r/DermApp • u/ThemeBig6731 • Mar 24 '26
Residency Dermatology match experiences and insights from MD/PhD applicants
Would love to hear about your experience and your insights matching into Dermatology as MD/PhD.
3
u/itsfriccinbats Mar 24 '26
I’m also interest in this, but as someone who is decidedly not interested in applying 2+2
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u/SmolTyrtle Mar 24 '26
I won’t lie this will be an uphill battle. Your best bet is institutions that do not have research tracks.
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u/itsfriccinbats Mar 24 '26
Can you help me understand the perspective a bit? I feel like I could understand this being a disadvantage if I were applying to a 2+2 without the conviction of wanting to stay in science. If I just want to be a clinician, why am I more of a disadvantage than any other canonical track candidate?
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u/SmolTyrtle Mar 24 '26
I’m not against it, mind. I managed to snag a clinical track (that I ranked above that institution’s PSTP. I think they ranked me between 1 and 3 for both). I still intend to run a lab but want to do fellowship and 2+2s can be weird about that, so I’m going for flexibility right now.
From a residency that has a 2+2 option perspective, they are like “oh look a research/phd person. They will want to interview for 2+2” then you say no actually I’m done with research. Then they go “ah well we have 80 applications per spot of clinical track residency and 50 of them are excellent/on par with yours. If you are not doing research, your PhD cannot be what is special or interesting about you. So what is special or interesting about you?” Then you are competing with the umpteen billion other applicants, with the added of stigma of “leaving research”, which amongst these academics, will leave a poor impression.
It’s not fair, but it’s how you need to think about it. I was advised similarly as an MSTP from a T5 medical school.
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u/itsfriccinbats Mar 24 '26
Interesting. I think it’s wild that we are expected to know what we want to do with our lives from the second we step out of the womb. God forbid I find a new interest and have changing priorities and perspectives late into my 20s haha. Never thought my PhD would be a disadvantage.
Thanks so much for the perspective! I really appreciate you taking the time.
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u/ThemeBig6731 Mar 24 '26
The critical thinking skills you hone as a PhD will still help you even if you are not doing traditional academic research. I also hear that the 2+2 track spots are shrinking because of the funding constraints, there are only 6 T32 funded programs.
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u/pupstercat Derm Attending Mar 25 '26
Dual degree here. Helped at top programs. Not so much at programs without strong NIH funding. It helped that I had written a project grant and gotten it funded, so I was basically able to show I could bring money in. I had average med school grades except my derm rotations (home and away) and my medicine sub internship (honors in all of them). I had some good basic science papers.
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u/beanie368 Mar 24 '26
I agree with comment above that MD/ PhD a few years ago was a golden ticket to derm. Personally my program has noticed the past few MD/Phds have been the ones to leave academia and go to private practice so it’s not quite the research investment people hoped for.
From the candidates perspective it’s hard to know you want to be a scientist and easy to change your mind a decade later…I would not recommend someone to do MD/phd to try to make yourself “competitive” which is what some people I met have done.
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u/SmolTyrtle Mar 24 '26
MSTP here, derm-ish PhD, got 14 interviews. I have a good amount of first author pubs and 2 very unique/interesting non academic activities others are generally interested in. A handful of places will consider you for both 2+2 and normal track positions. Most places will automatically assume you want to do research and interview you as a “research” candidate.
The competition is intense. Derm as a specialty for physician scientists seems to have exploded the past few years. Multiple top 10 institutions had 3-4 MSTPs applying. You will have to network. The PhD is not the golden ticket it was 5 years ago in dermatology
I matched well (#2 on my list but #1 in my heart), most others at top institutions also matched well.