Only 1 dermatology interview...

[Dermless]

Hi friends,

So, I'm feeling pretty down lately because I only got 1 interview for dermatology. I applied all across Canada and I was really confident in my application, with strong letters and a few publications in the field. But the only interview I got is at my home school. I'm just wondering if anyone else is experiencing the same thing or  has any idea about why this is happening. I even checked with some staff and they said my application was solid, so they're just as confused as I am. I know dermatology competition tough every year, but I can't help feeling like I messed up somewhere. Anyone else in the have some insight??? 

[frenchpress]

6 hours ago, Dermless said:

Hi friends,

So, I'm feeling pretty down lately because I only got 1 interview for dermatology. I applied all across Canada and I was really confident in my application, with strong letters and a few publications in the field. But the only interview I got is at my home school. I'm just wondering if anyone else is experiencing the same thing or  has any idea about why this is happening. I even checked with some staff and they said my application was solid, so they're just as confused as I am. I know dermatology competition tough every year, but I can't help feeling like I messed up somewhere. Anyone else in the have some insight??? 

CaRMs is an incredibly unfair process. Every year I meet lots of people who were surprised, and their letter writers and peers equally so, that they did not match to where and what they wanted. I was in that position myself. That’s because nearly everyone is hard-working and deserving. It’s extremely difficult to cut through the noise.  

Something a lot of medical students don’t realize when prepping to apply for a specialty and talking to residents and staff in that specialty, is that they’re primarily talking only to the ones who made it. For them, getting what they wanted was usually straightforward and they assume if others prep the way they did they’ll have similar success. Medical students often don’t hear from the people who didn’t get what they wanted. But medicine is full of people who wanted to do one thing and ended up in something else. For many people it works out and they end up happy, or happy enough, in the end. But the system just sucks. 

[carms20233]

On 1/29/2023 at 5:09 AM, Dermless said:

Hi friends,

So, I'm feeling pretty down lately because I only got 1 interview for dermatology. I applied all across Canada and I was really confident in my application, with strong letters and a few publications in the field. But the only interview I got is at my home school. I'm just wondering if anyone else is experiencing the same thing or  has any idea about why this is happening. I even checked with some staff and they said my application was solid, so they're just as confused as I am. I know dermatology competition tough every year, but I can't help feeling like I messed up somewhere. Anyone else in the have some insight??? 

.

[jb24]

Dermatology is extremely competitive year after year, not only in Canada but also the USA (where students routinely take gap years for more research to apply), so don't be too hard on yourself. 

I don't think you messed up anywhere, it's just the nature of competitive specialties. It routinely is in in the top 1 or 2 most competitive in North America.

[shikimate]

If it makes you feel better, once upon a time I also thought about doing derm but didn't even bother applying due to competition. In my cohort, 2 of my classmates applied to derm with "good applications" and both matched to something else, so that year 0 people from my school matched to derm. 

[Edict]

Derm is the only specialty where I know more people who really wanted it, went all in and didn't match than people who matched. The good thing is that you can still get some aspects of derm in FM and IM.

[Findanus]

23 hours ago, Edict said:

Derm is the only specialty where I know more people who really wanted it, went all in and didn't match than people who matched. The good thing is that you can still get some aspects of derm in FM and IM.

FM/IM level derm is nothing like actual dermatology. Completely different competence and focus.

If you are humdrum about other fields in medicine, a strategy is to do FM for 2 years, and then try to acquire a re-entry position in dermatology. That way, you're in and out of residency quickly, and the portability of FM gives you opportunities to go wherever you want.

I often advise re-applying to the USA, but it is also quite competitive down there for derm, so it might not work for you. 

You could also consider pathology in hopes of acquiring a dermatopathology fellowship. I practice dermpath so if you want to know more about it, you can send me a DM.

[20206111]

I feel you, 

I have also applied across Canada and got interviews only in Quebec and 1 other in Canada (and was actually denied at my home school which seriously crushed me). And I do agree with the comment above where I know so many residents in derm who tell me they applied with a late interest in derm which sounds so heartbreaking for everyone I know who wanted dermatology from the beginning. CARMS is unfair... but you only need one interview, you got this! We got this! 

[jb24]

On 2/3/2023 at 9:39 AM, 20206111 said:

I feel you, 

I have also applied across Canada and got interviews only in Quebec and 1 other in Canada (and was actually denied at my home school which seriously crushed me). And I do agree with the comment above where I know so many residents in derm who tell me they applied with a late interest in derm which sounds so heartbreaking for everyone I know who wanted dermatology from the beginning. CARMS is unfair... but you only need one interview, you got this! We got this! 

... Not a fan of this sentiment. Who cares if you wanted Dermatology since you were born (not meaning you specifically but in general)? A lot of people find their path later and that is totally fine and should be celebrated.

CaRMS is as fair as it can be. All candidates are evaluated the same, irrespective if you wanted X specialty before you even started medical school. That's life.

[rmorelan]

On 1/29/2023 at 5:09 AM, Dermless said:

Hi friends,

So, I'm feeling pretty down lately because I only got 1 interview for dermatology. I applied all across Canada and I was really confident in my application, with strong letters and a few publications in the field. But the only interview I got is at my home school. I'm just wondering if anyone else is experiencing the same thing or  has any idea about why this is happening. I even checked with some staff and they said my application was solid, so they're just as confused as I am. I know dermatology competition tough every year, but I can't help feeling like I messed up somewhere. Anyone else in the have some insight??? 

Just want to add good luck - even one interview of course can be enough even though it is never emotionally satisfying getting limited interview options in something you really want. 

CARMS truly is one of those things where you can make absolutely no mistakes and still not get the interviews you expect. There truly is a random aspect to it - that is exactly what makes it frustrating (for applications, for PDs and for anyone trying to help people). Modern changes to CARMS and the entire application process probably make that worse than before but it has always been that way. 

and yes, I have had probably 30 similarly emails etc about people going through something similar (which means there are a lot more than that out there) - not sure if that helps at all but you are certainly not alone. 

[onesieluv]

For all med students reading this, I just want to offer a glimmer of hope. I received 8 dermatology interviews and matched at my #6 rank. I was very lucky to have gotten any derm seat. I feel incredibly blessed, especially knowing how many other applicants gunning just as hard as me did not unfortunately make it. I had a solid backup with 8 weeks of family med electives and 6 FM interviews.

Happy to answer questions about the derm match process, folks can feel free to DM me 

[Pakoon]

2 hours ago, onesieluv said:

For all med students reading this, I just want to offer a glimmer of hope. I received 8 dermatology interviews and matched at my #6 rank. I was very lucky to have gotten any derm seat. I feel incredibly blessed, especially knowing how many other applicants gunning just as hard as me did not unfortunately make it. I had a solid backup with 8 weeks of family med electives and 6 FM interviews.

Happy to answer questions about the derm match process, folks can feel free to DM me 

Congratulations on matching! Just for transparency, did this include french programs?  

[onesieluv]

17 minutes ago, Pakoon said:

Congratulations on matching! Just for transparency, did this include french programs?  

Yes! I got 5/7 English interviews and 3/3 French interviews