Dermatologists: very bright, and well-paid

An article in the New York Times (free registration may be required) makes several note-worthy points. The article talks about how extremely difficult it is for medical students to be selected to study dermatology--difficult because so many very smart people want the same few training spots available. It turns out relatively humane hours, and the riches from cosmetic procedures, are driving much of this demand. But it's still nice to know that many of the brightest people in the country may be treating psoriasis patients in between delivering Botox injections. Some excerpts follow. The article begins:

March Madness has a different meaning for Thomas Hocker and Meena Singh, a married couple in their final year at the Harvard Medical School, who are waiting to learn Thursday if they have been accepted into their residency programs of choice.

Already saddled with about $330,000 in education loans, they borrowed $20,000 more so they could fly around the country this winter for about two dozen residency interviews each. All told, each applied to 90 such training programs. ...

The search has been difficult not because they are mediocre students; indeed, each has a brand-name education, academic honors and published research on disease. No, it has been hard because they aspire to be dermatologists.

Then we get some statistics:

Only 61 percent of seniors at American medical schools whose first choice was dermatology received a residency in that field last year, compared with 98 percent for those whose first choice was internal medicine and 99 percent for those seeking family medicine, according to a report by the Association of American Medical Colleges and the National Resident Matching Program, which pairs candidates and programs. Although there are far fewer positions in dermatology (320 residencies in 2007) than in internal medicine (5,517) and family medicine (2,603), the field is attracting some of the best and brightest future doctors.

Seniors accepted in 2007 as residents in dermatology and two other appearance-related fields -- plastic surgery and otolaryngology (ear, nose and throat doctors, some of whom perform facial cosmetic surgery) -- had the highest median medical-board scores and the highest percentage of members in the medical honor society among 18 specialties, the report said. ...

For an idea of the competition facing dermatology aspirants, consider the application numbers. Last fall, 383 people applied for 6 places -- an average of about 64 applicants per spot -- in Harvard's dermatology program. By comparison, Harvard College received an average of 11 applications per offer of admission in the class of 2010.

The article also recognizes the profound impact psoriasis can have on patients.

"People greatly value the skin because it is what is on the outside that is the face you present to the world," Mr. Hocker said one evening last month after coming off a hospital shift in which he dealt with afflictions like heart failure and kidney failure. "Most dermatological diseases won't kill you, but they can greatly affect your quality of life."

[... Ms. Singh said:] "Having something on your skin is not life or death for people, but it can be equally important for them emotionally as a life-threatening disease."

Indeed, dermatology can be a psychological lifeline for people with severe skin problems. At pools or the beach, some people shun those with psoriasis who have scaly skin, fearing the condition is contagious, doctors said. ...

Dermatologists say they enjoy the variety of a specialty that encompasses serious illnesses like skin cancer and psoriasis as well as conditions like uncombable hair syndrome.

And we'll close with an excerpt that reminds us all that we should have paid more attention in science class:

But students interested in such work also often factor in personal benefits. Internists, for example, worked an average of 50 hours a week in 2006 while dermatologists worked about 40 hours, according to an annual survey by Medical Economics magazine. Dermatology also offers more independence from the bureaucracy of managed care, because patients pay up front for cosmetic procedures not covered by health insurance.

And while an internist earns an average of $191,525, a dermatologist earns an average of $390,274, according to an annual survey conducted by the Medical Group Management Association, whose membership includes more than 21,000 managers of medical practices. Dermatologists who specialize in cosmetic treatments or in skin-cancer operations can earn much more.