Medical Students
Preclinical instruction focuses on basic dermatology with particular emphasis on the morphology of skin lesions. It also provides an introduction to the more commonly occurring dermatological disorders.
Directed reading and research opportunities are available under the direction of individual faculty members.
Clinical instruction consists of basic and advanced dermatology clinical electives. The basic clinical elective includes rotations through Stanford adult and pediatric clinics, and the Palo Alto VA Hospital. The advanced clinical elective is divided between Stanford, the Palo Alto VA clinics, and Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. Both clerkships include didactic teaching sessions as well as dermatology grand rounds. Students are expected to describe and recognize morphology, to perform a thorough skin examination, and to perform basic diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. In the advanced clinical elective, students work more closely with faculty and participate in dermatopathology sessions, inpatient consultations and a variety of outpatient clinics.
Clerkship Directors
Joanna Badger
Jennifer Chen
Matt Lewis
Joyce Teng
For any questions regarding clerkships or medical student opportunities, please reach out to our medical student clerkship coordinator, Madison Siemers (msiemers@stanford.edu) or Alesha Norton(aleshan@stanford.edu) for pediatric dermatology.
Clerkships
A dermatology advanced clerkship designed for medical students interested in pursuing dermatology residency training. It consists of a 4-week clerkship based at the Stanford Medicine Outpatient Clinic in Redwood City, Stanford Hospital and Clinics in Palo Alto, and the Palo Alto VA. Students work closely with faculty to obtain strong clinical skills in the diagnosis and management of common skin disorders. Students are part of the Stanford and VA dermatology teams, participating in dermatopathology sessions, inpatient consultations, cutaneous oncology, surgery, and general adult dermatology clinics. Students are expected to attend Tuesday morning didactic teaching sessions as well as Dermatology Grand Rounds every Thursday morning. Students will be expected to give a case-based presentation at Grand Rounds during the rotation. DERM 310B.
Stanford medical students: If you are interested in enrolling in Dermatology 310B, please apply by contacting Education Program Coordinator, Madison Siemers, msiemers@stanford.edu.
Potential Visiting Students: If you are interested in enrolling in Dermatology 310B, please apply by completing the online application listed below. You will be required to upload a copy of your CV, USMLE scores, and clerkship grades. Please contact Madison Siemers, at msiemers@stanford.edu if you have any questions.
Visiting student DERM 310B applications open on February 1, 2025, and are due by Friday, March 28th, at 12:00 AM PDT.
Note that this clerkship employs a deadline that differs from that of the Stanford Clerkship Office and the SCORE Application. Please do not submit applications directly to the Clerkship Office unless instructed to do so by the course directors if they accept your application. And please also note you will need to submit a separate application for SCORE if you want to be considered for their program (more on SCORE below).
Generally, we are only able to take outside rotators for periods 4 and 5. If you are interested in the other periods, please note this in your DERM 310B application. Unfortunately, there are no exceptions to the March 28th, 12 AM PDT application deadline.
All requirements for the application are below:
- CV
- Clerkship Grades (file uploads can be unofficial and/or official transcripts)
- USMLE Scores (optional - please provide all current scores you have available)
- Rank your 1st choice of period rotation in which you would like to come to Stanford. (Note: Stanford rotators will be given preference for periods two and three. We are unable to take students in period one.)
Short Answer Response
Please describe in one short paragraph why you have chosen the field of dermatology as a career, and what makes you interested in rotating at Stanford?
SCORE program
This clerkship participates in the SCORE program. The Stanford Clinical Opportunity for Residency Experience (SCORE). Students from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply. For more information on SCORE please visit: https://med.stanford.edu/visiting-clerkships/score-program.html.
Medical Students Working with Faculty
Below are various means in which a student might work with a Stanford Derm Faculty member outside of the offered clinical rotations above described. Please visit the links for in depth detail such as requirements, length of onboarding and/or costs, as well as the administrative contact for each if you have questions.
