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Pros and Cons of Dermatology

#Dermatology #career #job #family
#careers #career-options #career-choice #career-paths #jobs

careers career-paths career-options family dermatology
Thank you comment icon Pros: Emotionally and physically charged environment Requires compassion and knowledge of illness Innovative and ever-changing treatment Flexibility of practice offers balance and career in personal life Opportunity to know your patients on personal level Salary between $200,000-$500,000 per year Cons: Length of study ranging from 10-15 years, post high school Cost of undergraduate and medical school degree ranging from $225,000 to $525,000 Competitive nature of Dermatological studies Grueling work schedule through medical school and residency Alins
Thank you comment icon Make sure you actually feel interested in dermatology; you do not want to go to medical school to study something you are not interested in! However, a big pro would be the ability to set reasonable hours and balance your profession with your personal life. Medical school requires several years and lots of loans, so it is vital that you are genuinely interested in science and medicine and find a specialty that interests you as well, whether you have a clinical practice or choose research or both! Find a dermatologist whom you can talk to about their journey! Chances are they love what they do. Rebecca Reynolds
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Sheila’s Answer

Hi Maria:

Dermatologists see a variety of patients, from young children to the elderly. They conduct skin evaluations in order to determine how best to treat and prevent conditions such as dandruff, acne and skin cancer.

PROS
• Above average job outlook (expected 18% job growth for physicians and surgeons from 2012-2022)
• High salary ($313,000 median annual salary)
• Satisfaction of improving patients' health and/or appearance
• General and sub-specialty certification available

CONS
• High cost of medical school (at state medical schools, approximately $25,000 a year in tuition and fees for residents and $48,000 for non-residents as of 2010-2011)
• Requires at least 8 years of post-secondary education
• May work long, irregular hours
• Demand for services may be tied to healthcare reimbursement policies

SALARY INFO
Salary.com reported that the median annual salary for all dermatologists was $313,000 as of August 2015. However, figures from PayScale.com showed that pay typically was dependent on years of experience in the field. For example, a dermatologist with 0-5 years of experience earned $194,000 as of December 2014 while, based on the same PayScale.com figures, a dermatologist with 20+ years of experience earned $268,000 or more.

Best of luck to you!

~ Sheila

Sheila recommends the following next steps:

Becoming a Dermatologist • (https://learningpath.org/articles/Dermatologist_Career_Overview.html)
Salary.com • (https://www.salary.com/)
PayScale.com • (https://www.salary.com/)
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Marci’s Answer

Check out the website onetonline.org. It has a lot of information about what it is like to have different careers, and will likely best answer your questions about being a dermatologist, such as salary, work hours and conditions, pros and cons, and education required. Best wishes to you!
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