Research Fellowship

[manager]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hello forum,

I am a late comer to derm, and so I have just been learning about the paths- if one doesn't match into derm. I'm a pretty good app, but I will certainly run the risk of not matching.

There are some great treads on research fellowships, but I wanted to ask a couple questions.

1. Is there a consolidated list of derm research fellowships for candidates after their Pgy1 year? I know derminterest has a good website, but it doesn't seem to be comprehensive.

2. When are the applications due during the pgy1 year and when are decisions made?

3. Are most of them paid?

4. Is there any data for how successful folks are after completing one of these fellowships?

5. Do folks dual apply to another specialty during their fellowship? I don't want to be in limbo forever, so I would want to apply for a backup concurrently. (but I won't do it as an M4 as I want to take a couple more shots at derm before throwing in the towel)

Thanks

 

[manager]

Any words of wisdom?

 

[Gracile]

There's a very good sticky "Finding a Dermatology Research Position" that you can read. It has great information.

 

[qvc804]

Hello forum,

I am a late comer to derm, and so I have just been learning about the paths- if one doesn't match into derm. I'm a pretty good app, but I will certainly run the risk of not matching.

There are some great treads on research fellowships, but I wanted to ask a couple questions.

1. Is there a consolidated list of derm research fellowships for candidates after their Pgy1 year? I know derminterest has a good website, but it doesn't seem to be comprehensive.

2. When are the applications due during the pgy1 year and when are decisions made?

3. Are most of them paid?

4. Is there any data for how successful folks are after completing one of these fellowships?

5. Do folks dual apply to another specialty during their fellowship? I don't want to be in limbo forever, so I would want to apply for a backup concurrently. (but I won't do it as an M4 as I want to take a couple more shots at derm before throwing in the towel)

Thanks

1. No there is not one consolidated list of all derm research fellowships. I looked at different forums and derm residency websites. There are some which are purposefully not advertised and are more thru word of mouth by derm faculty.

2. Different ones have different due dates. I would submit early in fall PGY-1 and contact in Spring when they have a better idea if they will have a fellow spot available. Some now try to recruit early to lock candidates they want sooner.

3. Yes, nearly all of them pay. I've heard the one exception is the University of Miami where it is on a volunteer basis.

4. There are some papers on this but they are quite vague. I think a lot depends on how much you publish, who is your mentor (or tormentor in some cases) and how much they advocate for you, the specific derm program, and sometimes just sheer luck.

5. You can dual apply but it is really risky. If you tell your fellowship director to write you 2 letters for 2 different specialties, you're pretty screwed in having them advocate for you for derm. If you're a derm research fellow you put all your eggs in one basket, for better or for worse.

 

[manager]

Great response, and super helpful! So you are stuck in perpetual purgatory if you don't match after a year?

 

[qvc804]

Great response, and super helpful! So you are stuck in perpetual purgatory if you don't match after a year?

I think when to apply during fellowship varies on how strong (or weak) your application is initially. I've known people who applied during their 2nd year, after completing a year of fellowship for a much stronger LOR. I also know people who applied in their very first year and got a spot either outside the match starting that upcoming July or thru the match for the next year.

If you don't match after a year, I have seen people go into a less competitive specialty - EM, IM, FM, etc. The key is to choose and stick with a timeline you're comfortable with, making it clear, giving it your all to match into derm, and knowing when to cut your losses. It's not a guarantee by any means, so its really for people who truly can't see themselves in any other specialty.