Inside versus Outside Dermatology Residency Matches

Applicants often analyze dermatology residency programs based on the current number of residents who graduated from its sponsoring institution. If programs seem to fill most of their available match positions with graduates from their own school, these programs may discourage outside applicants from doing away rotations, applying and interviewing. Why do inside applicants have a higher match rate at their own schools, and at schools where they have done away rotations? Parallels may be found in the business community, where data suggests that inside hires are initially more successful at adapting to the job demands of their own institutional culture, resulting in better job performance. Dermatology departments are more familiar with the relative strengths and weakness of their own students, since there has usually been an extended opportunity to see them work in a variety of departmental settings. Why wouldn’t the home program want to retain their own excellent students who are already known to be a good fit for the program? Currently at UTMB, 40% of the dermatology residents graduated from the UTMB SOM. In July 2013, the percentage of UTMB graduates in the program will shrink to 27%.