2026-2027 Derm

aways make a huge huge difference @ nyu

Tried asking a couple of program directors this and got vague signal according to your true preference advice :) --> yeah that sucks im going to try to ask the PD hopefully will get a concrete answer

Tried asking a couple of program directors this and got vague signal according to your true preference advice :) --> yeah that sucks im going to try to ask the PD hopefully will get a concrete answer < the concrete answer is silver + away is enough to get an interview at places, but if you really love a program and want to match there send a gold. Gold to a program you dont do an away at is a waste unless you really really want to be at that program.

no

elaborate?

T10 means nothing you should pick where youll be most happy

Bullet points

texas star and admit.org

!!!!<

knew one with 18 and one with 16. one MD PhD with tons of highly cited articles, another MD with RY (that didn't need one) that had an entire prior career

Met a resident who had 18 (~2 cycles ago)

Met a resident who had 18 (~2 cycles ago)> heard of 26 without matching>also heard of 25

!!!!<

!!!!< im trying to keep everything to one eras page but its difficult lol

More than you think. The ones with good reps for being relatively easy and/or being supportive of reapplicants are competitive.

I would talk to your PD/APD and any other mentors you have on building a realistic school list to start. I am in the same boat, and my mentors have told me this is a negative on my app, and may stop me from getting some interviews but doesnt mean I cant match. It also depends on what the rest of your app looks like - how is your step 2? clinical year HP/H? RY? do you have aways? Last time I asked this question about having bottom quartile class rank on here, people were not very nice and told me to go apply at mcdonalds instead. So def ask people you trust for advice and what to do in the worst case scenario!

Thanks for the kind response, I'll let you know my step 2 score in 2 weeks 😅 id also like to believe that too since applicants with not the best grades and step scores match every year after all. even a reapplicant from my home program matched here and had mostly HP in clinical years (like myself). As for me, home rotation and 1 away with family ties nearby, no RY, lots of research but not all derm-focussed. what are you doing in the worst-case scenario?

no problem!! I also know a few people who matched with class ranks on the lower end so I dont think its as black and white as people make it seem. Its not ideal of course. I havent decided yet, but I am not dual applying right now - so either match prelim or delay graduation and try to do more aways. If you aren't thinking about dual applying you dont need to decide a backup plan right now.

my backup plan was to just do a prelim/TY year and kick the can down the road. my school doesnt allow us to delay graduation if we dont match for some reason

what's the benefit of delaying graduation?

what's the benefit of delaying graduation? -->> being able to apply again as a senior and not a graduate, also potentially to do more aways since VSLO is only for students

respectfully bottom quartile and not even receiving step score for another 2 weeks (meaning you probably delayed it significantly for some reason) does not bode well for you. perhaps you had a situation completely out of your control like a LOA, but it seems like there's a pattern to it all

I know someone who had a 26x but bottom quartile and programs told them there were concerns if they could academically handle derm residency. Unfortunately some places will try to use any reason not to take you

derm isn't rocket science, highly doubt this is true and if so, major red flag for the program. people love to romanticie medicine but there are much smarter people doing other regular things in the world.

yes. Don't believe the fearmongering, many people match with not great stats, obvs the better your stats are the more your chances increases but completely agree, derm is not rocket science and we over-infatuate derm here, it's not the end all be all, just get advice from mentors and strategize moving forward

-OP, I just got my rank and my school does it in thirds and from those thirds we will get further broken down to quintiles. I am in the middle third of my class. I have a competitive Step 2 score. No matter your class rank, still apply.

so youre middle third between 33-66% and what quintile? what gives you the confidence to apply?

100% agree, derm is not rocket science and people on this spreadsheet have such an elitist take on dermatology applicants. just focus on your own apps and if other people want to give it a try whats it to you? this spreadsheet is so toxic.