The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant disruptions to medical education across the country. We understand that students' anxiety about the upcoming application cycle has been heightened given the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 related changes to curriculum and scheduling and how this will affect the residency application process.

As dermatology residency program directors, we would like to address principal areas of the residency application process to hopefully lessen students' concerns regarding the upcoming cycle and offer updated recommendations to dermatology programs and students. These recommendations are consistent with recent guidance provided by The Coalition for Physician Accountability’s Work Group on Medical Students in the Class of 2021 Moving Across Institutions for Post Graduate Training.

Our goals in providing these recommendations are the following:

• Encourage a consistent approach to residency recruitment across dermatology programs.
• Advocate for equity in the recruitment process, particularly given the unequal burden of COVID-19 on certain populations and in certain geographic areas.
• Decrease the application burden on students and programs.
• Minimize health risks for all parties during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.

Recommendations to Programs

• Away rotations
  
  • We discourage programs from offering in-person away rotations this cycle, except in rare circumstances.
    If in-person away rotations are offered, we recommend that they are limited to students without a home dermatology program, and that such opportunities be offered locoregionally to the extent possible.
  • Individual programs may consider offering virtual away rotations or experiences for interested students, but these are not required for application or for interviewing.
• Application review
  
  • We understand the challenges in reviewing applications given this cycle’s compressed timeline, but maintain our support for holistic review of applications, particularly given the unique and unequal impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on research, clinical, volunteer, and other extracurricular experiences.
  • We recommend against the use of Step 2 CK or CS as mandatory elements of the application process or for offers of interviews, particularly given the recent NBME announcement that Step 2 CS administration will be suspended for the next 12-18 months.
  • Programs may consider the use of a supplemental application to assist in holistic review of candidates.
• Letters of recommendation
  
  • We recommend at least one letter of recommendation from a dermatology faculty member, but suggest that other letters from non-dermatology specialties be allowed and given equal weight, particularly for students without a home dermatology program.
  • We recognize that committing to provide letters may be challenging during this time for many reasons (e.g., lack of exposure to the applicant or increased demands on faculty members’ time). Faculty members may consider writing letters of recommendation reflecting resident input and/or departmental support, or collaborating with colleagues for a joint letter.
• Interviews
  
  • We recommend that all programs conduct virtual-only interviews for this application cycle for both internal and external candidates to ensure equity.
  • We encourage full transparency in communicating interview dates as soon as feasible to prospective applicants via program website or other methods of communication.

Recommendations to Students

• Away rotations
  
  • We have discouraged dermatology programs from hosting visiting students for in-person electives. However, students without a home dermatology program are encouraged to contact programs in their geographic region to inquire about the possibility of an in-person educational opportunity as some programs will be able to make exceptions for such students.
  • Medical students may consider participation in virtual away rotations or experiences at programs in which they have specific interest, however, away rotations should not be perceived as required or necessary for matching into dermatology residency.
• Application process
  
  • We understand that many research projects and volunteer experiences have been halted, delayed, or changed secondary to the COVID-19 pandemic. Efforts that students have put forth in these areas are valuable and will be taken into account by programs during application review regardless of outcome.
  • Given that testing centers have delayed or canceled administration dates for USMLE Step 2 CK, and that the NBME has suspended Step 2 CS administration, we have encouraged programs to forego these tests as required elements of the application process this year. USMLE scores are only a minor component of one's application; students should not consider alternative application plans due to the absence of these scores alone. Please refer to individual program websites to determine whether Step 1 score cut-offs are used and/or whether Step 2 scores are recommended/required.
  • We recommend at least one letter of recommendation from a dermatology faculty member but recognize that this may be difficult for students without a home dermatology program. We urge programs to review applications holistically and give equal weight to letters of recommendation from faculty in other specialties. Students should consider faculty with whom they have worked closely, regardless of the specialty.
  • While programs strive to perform holistic review on all applications, this is more challenging when faced with increasing number of applications per available position (the average dermatology residency candidate submits ~100 applications).
    
    • For US allopathic first-time applicants, we recommend applying to 40-60 programs. Applicants are encouraged to seek individualized advice from dermatology and medical school advisors to guide the decision regarding number of applications to submit. This advice should account for USMLE Step scores, clerkship grades, research, and extracurricular activities.
    • Applicants can visit ApplySmart to review data available from the AAMC on dermatology residency applications and returns.
• Interviews
  
  • We encourage all programs to conduct virtual interviews for all students.
  • Given the potential increased flexibility and reduced costs associated with virtual interviews, we recommend that students regulate the number of interviews they accept.
  • Data from NRMP show that the probability of matching plateaus at >95% after 12 contiguous ranks. Limiting the number of interviews a student accepts to 12-15 will allow more students opportunities to interview with programs that might constitute a better fit. 

