out of the programs you posted my vote would go to Stanford and Mayo if you are looking for academic career. (my opinion only)

 

[Dral]

You can do research anywhere if you have the initiative...which you'll need to get research grants.

Some places just facilitate research better. I think Mayo has the best resources. My impression interviewing there was basically you write a rough draft of a manuscript, pass it off, and *poof* submitted.

Not exactly, but you get the idea.