Demographic characteristics, factors influencing specialty choice, and intended career goals of graduating medical students pursuing careers in rural dermatology

Abstract

To the Editor: Access to dermatologic care is associated with a reduction in the morbidity and mortality associated with skin disease, including cutaneous malignancies. 1 Aneja S. Aneja S. Bordeaux J.S. Association of increased dermatologist density with lower melanoma mortality. Arch Dermatol. 2012; 148: 174-178 Crossref PubMed Scopus (64) Google Scholar However, there is a lack of dermatologists in rural areas in the United States, and the access gap between rural and metropolitan areas may be widening. 2 Feng H. Berk-Krauss J. Feng P.W. Stein J.A. Comparison of dermatologist density between urban and rural counties in the United States. JAMA Dermatol. 2018; 154: 1265-1271https://doi.org/10.1001/jamadermatol.2018.3022 Crossref PubMed Scopus (57) Google Scholar Only about 6.1% of graduating medical students pursuing careers in dermatology (GMS-D) intend to practice in rural areas. 3 Fulk T.S. Wessman L.L. Gupta R. et al. Geographic practice preferences of graduating medical students pursuing careers in dermatology. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2022; (Epub ahead of print)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2022.02.061 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF Scopus (0) Google Scholar This study aimed to assess the demographic characteristics, factors influencing specialty choice, and intended career goals of GMS-D intending to practice in rural areas (GMS-DR) compared to those intending to practice in urban or suburban areas (GMS-DUS), in order to inform workforce pipeline efforts to address geographic access disparities to dermatologic care in the United States.