As dermatology residency program directors, we recognize that the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in increased disparities in strength of applications due to lack of opportunity for students with smaller home programs or in areas more affected by this crisis, particularly as some students may additionally be struggling or have struggled with personal or family COVID-19 illness during this time.

In this time of great personal and professional stress, we hope that by addressing specific concerns, students will feel more comfortable approaching the process and maintaining their application plans, knowing that we will take into consideration the multitude of extrinsic factors affecting applications this year. Additionally, we hope that consistent practices among programs will allow for an improved application process for both students and programs this cycle and beyond.

Current Offerings
This year we will be accepting applications through ERAS for the following.

5 advanced positions to begin July 1, 2022.

Application Requirements
The Department of Dermatology participates in Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). All applications must be received through this program.

The ERAS application deadline to apply is October 21.

Please refer to the ERAS website for further information.

ERAS Requirements

• Personal Statement
• USMLE Step 1 score and, if available, Step 2 scores
• ECFMG certificate, if applicable.
• Dean’s letter
• Transcript
• 3 letters of recommendation (narrative and standardized both accepted)
• Wallet-sized photograph
• OPTIONAL: Applicants with a special interest in the Medical College of Wisconsin are encouraged to submit a supplemental paragraph expressing their interest. On October 21, those who have applied to our program will receive a communication via ERAS regarding this optional paragraph. Applicants will have until noon 8:00 AM on October 23 to reply to this communication via ERAS with their paragraph and this communication will be automatically added to your official application materials.

General Admission Requirements
Our dermatology residencies are open to U.S. citizens, permanent U.S. immigrants, and international applicants as follows:

• Medical residencies are open to qualified graduates of accredited U.S. and Canadian medical schools.
• Graduates from medical schools outside of the U.S. or Canada must be certified by ECFMG to qualify for application.
• We only accept J1 visas and do not support H-1B visa sponsorship at this time.
• Individuals accepted to our residency are expected to complete a full three-year residency, although contracts are renewed annually.
• Although all applications are reviewed, we will take into consideration if there has been a previous residency completed. There is no credit towards the dermatology residency requirement given for prior residency training.

The Medical College of Wisconsin Department of Dermatology invites your application. We value enthusiasm, teamwork, and look for evidence of scholarship, diligence, and integrity in your application. We appreciate applications from candidates of diverse backgrounds. Each application is screened by at least two members of our faculty. Interviews are by invitation only.

Scheduled Interview Dates

• Tuesday, January 5, 2021
• Monday,January 11, 2021
• Monday, January 25, 2021

If you apply to our program, you will be notified of your interview status via ERAS communication.

Qualifications
Before you begin your dermatology residency, you will need to take one year of clinically-based training at an ACGME-approved academic institution in the United States. This year may include clinical training in an Internal Medicine or Pediatric training program or a transitional year.

Information from our affiliates regarding a PGY-1 year

• Medical College of Wisconsin Internal Medicine
• Medical College of Wisconsin Pediatrics
• Aurora St. Lukes Medical Center

Benefits of Employment
View the terms, conditions, and benefits of employment

Questions? If you have any questions regarding the Dermatology Residency Program, please contact:

Yvonne Chiu, MD
Residency Program Director
c/o Shelly Martin
Department of Dermatology
8701 Watertown Plank Rd.
Milwaukee, WI 53226
(414) 955-3106 | smartin@mcw.edu

learn about milwaukee

Training Sites
Our training program utilizes the resources of three affiliated hospitals:

Froedtert Hospital
Froedtert Hospital is the only academic medical center in eastern Wisconsin and has consistently garnered awards and national rankings. With 500 beds and active inpatient service, residents have exposure to a broad range of consultative dermatology. In addition, Froedtert operates a network of outpatient clinics both at the main campus and in the surrounding community though dermatology residents will receive most of their training at the Froedtert main site at the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center.

Zablocki VA Medical Center
Located less than 5 miles from the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center, the Zablocki VA provides a rich training experience for residents. The Zablock VA has 168 acute care beds, 113 nursing home beds, and provides over 500,000 visits annually through an extensive outpatient program. Veterans travel from as far away as northern Michigan to seek dermatology services at this center. Residents will provide dermatologic care to veterans in an outpatient dermatology clinic and through inpatient consultative services. There will be abundant exposure to the diagnosis and treatment of skin cancers, including surgical clinics.

