Dermatology Doctor Education & Training

Definition

Dermatologists diagnose and treat more than 3,000 different diseases. These diseases include skin cancer, eczema, acne, psoriasis, and nail infections.

Dermatology Doctors also improve the appearance of their patients' skin, hair, and nails. For example, a dermatologist can help patients:

• Diminish wrinkles, age spots, and other signs of aging.
• Have less noticeable acne scars.
• Use laser treatments to remove hair and skin conditions.
• Look more like themselves after surgery to remove skin cancer.

Dermatologists see patients of all ages — from newborns to people older than 100 years of age. Orlando Dermatology Center is a full-service dermatology clinic serving all ages and includes Mohs surgery.

Pre-Medical Degree

A Bachelor of Science degree is required as a prerequisite for Medical School to be a dermatology doctor. The degree, each with its own major, are constructed to fulfil the prerequisites for medical school admission, as well as for the degree itself. Medical school prerequisites typically include foundational courses in physics, biology and chemistry, as well as organic chemistry and either calculus or statistics, or both. Some programs also offer medical terminology, human anatomy and other explicitly premedical courses as electives. The student must not only receive competitive grades, but must also perform well physically in lab classes to be accepted into a well-respected medical school.

Medical Degree

Following excellent performance in a pre-med bachelors program, dermatologists must next complete a doctoral degree in medicine or osteopathic medicine at an accredited school. This takes four years, with the first two years predominantly spent in classroom instruction. During the third and fourth years, students spend more time in clinical rotations where they can observe and practice hands-on medicine. The coursework builds on the foundation laid down by the undergraduate degree, including more advanced classes in biology and organic chemistry. Human anatomy and physiology, pharmacology and other courses specific to medicine feature prominently in the curriculum, as do medical law and ethics. Since the next step is very competitive, more than previous steps, most budding dermatologists will take electives and clinical rotations pertinent to their degree to stand out from their competition.

Dermatology Doctor Training

At this point the student has earned their doctorate degree in Medicine but is not yet ready to practice dermatology. Formal training in dermatology starts through the American Academy of Dermatology. The academy provides a series of self-learning modules for medical students who wish to grasp the basics of the discipline before graduation but actual training does not occur until afterwards. Medical school graduates must spend one year's internship in general medical practice, before completing a three-year residency in dermatology. Residency provides the newly-minted doctor with opportunities to learn dermatological diagnosis and treatment under the supervision and mentorship of experienced practitioners. Successful completion of a residency entitles the new physician to write the board examinations and be certified as a dermatologist. Some will also spend an additional fellowship year learning dermatopathology or pediatric dermatology.

Final Outcome

The 12-year process of becoming a dermatologist requires a significant commitment of the student's physical, mental, emotional and financial resources. At the final outcome, they are part of a small group of individuals prepared to care for your skin.

Vitaly Blatnoy, MD is the founder of the Dermatology and Skin Cancer Surgery Center. He graduated from the National Medical University of Kiev, Ukraine at the top 1% of his class. He completed his dermatology residency training at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. Dr. Blatnoy is certified by the American Board of Dermatology and the American Society of Mohs Surgery. He is a fellow of American Academy of Dermatology. Dr. Blatnoy is a highly experienced dermatologist, who specializes in an advanced skin cancer removal technique known as Mohs Micrographic Surgery. For the fourth consecutive year Dr. Blatnoy has been honored to receive a prestigious Patients' Choice Award for his outstanding patient care and expertise.