Demographics of U.S. Dermatopathology Fellowship Applicant Interviewees: A Single Institution Descriptive Analysis

Matching into a dermatopathology fellowship is increasingly competitive; however, the application process is not standardized, and there is little data to guide a successful match. This study aimed to determine the association of various application variables and a successful match into dermatopathology fellowship.

A retrospective anonymized data review of dermatopathology fellowship applicants from a single midwestern institution was conducted. Applicant background and demographics were collected and analyzed with various statistical models.

A total of 68 applicant interviewees over a 7-year period were included in the analysis, with 62% of interviewees ultimately matching into dermatopathology fellowship. Most applicants attended an allopathic medical school (90.8%) and were trained in pathology (64.7%). There was no significant correlation in gender, medical school background, residency training background, or research productivity. There was a statistically significant correlation of successful matching with higher mean United States Medical Licensing Examination step 2 scores (p value 0.012), but not for step 1 or 3 scores.

Results of this study show a minimal difference in dermatopathology application traits, suggesting that intangible factors may hold a greater importance for a successful match. This study provides prospective dermatopathology fellowship applicants with a description of application qualities that help to secure an interview.