A lack of ethnic diversity exists among Dermatology’s current physician population. This impacts ethnic minority patients as they may seek medical care less frequently or when it is too late. As our population continues to grow, diversifying our physician population of dermatologists will bring a unique perspective to the field and encourage patients to seek care more regularly.
The mentorship encompasses 160 hours during the course of one month. Medical students commonly participate in this program in the summer months, but it must be complete by Dec. 1, 2012. The mentorship may be completed in a choice of environments such as a medical center, private practice, etc.
Upon application to the program, a medical student may choose a mentor on his or her own, or he or she can choose from a list of mentors that the Academy maintains. Each medical student who is selected to participate in the Diversity Mentorship program will receive a $1,500 stipend to help cover the cost of travel, housing and meals during the mentorship.
The American Academy of Dermatology’s Diversity Mentorship Program is available to first- through fourth-year medical students who are underrepresented in medicine. The Academy recognizes the following racial groups as underrepresented in the field of Dermatology (as related to the US population): African American, Hispanic, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. An applicant must be a U.S. citizen or have a permanent resident visa.
Your mentor must be selected prior to submitting your application. To begin your search, we suggest contacting dermatologists at your university or within your community. The Academy also has a listing of eligible mentors in our online search database (please select the Diversity Mentorship Program in the 'Mentor Program" field). Please note, mentors must be members of the Academy to be considered for the program.
Upon completion of your mentorship (by Dec. 1 of the year in which you receive the award), you are required to submit an evaluation of the program and a brief description of your future plans to pursue dermatology.
Coming soon!
The Diversity Task Force is in the process of reviewing the 2013 program recipients. Visit this link to be notified when the 2014 application opens.
The application for 2013 is now closed. Visit this link to be notified when the 2014 application opens. If you have any questions, please contact Nikki Haton.
Contact: Nikki Haton, project specialist, Member Services
Phone: (847) 240-1350
Fax: (847) 240-1920
Email: nhaton@aad.org
Required documents for the application:
- A copy of your résumé or curriculum vitae.
- A copy of your medical school transcript. First-year students may submit a list of current classes.
- Two professional letters of recommendation.
Please visit our frequently asked questions page for more information about the program.