Key Takeaways:
- Dermatologists diagnose and treat problems with a person’s skin, hair and nails.
- Dermatology ranks as the third-most competitive specialty behind plastic and orthopedic surgery.
- It takes at least 12 years to become a dermatologist.
One in four aspiring skin doctors get rejected from a dermatology program – making it highly competitive.
But what is a dermatologist? And what do they do that renders the field such a sought-after path?
What Is a Dermatologist?
Dermatologists diagnose and treat problems with a person’s skin, hair, and nails.
They hold a medical degree and undergo more than a decade of schooling before practicing.
The conditions dermatologists encounter rarely pose a risk to someone’s life but can affect their overall well-being.
For example, a person with acne may develop anxiety or depression over how they look.
Because of this, the role also involves addressing the emotional and psychological impact on those experiencing the disorders.
What Does a Dermatologist Do?
As the body’s largest (and heaviest) organ, the skin performs many important functions – and keeps dermatologists busy when a condition forms.
What your workday entails depends on patients’ needs. That could include:
- Conducting a routine evaluation
- Removing a suspicious mole for biopsy
- Educating on sun protection and skincare routines
- Prescribing a topical steroid to relieve symptoms
- Performing a chemical peel to reduce skin imperfections
You most often work in a private practice setting, either individually or as part of a group.
What Conditions Do Dermatologists Treat?
Dermatologists know how to identify and manage more than 3,000 conditions that affect a person’s skin, hair, and nails, such as:
- Alopecia
- Psoriasis
- Rashes and hives
- Melanoma
- Fungal infections
- Rosacea
- Eczema
They also help with more cosmetic concerns, including:
- Wrinkles
- Scars
- Age spots
What Schooling Do Dermatologists Need?
It takes 12 years to become a dermatologist.
That timeline encompasses:
- Four years of undergraduate education
- Four years for medical school
- One year of an internship
- Three years for residency
You may require more time in school if you decide to pursue a fellowship, or if you don’t immediately match into a residency program.
According to the 2026 Main Residency Match report, 26.3 percent of students earning a doctor of medicine, who ranked dermatology as their only choice for residency, did not match into a program – making it the third-most competitive specialty behind plastic and orthopedic surgery.
Dermatology Specialties
Once you finish residency, you may decide to complete a fellowship, which provides one to two years of additional training in the following dermatology subspecialties.
Dermatopathology
Dermatopathologists examine skin, hair, and nail biopsies on a microscopic level to establish a definitive diagnosis.
They take a dermatologist’s initial prognosis and confirm (or reject) it by reviewing the cellular mechanisms of a sample.
Micrographic Dermatologic Surgery
Micrographic dermatologic, or Mohs, surgery, involves removing thin layers of cancerous skin tissue, examining the samples, and repeating the process until no cancer remains.
Dermatologists who specialize in Mohs also reconstruct the treated area.
Pediatric Dermatology
Pediatric dermatologists treat skin, hair, and nail disorders in children.
Pros and Cons of Becoming a Dermatologist
Dermatologists typically work a predictable schedule – no 24-hour shifts or on-call responsibilities, which appeals to many medical students deciding on their dream job.
Other benefits of pursuing the profession include:
- High salary: Dermatologists on average take home nearly $300,000 annually.
- Low-stress environment: You will rarely deal with a life-threatening emergency allowing you to prevent burnout and develop a healthy work-life balance.
- Growing demand: Each year in the United States more people develop skin cancer than any other form of it. Combined with a booming need for cosmetic treatments your expertise will remain valuable.
Working in dermatology comes with its downsides too such as:
- Years of schooling: More than a decade in school will cost you a lot of money. The Education Data Initiative estimates that the class of 2030 will spend around $420
000 to obtain their bachelor’s and medical degrees.
To lower the cost of your undergraduate education, you can finish your prerequisites through accredited online institutions.
Portage Learning, for example, offers many of the courses required for medical school at a fraction of the cost, and you can complete them on your schedule from anywhere with an Internet connection. - Repetitive work: Parts of the job could feel routine as you will likely encounter many of the same conditions, including acne, eczema, and psoriasis. However, each patient’s symptoms, medical history, and treatment goals differ, requiring your careful evaluation and personalized care.
Dermatologist Salary
According to Indeed data, dermatologists earn an average of $299,968 per year.
On the higher end of the salary range, they make more than $500,000.
How much you earn will depend on a variety of factors, including your:
- Location
- Education and credentials
- Practice setting
- Patient volume and services offered
Should You Become a Dermatologist? (Conclusion)
The toughest parts of life often bring the greatest rewards.
Being rejected from a job or program teaches persistence.
Balancing work and personal responsibilities builds discipline.
Pursuing a medical specialty that rejects 25 percent of applicants encourages adaptability.
These outcomes show that difficult doesn’t mean impossible, and while the path to becoming a dermatologist requires dedication, the opportunity to positively impact others and find personal satisfaction makes the journey worthwhile.
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