Is it hard to become a dermatologist? As with most things, there isn’t a straight answer. If we’re talking solely statistics, then yes. But remember, statistics apply to the population not to the individual. This is something that we often overlook. For example, the term percent is a composite of two words: ‘per’ and ‘cent’ […]
I remember being a junior doctor and always putting off making specialty referrals to the end of the day. For some reason, I didn’t like getting grilled or even flat out told off for making a rubbish referral. Now, having made it to the other end of the phone, I try to be humane in […]
Before you call the GMC (or the Samaritans), I’ll point out that this is meant to be a day in the life of a dermatologist. To contrast, this is not to convey that this is typical of the day-to-day life of a dermatologist. I’ve always tried to avoid the tried and trodden path – apart […]
How to succeed in your ST3 Dermatology Application – Part 2 Before reading further, make sure you’ve read Part 1! Scoring top marks at medical school to be awarded Merit or Distinction is no mean feat. Unless you’re blessed with an otherworldly memory (or are a top blagger), getting these honours is no mean feat. […]
When I look back at my own preparation, I was shooting in the dark. If you’d asked me for my tips on how to succeed in the Dermatology ST3 application, I’d have shrugged and mumbled ‘work hard’. There weren’t, however, the same degree of resources as are available now. It’s never to early to start […]
Inauspicious beginnings There’s a long-standing joke in Indian households: you can be anything you want to be when you grow up, so long as it’s a doctor, engineer or lawyer. While I’m half-joking, I’m sort of half-not. Coming from a family of medics, it was almost assumed that I would follow in these footsteps. In […]
“What do you plan to specialise in?” asked the pinstripe-suited consultant general surgeon to his gaggle of medical students. “Surgery.” “Something surgical.” “I’m really interested in surgery.” These, of course, are the correct answers. His gaze turned to my student self, eyes expectant: “Dermatology.” He simply let out a snort, shook his head and proceeded […]
Inauspicious beginnings During medical school, I was sufficiently disinterested so as to receive a letter of warning from my tutor…and now I’m a consultant dermatologist. The moral of the story is that if I could manage this from such an inauspicious starting point, you definitely can. If you need to drive from London to Leeds […]
Why become a dermatologist? While we might be a bit biased, dermatology is a great specialty to get into. As a relatively newly-appointed consultant and registrar, the variety that dermatology can offer is hard to match. Dermatology is something of an ecosystem in itself: if you like seeing children, become a paediatric dermatologist. Prefer something […]
