to pursue. A typical applicant’s résumé includes published research, stellar exam scores, glowing recommendation letters from dermatologists, an away rotation , and an honor society membership. And even if you meet all those requirements, you could still end up not getting into a dermatology program.. It’s a constant hustle,” says Heather Woolery-Lloyd, MD, who serves as the Director of Ethnic Skin Care for the University of Miami Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery.
But even before the application process begins, many Black medical students are discouraged from considering dermatology and steered toward primary-care specialties like family practice and pediatrics. “Mentors will say that primary care, obstetrics, or emergency medicine are where you see the patients who really need you,” says Dr. Scott. “But then I thought, ‘Wait, everyone needs good care.
Like with many career paths, a student’s success is also greatly influenced by mentorship. If Black children grow up seeing Black dermatologists, they are more likely to consider the field and have a resource or advocate should they pursue a similar career. Fortunately, many health organizations have recognized this disparity, and the American Academy of Dermatology’s Minority Mentorship Program works to pair medical students from underrepresented populations with practicing dermatologists.
this September in Chicago. The event, hosted by an intersociety Work Group on Diversity in Dermatology, will bring together five major dermatology organizations and representatives from dermatology programs across the country to discuss actionable steps to increase diversity in the field. For the three percent of Black dermatologists out there, there is a high demand for their services. Oftentimes, there’s a months-long waiting list which is not only frustrating for patients, but also puts unfair pressure on the few Black dermatologists who are servicing this community well. “I feel a duty to make sure [my patients] see someone who looks like me because the hospital I work at has an 80% minority population. So, I go into every patient room,” says Dr. Scott. “It’s hard.
Blame African doctors and teachers for not doing enough research