what kind of numbers do acceptees with 2 year derm research fellowships have?

[abcxyz0123]

I was just wondering: do those who complete 2 year dermatology research fellowships after medical school usually have really competitive numbers, and it was just bad luck that they did not get accepted into derm the first time around? Or are there really weak applicants who do these and get accepted out there? For ex...are there people that have 220s and are barely in the top 40 percent of their class getting accepted after these fellowships? Anyone have any first hand info? I'm just curious.

THANK YOU

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[sensitive skin]

Mediocre numbers from what I've seen. Every post-prelim year research fellow I've met, failed to match into derm the first (and sometimes second) time. They are hoping to get articles and book chapters in to pad their CV.

Sometimes even this is not enough...one girl I know is in the middle of her research fellowship, and has failed for the third time to match, even though the program historically has taken ~99% of its fellows. Her own program rejected her.

Same for another *big name* program with 8+ derm research fellows $$$$$$...they did not take ANY of their fellows. I do not know the outcome for these fellows...and did not see their names on this years' match list. Instead they filled it with people not previously affiliated with their program (ie, not rotators or their own med students).

I am assuming that all of these candidates were weak. No doubt, dedication to derm research is a strong showing...but when the rest of the app is weak, this does not bode well for the applicant no matter how many publications/connections she has.

But there ARE many research fellows who match! Don't get discouraged. This is just my personal experience.

 

[OntheRoof55]

yes i think when weak applicants do research fellowships this leeads to not good match rates bc the rest of the app is still weak (ie low grades or low usmle or being FMG)

 

[03Doc]

I tend to think it's the "near-missers" that do well after research, but those with quite weak applicants often find it hard to overcome.

 

[laxman310]

J Am Acad Dermatol. 2008 Sep;59(3):535-6. Links
Does a predermatology fellowship increase the chance to match in dermatology?

Wasong SJ, Miller JJ, Zaenglein AL.

You guys should really look at this. Although its survey based (i.e. self reported) the claim >85% match rates for applicants that did fellowships. I do believe this includes people who did multiple fellowships, but thats a pretty high percent in my mind.