Children’s Wisconsin
MCW has a strong tradition of excellent pediatric dermatology training, and we are fortunate to be affiliated with the Children’s Wisconsin. A free-standing pediatric hospital, Children's provides specialty care to children throughout southeastern Wisconsin and beyond. Residents will gain substantial experience in the broad spectrum of pediatric dermatology, from routine diagnoses to rare quaternary consultations. Thriving outpatient clinics and inpatient consult services ensure that residents gain familiarity with treating a wide range of pediatric disorders. Dermatology residents will receive most of their training at the Children's main site at the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center

Residents will rotate through all three sites during their time in the MCW program. In addition to general adult and pediatric dermatology clinics, residents will have the opportunity to work in specialty clinics with expert faculty such as the Melanoma Clinic, Cutaneous Lymphoma Clinic, Contact Dermatitis Clinic, Birthmarks and Vascular Anomalies Center, and the Neurofibromatosis and RASopathies Clinic. Additionally, dedicated time will be allocated for clinical training in cutaneous surgery (Mohs and non-Mohs, adults and children), cosmetic dermatology, and dermatopathology.

Continuity Clinic
Residents have the opportunity to provide ongoing care and develop long-term relationships with patients through resident continuity clinics. These clinics start early in the first year of residency, with graduated autonomy and increased patient numbers in later years.

Didactics
Residents have 5 hours of didactic time each week with protected morning conference time. Morning conferences start at 7:30 am (sometimes 7:00 am) each morning in the resident room. Morning conferences include chapter reviews, faculty lectures, kodachromes, journal club, evidence-based medicine sessions, and surgical planning sessions. In addition, there are 4-5 morning workshops per year that provide several hours of hands-on experience with various procedures, such as lasers and filler injections. There are also 4-5 evening surgery teaching sessions to practice advanced surgical techniques on pigs’ feet. A sample didactics schedule is below:

 

Residents who match at our program will be employed by the Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals, Inc (MCWAH). More information may be found at the MCW Graduate Medical Education website. MCWAH offers its housestaff a comprehensive benefits package.

learn about our current residents

2020
Shahab Babakoohi, MD (private practice); Daren Diiorio, MD (private practice), Travis Kuemmet, MD (academics), Jacquelyn Majerowski, MD (dermatopathology fellowship); Alison Seline, MD (dermatopathology fellowship)

2019
Olushola Akinshemoyin Vaughn, MD (academics); Nicole Bender, MD (dermatopathology/fellowship); Liza Gill, MD (academics); April Zhang, MD (academics)

2018
Michael Lee, MD (private practice); Brittany Lister, MD (private practice), Krisztian Nemeth, MD, PhD (private practice); Lauren Seline, MD (private practice); Laura Tisch, MD (private practice)

2017
Mary Kim, MD (pediatric dermatology fellowship); Allison Schaus, MD (private practice); Brianne Dickey, MD (private practice)

2016
Dianne de Leon, MD (private practice); Amy Wentland, MD (private practice); JiaDe Yu, MD (pediatric dermatology fellowship); Michelle Bayer, MD (pediatric dermatology fellowship)

2015
Ashley Sullivan, MD (procedural dermatology fellowship); Megan Dowling, MD (private practice); Stephen Humphrey, MD (pediatric dermatology fellowship); Marianne Junck, MD (private practice)

2014
Gabe Currie, MD (dermatopathology fellowship); Nicole Mau, MD (private practice); Gyorgy Paragh, MD, PhD (academics); Nikki Kim, MD (private practice); Lauren Good, MD (private practice)

2013
Daniel Mosel, MD (private practice); Anna Juern, MD (pediatric dermatology fellowship); Hilary Hill, MD (private practice); Marisa Chapman, MD (private practice); Sierra Wolter, MD (pediatric dermatology fellowship)

2012
Wendy Schumacher, DO (pediatric dermatology fellowship); Suzanne Quinter, MD (private practice); Nicole Huffman, MD (private practice); Joel Joyce, MD (pediatric dermatology fellowship)

2011
Katrina Bassett, MD (private practice); Arvin Doostan, MD (private practice); Elyn Bowers, MD (private practice); Adam Taintor, MD (private practice)

2010
Elizabeth Havey, MD (private practice); Edward (Ted) Conrad, MD (private practice); Yvonne Chiu, MD (pediatric dermatology fellowship); Benjamin Carter, MD (private practice)

