Dermatology

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It is currently an excellent time to consider a career in dermatology. This is a far ranging specialty, covering skin diseases, cancer and surgery in children and adults. There are excellent career opportunities to sub-specialise and currently a shortfall of nearly 100 consultant vacancies.

Dermatology - trainee characteristics

Dermatology will particularly suit trainees who are

able to deal with many possible diagnoses ( > 2,000!)
excellent pattern recognition and integrated clinical skills
excellent hand-eye coordination
confident in making a clinical decision.

Summary of the specialty

Training in dermatology provides time for critical appraisal, analysis and academic development, which is not always available in other specialties. It also provides exposure to skin diseases and their interface with adult and paediatric medicine.

Broad scope and remit

Dermatology is an exciting and tremendously varied specialty. The core role of a dermatologist is to improve the care of patients with skin disorders; and this will range form a neonate born with a genetic disorder or infection through to an elderly person with skin cancer.

The specialty has a wide remit, with over 2,000 possible diagnoses. However, with recent advances in medicine more people can be treated for chronic diseases, so that their illness is controlled; and this makes the specialty particularly rewarding.

Dermatology interfaces with many other branches of medicine and surgery, such as paediatrics, plastic surgery, immunology, rheumatology, general medicine, allergy, etc.

This wide remit combines clinical practice with development and implementation of new therapies, training and teaching of current and future innovations, as well as the promotion of evidence-based practise. We strongly encourage out of programme degrees in research or medical education.

A career in dermatology

It is currently an excellent time to consider dermatology as a career, as there is a shortfall of approximately 100 consultant posts. There are also exciting developments in skin cancer care pathways, and the advances and use of systemic therapies, such as biological therapies in the management of psoriasis.

Applying to ST3 dermatology

All applications to ST3 dermatology posts in 2012 will be processed via the 2 applications per specialty model. Dermatology applicants can apply to a maximum of two participating deaneries/UoAs; and may subsequently be interviewed by both. All applications made will be regarded as entirely separate from, and independent of, each other.

For more information on applying to dermatology, please visit the recruitment process section of this website.

Paediatric trainees

Please be aware that dermatology accepts applicants from paediatric training routes. Non-physician applicants must have obtained the basic specialty professional examination (MRCPCH) prior to the start of ST3 training, in addition to specific clinical experience.

For information on applying to dermatology from a background of non-physicianly training, please view/download the dermatology non-physician guidance document, found in the left-hand menu of this webpage.