Transitional Year applications?

[Cupcake11]

Hello,

I am curious if when applying to MD Derm programs during your 4th year of medical school do you simultaneously apply to the transitional year programs (which must be completed prior to the Derm residency)? Or is the transitional year included in the Derm residency?

Or are you only applying to transitional year programs in 4th year and then during your transitional year applying to Derm programs?

Thanks in advance for clearing this up and I hope my questions make sense.

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[Fidicinal]

The majority of Dermatology residencies are considered "advanced" programs, meaning that they require the completion of a PGY-1 (Post-graduate year 1) before starting at that program. Where you complete that PGY-1 is up to your discretion. Most applicants will choose to do a preliminary year of medicine or a Transitional year but doing a preliminary year of surgery or pediatrics would equally suffice. You would apply to these positions concurrently with your application to the "advanced" Dermatology position. They are ranked separately, on different lists. That being said, some Dermatology programs are considered "Categorical" and include the PGY-1. Some that spring to mind are Cleveland Clinic and South Florida University. If you match at one of those programs you will not go somewhere else for your PGY-1 but will stay at that institution for the entire 4 years, the first year being essentially a preliminary year of medicine with one or two months of Dermatology or Dermatopathology thrown in. DO programs operate differently and require you to complete an intern year (PGY-1) before applying to Dermatology.

From your message it appears you are using "Transitional Year" to refer to any PGY-1 year and this is not the case. A Transitional Year is a specific type of PGY-1 where you rotate through different services and generally have more elective time than a traditional prelim year in medicine. I highly recommend this route over a prelim year in medicine.

 

[sensitive skin]

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