MS3 here debating if I should do a Research year , does anyone know if there is data that it increases chances of matching significantly?? <- MS3 here, i think im gonna do one. I go to a rando school and i feel like i would be having hella hubris to think that i would stand up against like the harvard/stanford babies < i dont think it helps necessarily <<<< I think it depends on several factors: 1) the tier of your medical school & whether you have a home derm residency program, 2) what your academic medical school record looks like up until this point: where you stand in terms of your class rank or segment of the class you fall into after the end of MS-3, 3) Whether you're AOA, although not being AOA alone isn't a dealbreaker, 4) Number of Honors clerkship grades (w/special attention paid to IM and Surgery), 5) Your USMLE Step 1 score, 6) What you've published in Dermatology so far in 3 years, etc. If you have a home Derm residency program, it would help to have your academic Derm faculty mentor take an honest look at your application and CV in full and give it to you straight on your chances of matching w/o a research year, also keeping in mind your own comfortability. And that's just to decide whether to do a research year or not. The next step is then deciding where exactly to do your research year and with who, but that's a totally separate conversation.