Career Corner: Tips for Applying to the Pediatric Dermatology Fellowship

Tips for Applying to the Pediatric Dermatology Fellowship

Special thanks to Drs. Marcia Hogeling and Jennifer Huang for providing tips on how to best prepare and apply for a pediatric dermatology fellowship! Dr. Hogeling serves as the Director of Pediatric Dermatology at UCLA. Dr. Huang serves as the Director of Pediatric Oncodermatology and Program Director of the Harvard Combined Dermatology Residency Program. 

 

1. What steps should applicants take if they are interested in a pediatric dermatology fellowship?

Hogeling – Join Pediatric Dermatology organizations like the Society for Pediatric Dermatology and PeDRA. This is a great way to meet other Pediatric Dermatologists and they both have mentorship programs. Meet with a Pediatric Dermatologist in your residency program or affiliated with your residency program as a mentor to discuss your career goals. Consider having your resident continuity clinic in Pediatric Dermatology.

Huang - There are currently 40 ACGME accredited pediatric dermatology fellowships in the US. You can find a list of them here. I would recommend that applicants first look through this list, research some programs, and identify those that seem most appealing to them. I would suggest that applicants apply to no more than 10 programs. Applicants should aim to contact fellowship directors by late spring to learn more about what application materials are needed and their respective deadlines. If the applicant is an international graduate, they should specifically inquire about whether a program accepts international graduates. Keep in mind that interviews are generally conducted in the summer to fall. Applicants and programs must participate in the match process through SF Match, and the deadline for rank list submission is in November. 

 

2. Is research in pediatric dermatology recommended for applicants?

Hogeling - Research is encouraged but only if you are interested in research. Research is not a requirement to apply for fellowship.

Huang - Activities that support the applicant's interests in pediatric dermatology are recommended. That may include research, clinical experiences (like continuity clinic), volunteer activities, or leadership roles. If there is a relevant research opportunity, I would encourage an applicant to pursue it. However, it is not required. It is important to have a strong mentor, ideally in pediatric dermatology, who can speak to the applicant's skills and interest in pediatric dermatology. 

 

3. What should applicants look for in a program when applying to a pediatric dermatology fellowship?

Hogeling – Look for a program that has a range of clinical experiences, with different pediatric patient populations. It can be helpful to see if subspecialty clinics are offered (e.g. Vascular anomalies). Ask about procedural opportunities with lasers and pediatric excisions. Find out the balance of outpatient and inpatient pediatric dermatology exposure.

Huang - In general, I would suggest that applicants look for programs that they believe they could thrive in. Some aspects of programs to look for include the breadth and complexity of pediatric skin conditions, level of autonomy provided to fellows, and flexibility of schedule to support a fellow's interests. If an applicant has a particular niche interest in pediatric dermatology, I would encourage them to look for programs who have mentors and/or a robust patient population in this niche. I would also encourage applicants to talk to current and past fellows of programs they are most interested in before making their final rankings and ask about the culture, support, and mentorship of each program. If applicants are interested in staying on in a faculty position after fellowship, they should also ask the fellowship program about potential opportunities.