Med Scholars Research Programs
http://med.stanford.edu/medscholars/application.html
Students who are committed to an area of research can search for faculty who is doing research in their area of interest. The Stanford Medical Scholars Research Programs provide opportunities for students to carry out independent research in any area of the medical disciplines. The programs are designed to foster an appreciation and proficiency for the investigative/scholarly process, including study design, hands-on collection of data, interpretation of results, and presentation of work accomplished in oral and written form.
Stanford Clinical Opportunity for Residency Experience (SCORE) Program
Please click the link above to learn more about the SCORE program, and it's application criteria and requirements.
https://med.stanford.edu/clerkships/score-program.html
Visiting Student Researchers
https://registrar.stanford.edu/staff/visiting-student-researchers
In limited instances, it is to the benefit of Stanford faculty to permit persons who have not yet obtained a Ph.D. (or its foreign equivalent), or who are not recognized experts in their fields, to engage in research on the Stanford campus using Stanford research facilities. Such instances might include students at other universities who are engaged in graduate-level research in a field of interest to the faculty member, or a person doing a laboratory rotation as part of a larger research study or grant. Invitations are valid for one calendar year. The status may be extended once for an additional calendar year. Extensions beyond the initial approval date require submission of an updated letter of invitation with new dates to Graduate Admissions, Office of the University Registrar and to the visiting student researcher.
Shadowing for Stanford Students
Stanford Medical Students interested in clinical dermatology should do the following in the order below before asking a faculty member if they can shadow:
- Volunteer in free clinic – contact the Dermatology Interest group (DIG): https://med.stanford.edu/smsa/student-life/student-orgs/interest-groups.html
- Complete Clerkship 300A – Introduction to Dermatology http://medcatalog.stanford.edu/php/clerk.php?-recid=203
Continuity Clinic Program for Stanford Students
https://med.stanford.edu/shield/Programs/clerkship.html
The Continuity of Care Clerkship (CCC) is designed to give third and fourth year medical students exposure to the longitudinal aspects of medicine and health care in the specialty of their choice. This clerkship is distinct from traditional clerkships, which focus on acute problems and treatment in an inpatient setting. This clerkship offers chronic care training, emphasizing skills of prevention, long-term health management, and follow-up in the context of social factors and the patient’s life history. In addition to medical knowledge, students have an opportunity to learn about the challenges and rewards of primary and specialty care including long-term relationships with patients and colleagues, economic challenges of inpatient and ambulatory medicine, and time management. Students will be better prepared to make career decisions and to be better clinicians in whatever specialty they choose.
Un-official Continuity Clinic Program for Stanford Students
After completing Derm 300A, if a student would like to join a Dermatology faculty for CC, outside of the Continuity Clinic Program, the student should have a reference or introduction from another faculty member, or may have had an introduction to the faculty member by attending Grand Rounds or during clerkship, so the student can personally reach out to the faculty to discuss if this is an option.
International Visiting Student Program
https://med.stanford.edu/clerkships/international.html
The IVS Program is one of many programs with a goal of adding value to elective clerkships by exposing students to an international perspective on medicine.
Clinical Visiting Observer (Non-Stanford)
Community Physician and Non-Stanford Medical Students
SHC Policies permit approved individuals to observe patient care and administrative functions of SHC formal training programs and requires that Visiting Observer…
- Must be accompanied and supervised by organizational staff at all times
- Are not permitted to participate in patient care activities
- Must follow visiting observer policies and complete all required forms, and
- Must obtain a hospital badge from security
- Have proof of current Immunizations and flu shot
Please note that Visiting Observers:
- Are not allowed to participate in any patient care activities
- They must be accompanied and supervised by a hospital or SOM employee and/or a physician with current Staff privileges at all times
- Must be at least 18-year-old or in hospital approved structured program
- VO Forms must be submitted to the Compliance Dept for approval
Common examples of Visiting Observer Interactions include:
- Visiting professor and/or medical personnel who are not involved in hospital research or volunteer activities
- Individuals who are interested in medical or residency/fellowship program at the hospitals; and
- Individuals observing clinical or administrative operations who are not enrolled in an official program
Research Opportunities
Please contact Kathrina Laidlaw (kathrina@stanford.edu) if you are interested in researching with any Dermatology faculty.