2009
Jordan Miller, MD (private practice); Lynn Cheng, MD (private practice); Brad Huber, MD (private practice); Christopher Fuller, MD (private practice)

2008
Amber Robbins, MD (private practice); Mandi Maronn, MD (pediatric dermatology fellowship), Edit Olasz, MD, PhD (academics), Pichaya Sarasombath, MD (private practice)

2007
Sun Young Ruggeri, MD (private practice); Michael Peterson, DO (dermatopathology fellowship); Melissa Chiang, MD (dermatopathology fellowship); Rand Colbert, MD (private practice)

2006
Christopher Carlin, MD (private practice); Viseslav Tonkovic-Capin, MD (dermatopathology fellowship); Kim Yancey, MD (former Chair); Janet Fairley, MD (former Program Director); Stephanie Klein, MD (private practice); Joseph Conlon, MD (pediatric dermatology fellowship)

2005
Priya Young, MD (academics); Kristina Kleven, MD (private practice); Marie Dauenhauer, MD (private practice); Yan Wang, MD (private practice)

2004
Otobia Dimson, MD; Juliet Gunkel, MD; Kristen Holland, MD

2003
David Allen, MD; Sheila Galbraith, MD; Jason Rosenberg, MD

2002
Eric Challgren, MD; Anita (Nijhawan) Haggstrom, MD; Bradley Straka, MD

2001
Leslie Beaird, MD; Maria Carroll, MD; Manish Gharia, MD; Valerie Lyon, MD

2000
Elliot Goldberg, MD; Christopher Obeime, MD; Jeffrey Suchniak, MD

1999
Nina (French) Kahloon, MD; Ramsey Markus, MD

1998
Neal Bhatia, MD; Lily Schaffer, MD; Joy Walker, MD; Patricia Wiman, MD

1997
Gregg Menaker, MD; Amy Nopper, MD; Kendell Wilske, MD; Daniel Zivony, MD

1996
Diana Chen, MD; Marguerite Compton, MD; Alfredo Fernandez, MD; John Walsh, MD

1995
Beth Drolet, MD; Melinda McCord, MD; James Nigro, MD; Elizabeth Shinall Miller, MD

1994
Melanie Griem, MD; Aldo Trovato, MD; Gretchen Zirbel, MD

1993
Marie Nakata, MD; Timothy Parker, MD; Anthony Yug, MD

1992
Kay Hansen, MD; John Roth, MD; Mary Spellman, MD

1991
Cyril Severnsm MD; Kathleen Stokes, MD

1990
Conrad Brimhall, MD; Andrew Pitt, MD

1989
Karl Siebe, MD; Richard Steinberg, MD

1988
Amani Abdel-Maguid, MD; Lori Campbell, MD

1987
Steven Snyder, MD; Diane Goetz-Hentz, MD

1986
Craig Fujisaki, MD; Vernon Casterline, MD

1985
Robert Calcote, MD; Anthony Bonfiglio, MD

1984
Beth Schenck, MD; Donna Poesch, MD

1983
Mary Lyons, MD; Glenn Brown, MD

1982
Pamela Parke-Miller, MD; Kwock Koong Koe, MD; James Hogan, MD

1981
Mohammad Ghaemi, MD

1980
Caryn Schulz, MD; Susan Mackel, MD; Glenn Sondag, MD

1979
Neils, Richard, MD; James O’Dowd, Md; Leo Sotiriou, MD; Robert Ginsberg, MD

1978
Thomas Hogarty, MD

1977
Michael Myers, MD

1976
Tin Eng, MD; Benjamin Nykamp, MD; David Tenbarge, MD; Max Mattson, MD

1975
Bernard Simbari, MD

1973
Arthur Phelps, MD; Michael Smullen, MD; Jerone Tulecke, MD; Sandra Lamberson, MD

1971
Hua-Min Weng, MD

1969
Douglas Huewe, MD

1968
Ina Levenson, MD; Palmer Tibbets, MD

1967
Alfred Jerofke, MD

1966
John Kenny, MD; John Marnocha, MD

1965
William Smith, MD

1962
Henry Labrec, MD

1961
Michael Ballard, MD; Rudolph Scrimenti, MD

1960
Donald Johnson, MD

1958
Louis Simonson, MD

1957
Thomas Luther, MD

1956
Richard Higley, MD

1955
Gerald Stubenrauch, MD

1952
David Kersting, MD