DERMATOLOGY RESIDENCY PROGRAM

The residency program in dermatology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine provides experience in outpatient and inpatient settings. Residents train in general dermatology, pediatric dermatology, dermatologic surgery, dermatopathology, dermatopharmacology, immunodermatology, phototherapy, Mohs micrographic surgery, and laser and cosmetic procedures. Several specialty clinics allow exposure to challenging cases. Residents are also expected to participate in, and design limited laboratory investigation or clinical outcomes research that can be carried out and successfully completed during the three years of residency.

Throughout clinical training, residents rotate through several sites. The Northwestern Memorial Faculty Foundation (NMFF) clinics are currently the home base for residents and the site of most of the didactic conferences. In June of 2006, the entire clinic and administrative offices of the department (including the dedicated resident suite and the conference rooms) moved to 24,000 square feet at 676 North St Clair, Suite 1600. This new clinic space includes 21 clinic rooms, 12 procedural rooms and the phototherapy unit. Residents also rotate through the Children’s Memorial Hospital (CMH, pediatric dermatology), the VA Chicago Health Care System-Westside Division, and the clinical practices associated with the affiliated Evanston Healthcare program.

First Year

During the first year, residents gain experience in general medical dermatology and surgery in the outpatient dermatology clinics at Northwestern Memorial Faculty Foundation, the VA and the Evanston practices. Residents also spend two months in dermatopathology, where more than 30,000 biopsies per year are reviewed with the faculty dermatopathologists. Each resident is also assigned to a dermatology continuity clinic that will continue throughout the three years of training.

Second Year

Second-year residents rotate through the outpatient clinics of the Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation, VA Westside and Children's Memorial Hospital, as well as dermatological surgery. Second year residents also perform in-patient consultations at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

Third Year

During the third year, residents continue their instruction in the inpatient and outpatient areas of the Medical Center hospitals, assuming greater responsibility for patient care. Time for elective opportunities is provided during the second and third years of training, and residents are encouraged to attend national meetings.

The department encourages residents to acquire additional experience in dermatological subspecialties or research after completing the residency program.  A major focus of the department is to train future leaders in dermatology.  

(Click here to meet our current residents.)

Seminars and Conferences

An active teaching program involves at least daily didactic sessions for residents. These include dermatology grand rounds, basic science seminars, surgical and cosmetic didactic units, bench to bedside talks, digital slide conferences (including dermatopathology and pediatric dermatology series), hospital rounds and journal club sessions. A visiting professorship program presents excellent teachers from other institutions at the monthly Wednesday morning grand rounds and daily morning sessions. The department also sponsors several half-day resident seminars; for example, seminars are offered annually in genodermatoses, and also in clinical investigation.  The series in the past has also included cutaneous oncology, Mycology, Immunobiology, Inflammatory Skin Disorders, and Autoimmune disorders. Residents also participate in the monthly Chicago Dermatological Society meeting and host a meeting annually at Northwestern.

Research

The department conducts intensive research focusing on basic laboratory investigation of skin inflammation, skin cancer, keratinocyte biology, wound healing, epithelial stem cell research, cutaneous aging, and translational projects to develop new therapies.  The clinical dermatopharmacology unit consists of an active clinical trials group as well as investigator initiated outcomes research. Clinical trials are conducted at both Northwestern and Children's Memorial Hospital.

With the aid of assigned faculty mentors, all residents develop a well-defined basic or clinical research project throughout the three years of training.  Annual resident research conferences showcase and critique this project.  The residents also are expected to present their work at regional and national meetings and submit their studies for publication.

Positions Offered

Three to four positions are offered each year. First year positions are selected through the National Resident Matching Program, ERAS system from September 1 through November 1 each year.  Residency interviews take place during the month of January.  Visit the ERAS site for information about how to apply.

In addition to the standard residency program, an academic track program consisting of two clinical years paired with two years of research fellowship may be arranged after the first year of residency.

Special fellowships are also offered in dermatopathology, pediatric dermatology and procedural dermatology.

Application Requirements

Applicants, who must complete one year of graduate clinical education before entering the program, are screened by a department committee. Selected candidates are invited for interviews. Final selection of residents is made by the dermatology faculty. The application deadline is November 1st. 

Applicants selected to interview will be notified by November.  Additional information will be posted at a later date.

Residency Director:  Amy Paller, MD
Associate Residency Director:  Bethanee Schlosser, MD, PhD

Residency Program Coordinator: Maria S. Katsoulidis
Phone: 312-695-7932;  Fax: 312-695-0664