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Pathways: Medical students


The impact of mentorship

Making connections with mentors who have faced similar challenges, or who have similar backgrounds, are key in helping students successfully achieve a career as a dermatologist.

Are you a medical student from the Black, Hispanic, or Indigenous community? Dermatology is an exciting specialty, positioned at the intersection of medicine, surgery, and pathology and offering the opportunity to treat a variety of diseases, and the Pathways: Inclusivity in Dermatology program can offer you the chance to explore it and decide if it’s right for you. The programs outlined below can offer you hands-on personal experience and mentoring in dermatology — and help you be more competitive for a residency slot if you decide dermatology is for you.

How can we do this? We offer the following programs that can help you get, or stay, on the pathway to dermatology.

Bioskills workshops.

These dynamic workshops for medical students offered in partnership with Nth Dimensions will give you a deep dive into this exciting specialty and offer an opportunity to try your hand at some basic dermatologic procedures. View a list of upcoming workshops below.

Upcoming workshops
September
  • Sept. 7, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.: 2024 Atrium Wake Forest Bioskills Workshop — Wake Forest Baptist Health Campus

  • Sept. 22, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.: Loma Linda Bioskills Event — Loma Linda Campus

October
  • Oct. 18, 9:30 or 10 a.m.: University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM

  • Oct. 27, 1 p.m.: Morehouse School of Medicine derm Atlanta, GA

    • No registration needed

November
December
  • Tentative — Dec. 2: Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science

    Los Angeles, CA

    • 4-hour block, more information to come

Medical student symposium at the AAD Annual Meeting.

In partnership with Nth Dimensions the AAD invites medical students from URiM backgrounds to attend the premier scientific meeting in dermatology. At the symposium, students in AAD-sponsored mentorship programs and medical students interested in dermatology who are attending the Annual Meeting learn more about dermatology and get the inside scoop on how to successfully apply to these competitive residency programs.

AAD/Nth Dimensions Scholars program.

First- and second-year medical students have an opportunity to participate in a robust 2-month summer internship, build a mentorship with a practicing dermatologist, and get guided support to prepare for residency application, and get ready for residency.

Ten scholars have been selected for 2023. Learn more about the scholars below.

2023 Dermatology Nth Dimensions Summer Scholars

Jaide Cotton

Student medical school: Howard University College of Medicine
Primary mentor name: Dr. Meena Singh
Site name: KMC Hair Center
Gender: F
Race: Black or African American
Race classification: African American

Alexa DiNello

Student medical school: Ohio State University College of Medicine
Primary mentor name: Dr. Moses Elam
Site name: VA
Gender: F
Race: Hispanic, Latino, or of Spanish Origin
Race classification: Cuban

Claudia Dubocq

Student medical school: University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine
Primary mentor name: Dr. Rebecca Vasquez
Site name: University of Texas Southwestern
Gender: F
Race: Hispanic, Latino, or of Spanish Origin
Race classification: Puerto Rican

Folasade Fayiga

Student medical school: Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine
Primary mentor name: Dr. Chesahna Kindred
Site name: Kindred Hair & Skin Center
Gender: F
Race: Black or African American
Race classification: African

Gianna Haskin

Student medical school: Howard University College of Medicine
Primary mentor name: Dr. Nashay Clemetson
Site name: Vanderbilt University
Gender: F
Race: Black or African American
Race classification: African American

Jasmine Hawkins

Student medical school: University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville
Primary mentor name: Dr. Janiene Luke
Site name: Loma Linda University
Gender: F
Race: Multiple Races
Race classification: Native American (Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma); white

Patricia Lozano

Student medical school: Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University
Primary mentor name: Dr. Candrice Heath
Site name: Temple University
Gender: F
Race: Hispanic, Latino, or of Spanish Origin
Race classification: Ecuadorian, Other

Falen Mehari

Student medical school: VCU School of Medicine, Medical College of Virginia Health Sciences Division
Primary mentor name: Dr. Sumayah Taliaferro
Site name: Atlanta Dermatology and Aesthetics
Gender: F
Race: Black or African American
Race classification: African

Kenneth Ortega

Student medical school: State University of New York Upstate Medical University College of Medicine
Primary mentor name: Dr. Wallace Nozile
Site name: Epiphany Dermatology
Gender: M
Race: Hispanic, Latino, or of Spanish Origin
Race classification: Puerto Rican

Tess Ruiz

Student medical school: University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine
Primary mentor name: Dr. Hope Mitchell
Site name: Mitchell Dermatology
Gender: F
Race: Hispanic, Latino, or of Spanish Origin
Race classification: Mexican/Chicano

AAD Diversity Mentorship Program.

This long-running program provides URiM medical students a one-month summer internship. Third- and fourth-year medical students are matched with an AAD member and given a travel stipend. In addition, Nth Dimensions provides access to resources and education for these students, post internship.

Learn more and apply for the mentorship program.

AAD-SID Gap Year Fellowships.

Research experience immediately after or during medical school can provide students a competitive advantage in applying for residency. This new program will award three grants per year for URiM medical students to pursue research opportunities immediately after completing medical school.

Learn more and apply for a fellowship.


Pathways home

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Inclusivity in Dermatology, AAD Pathways, high school and college image
High school & college

Learn about our outreach and Dermatology Career Prep program.

Residency

Learn more about our programs for dermatology residents.