Article Published with Useful Information for Dermatology Reapplicants

Erik Stratman, MD (Marshfield Clinic, Wisconsin) and coauthor, Rachel Ness, MD, have published their article in the February 2011 issue of the Archives of Dermatology. Much of the information contained in this article was previously presented and covered by the UTMB DIG on October 11, 2010. The article citation is: Stratman EJ, Ness RM. Factors associated with successful matching to dermatology residency programs by reapplicants and other applicants who previously graduated from medical school. Arch Dermatol. 2011;147:196-202. Six dermatology residency programs (including UT Southwestern) participated in this study by contributing the 221 dermatology residency applications from 2006 for scrutiny. Study subjects were identified as those having a medical school graduation date before August 2005. Of this group, 46 applicants obtained residency positions as confirmed through a complete roster of US dermatology residents that was purchased from the AAD in August 2007. Since 53 “independent applicants” matched in 2006 for a dermatology residency according to the NRMP, the authors concluded that their data included 87% of the applicant population that they desired to study. Step 3 seems to be a factor in this group of applicants because those who matched had a significantly (p less than 0.001) higher Step 3 scores than those who did not (224 vs 207). Completing an MBA seemed to help (p=0.003), although the number of applicants in this category was small. The authors also reported that no osteopathic graduates were successful in obtaining a dermatology residency.