Funded dermatology visiting elective rotations for medical students who are underrepresented in medicine: A cross-sectional analysis

Abstract

To the Editor: In a study of medical students considering dermatology, the most prominent perceived barriers to applying were step 1 scores, clinical grades, and fear of not matching. 1 Soliman Y.S. Rzepecki A.K. Guzman A.K. et al. Understanding perceived barriers of minority medical students pursuing a career in dermatology. JAMA Dermatol. 2019; 155: 252-254https://doi.org/10.1001/JAMADERMATOL.2018.4813 Crossref PubMed Scopus (0) Google Scholar Compared to Caucasian students, underrepresented in medicine (URiM, defined as Black/African American, Hispanic, Latino, American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander) students reported greater concerns about lack of mentorship and socioeconomic factors. 1 Soliman Y.S. Rzepecki A.K. Guzman A.K. et al. Understanding perceived barriers of minority medical students pursuing a career in dermatology. JAMA Dermatol. 2019; 155: 252-254https://doi.org/10.1001/JAMADERMATOL.2018.4813 Crossref PubMed Scopus (0) Google Scholar Though visiting electives can provide valuable connections for potential mentorship and interview offers, they can be cost prohibitive. Visiting scholarships reserved for URiM students can attenuate these effects and potentially increase diversity in dermatology. This study characterizes funded dermatology visiting electives for URiM students.