Diversity Mentorship program: Information for medical students

First- through fourth-year medical students who are considered to be underrepresented in medicine* may apply to participate in the American Academy of Dermatology’s Diversity Mentorship program. This unique program offers hands-on exposure to students who are interested in learning more about dermatology as a medical specialty through a one-on-one mentorship experience with a dermatologist of the student's choice. 

Watch this video to learn more about diversity mentorship at the Academy.



Students who shadow a mentor oftentimes develop professional relationships that follow the students through their residency and into key junctures in their career.

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.

U.S. citizens and permanent residents of the United States or Canada are eligible for the program as long as the mentor approves of this prior to submission of the application. This program is offered to first- through fourth-year medical students who are underrepresented in medicine.*

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.

Below are the recipients of the 2011 Diversity Mentorship Program. 

  • Mohamed Abdi: MS1, University of Minnesota Medical School-Twin Cities
  • Abel Assefa Belay: MS1, Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University
  • Daniel Bernstein: MS3, Albany Medical College
  • Alicia Cowley: MS1, NYU School of Medicine
  • DiAnne Davis: MS1, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences 
  • Felicia Ekpo: MS1, Oklahoma State College of Osteopathic Medicine 
  • Dewan Kazi Farhana: MS1, Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine 
  • Monique Hall: MS1, New York Medical College 
  • Sara Hogan: MS1, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine 
  • Tiffany Mayo: MS3, Baylor College of Medicine 
  • Chikoti Mibenge: MS3, Duke University School of Medicine
  • Anna Leticia Moreno-Galvan: MS1, New York Medical College
  • Rebecca Mutesi: MS1, University of Michigan 
  • Stephanie Okwundi: MS1, Drexel University College of Medicine 
  • Lauren Payne: MS3, Morehouse School of Medicine
  • Kersha Pennicoff: MS1, Morehouse School of Medicine
  • Preethi Raghu: MS1 Albany Medical College
  • Freda Sansaricq: MS2, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine 
  • Tukisa Smith: MS3, Saint Louis University School of Medicine 
  • Diana Sttivend: MS2, Duke University School of Medicine 
  • Stanislav Tolkachjov: MS3, University of Tennessee Health Science Center 
  • Wilton Triggs, II: MS2, Meharry Medical College

The 2012 application is closed. To be notified when the 2013 application opens in the fall, please complete this online form.

Contact: Nikki Haton, administrative assistant, Member Services
Phone: (847) 240-1350
Fax: (847) 240-1920
Email: nhaton@aad.org 
Deadline: 2012 application is closed.
Applicant notified of status: April 30, 2012

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.

*Underrepresented in medicine means those racial and ethnic populations that are underrepresented in the medical profession relative to their numbers in the general population of the United States.

"I received the AAD's diversity mentorship award in the summer of 2006 and I'm now a dermatology resident. I never could have reached this point without the kind support and generosity of mentors and organizations such as the AAD. Thank you and the rest of the AAD committee for providing me with such a terrific experience."

Jane Yoo, MD, program recipient