Dermatology's Resident Match: It's Time for Change

As we are in the midst of another summer and begin to prepare this year's dermatology resident match list, I again must raise that frequently asked question of why the Dermatology Matching Program (DMP) conducts the dermatology match in October each year and is not coordinated with the National Resident Matching Program in March. Last fall, when Dr Antoinette Hood raised this question,¹ it generated a reply from the officers of the Dermatology Professors Association,² who stated that the primary reason for the existing DMP timetable was to provide a greater period of time for potential applicants with limited exposure to clinical dermatology to develop an interest in our field and make an informed career choice. The underlying rationale for this mechanism is that it provides dermatology with a larger, better qualified and more informed pool of resident applicants that will maintain the vitality of our speciality. Although,