How To Become a Dermatologist
Summary. We reviewed real candidate profiles to learn the best path to become a dermatologist. We'll guide you through the education, experiences, and skills hiring managers look for in a dermatologist.
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Most companies require a dermatologist to have a bachelor's degree degree in a related field, such as business or medical assisting services.
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It's important to have relevant work experience, with typical job requirements ranging from 2-4 years in related fields.
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Common job titles before becoming a dermatologist include medical assistant, licensed practical nurse, and receptionist.
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Hiring managers expect a dermatologist to have soft skills such as communication skills, dexterity, and physical stamina.
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Once you have all the required skills and experience, it doesn't take any job training to become a dermatologist.
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Getting a certification as a Medical Assistant will help you to earn more as a dermatologist.
We found that 33.1% of dermatologists have graduated with a bachelor's degree and 4.6% of people in this position have earned their master's degrees. While some dermatologists have a college degree, you may find it's also true that generally it's possible to be successful in this career with only a high school degree. In fact, our research shows that one out of every five dermatologists were not college graduates.
Those dermatologists who do attend college, typically earn either business degrees or medical assisting services degrees. Less commonly earned degrees for dermatologists include medicine degrees or nursing degrees.
How to become a Dermatologist in 4 steps:
- Step 1: Explore dermatologist education
- Step 2: Develop dermatologist skills
- Step 3: Research dermatologist duties
- Step 4: Prepare your resume
Key Steps To Become a Dermatologist
Explore Dermatologist Education
If you're interested in becoming a dermatologist, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 33.1% of dermatologists have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 4.6% of dermatologists have master's degrees. Even though some dermatologists have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.
Choosing the right major is always an important step when researching how to become a dermatologist. When we researched the most common majors for a dermatologist, we found that they most commonly have business, medical assisting services and medicine.
Dermatologist Major Percentages Business 13.40% Medical Assisting Services 13.40% Medicine 13.40% Nursing 11.20% Other Degrees 48.50% Develop Dermatologist Skills
It'll be a good idea to develop dermatologist skills before applying for a job. Here are some skills commonly requested in dermatologist job descriptions:
Skills Percentages Patients 34.19% Mohs 26.04% Patient Care 13.17% EMR 9.42% Private Practice 2.37% Research Dermatologist Duties
When you decide to become a dermatologist, It's important to know what duties and responsibilities are required for this position. Some common responsibilities are a part of most dermatologist jobs. Here is a list of the main duties that define the role:
- Manage all incoming medical records requests (ensuring office is within HIPPA guidelines).
- Enter patient information into EMR.
- Maintain OSHA logs on all equipment.
- suture removal, assist in MOHS surgery.
- Scrub multiple hospital procedures (facelifts, liposuction, augmentations, facial reconstructive surgery, breast reconstructive surgery . )
- Keep medical histories and interview patients to procure or verify information.
Prepare Your Resume
Finally, when you already have checked the skills and responsibilities for this role, you can start creating your resume. Everything that goes into creating a perfect resume can take hours, days, or even weeks. No worries, we created a resume builder to make this process as easy as possible with tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and a summary.
Choose From 10+ Customizable Dermatologist Resume templates
Build a professional Dermatologist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Dermatologist resume.Apply For a Dermatologist Job
Dermatologist Jobs
Becoming a Dermatologist FAQs
What Is The Career Path For A Dermatologist?
The career path for a dermatologist begins with the completion of a four-year medical degree followed by a three-year residency program in dermatology. However, the educational requirements are just the beginning of a dermatologist's career.
Dermatologists will often begin their careers working under more qualified, experienced dermatologists in clinics. They will generally take on the simpler clients to start with and move up from there. Many dermatologists may choose to pursue professional organizations as a means of networking and continued education.
As you grow as a dermatologist, you will often find yourself in a position to begin your own practice and not work under a more experienced dermatologist. Not only will this provide you with more freedom and decision-making opportunities, but your pay will increase as well.