How to Become a Dermatologist

About Dermatologist

Dermatologists are doctors who treat skin diseases and other skin related disorders. Their job responsibility includes examining the patients, carrying out grafts, smears of the affected skin and perform laser treatments on the affected areas. Apart from the skin, a dermatologist is also concerned with treating hair, scalp and nail diseases. One of the most amazing facts about dermatologists is that they can treat over 3,000 skin diseases. Also, Dermatology patients can be of any age, from babies to people who are more than 100 years old.  The practice of dermatology requires a great depth of clinical knowledge. Dermatologists need to know the numerous internal conditions that can cause skin symptoms.

Dermatologists can decide to work in private practice or public hospitals. They can also provide training for general medical practitioners, teach at a university or run clinical trials in a research lab. 

Eligibility to become Dermatologist

If you aspire to be a dermatologist, you will have to get an MBBS degree. Post that, an MS degree in dermatology. To further get any specialization, one needs M.ch degree from any institute approved by the Medical Council of India. It can be pursued in any subject such as plastic surgery, cardiothoracic, urology etc.

Subject Combination - PCB i.e. Physics, Chemistry and Biology/ Biotechnology

Eligibility -

• Candidates must have passed class 12th or equivalent examination with a minimum of 50% aggregate of reserved category and 40% for the reserved category from a recognised board.
• Must have a valid NEET UG score.
• Candidates should be at least of 17 years of age to appear in the NEET UG exam and the upper age limit for the same is 25 years.

Types of Job Roles Dermatologist

After completing the required academic qualification in the field of dermatology, there are an ample number of dermatologist job profiles. Some of the popular dermatologist job profiles are given below:

Dermatopathologists:  A dermatopathologist studies the skin pathology, analyses skin disorders and are qualified both in pathology and dermatology. They collaborate with primary care to examine the different skin diseases and to develop a diagnosis for the same.

Immune Dermatologists: Immunodermatologist's job role is to diagnose and treat skin disorders characterised by the defective responses of the body’s immune system.

Tele Dermatologists: These doctors make use of e-health applications and telemedicine to cure the diseases. In this field, doctors use different telecommunication technologies to transfer medical information.

Pediatric Dermatologists: Their job responsibility is to treat children with skin diseases such as eczema, psoriasis, acne, vitiligo etc. Pediatric dermatologists may choose to work in small practices which allow them a large degree of independence when deciding hours and patient load.

Cosmetic Surgeon: They are specialized surgeons who improve or correct the appearance of the physical features of the face or body. They perform surgeries such as Liposuction, Rhinoplasty, Rhytidectomy. They are also required to work with accidental burn victims to help them reconstruct the damaged body areas.

Employment Opportunities for Dermatologists

Dermatologists can find a wide variety of employment opportunities as it is regarded as one of the most employable job profiles in the medical field. Listed below are the top sectors and industries that hire dermatologists:

• Government Hospitals
• Hair Clinics
• Private Hospitals
• Armed Forces Medical Services
• Railways Medical Facilities
• Private practice
• Specialist Hospitals
• Nursing Homes
• Cosmetic Surgery Clinics

Top Recruiting Companies for Dermatologists

Some of the leading super speciality hospitals that hire Dermatologists are as follows:

• Indian Armed Forces Medical Services
• Max Hospital
• Fortis
• Artemis
• Kay Clinic
• Apollo Hospitals

Pay Scale/Salary of Dermatologist

The salary of an entry-level dermatologist is around 10,00,000 per year. A mid-career dermatologist with 5-10 years of work experience can withdraw a salary of Rs.15,00,000 whereas an experienced dermatologist can expect approx. Rs. 25,00,000 A dermatologist with more than 20 years of experience can earn roughly Rs.33, 00,000.

Books & Study Material to Become Dermatologist

Books are a powerful resource for learning how to improve yourself both professionally and personally. They can help you clinically and assist you in developing valuable new skills. The following books are a series of recommendations from dermatologists and those who work in the dermatology field:

• Hurwitz Clinical Pediatric Dermatology: A Textbook of Skin Disorders of Childhood and Adolescence 5th Edition

• Clinical Dermatology: A Color Guide to Diagnosis and Therapy 6th Edition

• Atlas of Clinical Dermatology (du Vivier, Atlas of Clinical Dermatology) 4th Edition

• Fitzpatrick's Color Atlas and Synopsis of Clinical Dermatology, Seventh Edition

• Andrews' Diseases of the Skin: Clinical Dermatology 12th Edition

Pros of becoming a Dermatologist

• Dermatologists are one of the highest paid doctors across the world.
• They work to treat a variety of medical conditions related to skin and hair, which gives them a wide array of cases. They help resolve different conditions and diseases which keep their work interesting.
• Apart from the salary, dermatologists get an opportunity to make extra income. Skin care products account for a massive sector of pharmaceuticals and dermatology clinics routinely sell them.

Cons of becoming a Dermatologist

• The career of a dermatologist involves years of studies to get a specialized degree.
• The fees of the medical school are high and, in case, you are planning to set up your own clinic you will require a huge amount of capital.
• One of the biggest cons of a career as a dermatologist is the competitive nature of studies.
• The working schedule of dermatologists is very tight and they hardly get quality time to spend with their families and friends.