“Can I Match Into a Dermatology Residency?”

First and second year medical students are curious about the “ROAD” (Radiology, Ophthalmology, Anesthesiology and Dermatology) specialties and wonder if they would be competitive. Other specialties in this group are Emergency Medicine, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Radiation Oncology, and Plastic Surgery.

A medical career is demanding by most standards, but ROAD (“Road to happiness”) specialties offer physicians the opportunity for a more balanced personal and professional lifestyle with high income in relationship to hours worked. Since many first and second year medical students seek candid advice about their chances for a dermatology residency from DIG MS4s and dermatology faculty, here are some things to consider.

Currently, dermatology is one of the most competitive specialties due to high demand and a relatively small number of positions each year. This trend appears stable and is unlikely to change.

- About half of the dermatology residency positions will go to excellent academic medical students who have a high Step 1 score (240 or higher) and are members of AOA. Medical students will not know this information about themselves until the end of their second year when they take Step 1 and during their junior or senior year for AOA. However, if you are not getting Honors in most of your classes during the first three years, you will probably not be elected to AOA at UTMB.

- Because dermatology is so competitive, failing any Step examination or failing any class in medical school will make it very unlikely that you will be able to match into a dermatology residency. It follows that students who are required to repeat an entire year of medical school due to failing grades will find it nearly impossible to obtain residency interviews for dermatology. One of our Deans is famous for telling students FAI (“Forget About It”) when the student is unrealistic about residency applications. Failing a class or a Step is usually sufficient academic information to advise FAI for dermatology. If for some reason you are ill or find yourself in circumstances where you are missing class or are unable to study, it is good advice to speak to the Dean and withdraw from classes until the situation is resolved. That way you may be able to avoid having a failing grade in your academic record.

-Although taking dermatology clinical research fellowship for 1 or 2 years following the PGY1 year has helped many solid students obtain a dermatology residency, it is much less likely to help if the student has failed a Step or a course in medical school. The same is true for medical student research—it helps excellent students the most because it helps to distinguish them from other students with superior grades, but no research.

Of course, there are always exceptions to the rules. For example, applicants with a PhD and strong publications often are accepted into dermatology residencies with below average (for dermatology) Step 1 scores and without AOA membership.