Pathways Medical Student Mentorship Program

• Application opens Sept. 1, 2026

• Application closes Nov. 1, 2026

• Notifications go out to students by end of January

• Leadership opportunity application opens Beginning of January

• Leadership opportunity application closes Feb. 15, 2026

• Mentees are eligible to start mentorships March 1 through Dec. 1, 2026

Stages of learning: MS1 – MS4

• Discover: MS1 and MS2

• Develop: MS3

• Launch: MS4

Mentorship and opportunities that grow with you.

Up to 5 awards available

• Discover: Explore dermatology while building confidence and community.

  • To apply:

    • Must be an MS1 or MS2.

    • Students are encouraged to identify a dermatology mentor and discuss a potential research or scholarly project before applying.

    • Participants select one leadership experience on the application.

  • What you’ll receive:

    • Two-week mentorship.

    • $1,250 grant.

    • Monthly Pathways virtual learning sessions with dermatologist speakers.

    • Ongoing support from Pathways community.

Up to 15 awards available

• Develop: Strengthen your clinical interests while expanding your professional network.

  • To apply:

    • Must be a MS3.

    • Students are encouraged to identify a dermatology mentor and discuss a potential research or scholarly project before applying.

    • Participants select one leadership experience on the application.

  • What you’ll receive:

    • Four-week mentorship.

    • $2,000 grant.

    • Monthly Pathways virtual learning sessions with dermatologist speakers.

    • Ongoing support from Pathways community.

Up to 5 awards available

• Launch: Prepare for residency with research, mentorship, and national exposure.

  • To apply:

    • Must be a MS4.

    • Students are encouraged to identify a dermatology mentor and discuss a potential research or scholarly project before applying.

    • Participants have to take advantage of the research opportunity.

  • What you’ll receive:

    • Four-week mentorship.

    • $2,000 grant.

    • Monthly Pathways virtual learning sessions with dermatologist speakers.

    • Ongoing support from Pathways community.

    • Research Opportunity.

  • Research opportunity: Present your research at an outside professional conference and receive up to an additional $500 to support conference attendance.

Build leadership skills while making an impact

• Derm Career Prep Panelist & Mentor: Represent Pathways during Derm Career Prep while mentoring future applicants interested in dermatology.

  • Eligible for Discover & Develop stages only

  • Separate application due by Feb. 15

• Camp Discovery Counselor: Serve as a camp counselor for children living with chronic skin conditions while developing leadership and mentoring skills.

  • Eligible for Discover & Develop level only

  • Separate application due by Feb. 15

• Good Skin Knowledge: Teach skin health through community education and outreach.

  • Eligible for Discover & Develop stages only

  • Separate application due by Feb. 15

• Poster Presentation at the AAD Annual Meeting: Present your scholarly work while strengthening your academic portfolio

  • Eligible for Develop stage only

  • Separate application due by Feb. 15 (before the mentorship application deadline)

• Outside Conference Presentation: Present your scholarly work at regional and national meetings while strengthening your academic portfolio.

  • Eligible for Launch stageonly

  • Separate application due dates dependent on which conference you are interested in. Example conferences include but aren’t limited to:

    • AMEC

    • AMA

    • LMSA

    • State Society Meetings

    • Subspecialty Conferences

  • It is your responsibility to identify the deadline for the conference you’re interested in. Please note it may fall before the Mentorship application deadline.

  • You are not eligible to receive additional funding if you decide to present at the AAD’s Annual Meeting.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to identify a mentor before submitting an application. An established mentor and a defined research interest produce the strongest application. If you have not yet identified a mentor, the AAD offers guidance and resources to help you connect with one, including the AAD mentor list. If the dermatologist you have in mind is not on that list, they may add themselves by creating a mentor profile.

If your prospective mentor practices at an academic institution, check the AAMC's Visiting Student Learning Opportunities (VSLO) database as well. Many dermatology departments now accept visiting medical students only through VSLO, which covers away electives and, at some institutions, observerships and research experiences. Confirm the department's process early, and note the following:

• VSLO is open only to students whose home medical school participates in the program.

• Many dermatology electives are restricted to fourth-year students. Earlier-year students may need an observership or research placement, which some institutions arrange outside VSLO.

• Dermatology VSLO application windows typically open in February and close in April for the following academic year. Apply during that window so your placement can be completed by the Dec. 1 mentorship deadline.

• Mentors in private practice or other non-academic settings generally have no VSLO requirement.

Search opportunities by specialty and location in the VSLO Find Electives tool and contact the department's education coordinator to confirm its process before you apply.

Participants select one leadership opportunity during each mentorship cycle.

Formal mentorship lasts 2 weeks for Discover participants and 4 weeks for Develop and Launch participants. All mentees continue participating in year-round virtual programming.

Yes. Each Pathway stage includes a grant to support participation. Additional funding is available for approved leadership activities, and Launch participants receive an additional $500 conference registration award upon confirmation of their registration to a conference.

Applications open on Sept. 1, 2026.

The application deadline is 11:59 p.m. CT on Nov. 1, 2026.

Please contact Kandice Rose at krose@aad.org.