Students may apply towards the end of their 3rd year or in their 4th year of medical school for a clinical elective in dermatology where the focus is placed on intensive exposure to a large number of patients in different clinical settings. Students will spend time exclusively at the Johns Hopkins facilities (Outpatient Center, Greenspring Station, Harriet Lane Pediatrics Center and Johns Hopkins Hospital Dermatology consult service). Our clinical services at these locations provide an excellent opportunity for students to interact with different types of patients and to be exposed to a wide range of skin problems.

Parallel to the clinical activities, there are didactic sessions on Fridays (1-5 pm) and occasionally on other weekday mornings. Formal lectures on basic dermatology topics are given by dermatology residents and faculty members. No formal exam is given.  Grading is based on the evaluations submitted by residents and faculty members and a short oral presentation.

Students who have already taken the Clinical Clerkship in Dermatology at Johns Hopkins and who are interested in a specific area of dermatology or in dermatology research may benefit from this elective. This elective gives the student the opportunity for more “in depth” participation in specific areas of interest within the department of dermatology under guidance of a faculty mentor. Arrangements have to be made between the interested student and the faculty member who will be mentoring him/her.

The main objective is active participation in a small clinical research project, or clinical and scholarly work with a faculty member with a certain specialty focus. The faculty mentor will provide the specific schedule. Students are encouraged to participate in all didactic activities including Grand Rounds and faculty lectures during the time spent in the department.

This course is available to visiting medical students; although preferred, they do not need to follow JHUSOM quarter dates.

Students may apply for an elective in dermatopathology if they have completed the prerequisites. Students will attend daily sign-out where they will be exposed to a large volume of cases. Additional exposure will come through the use of study sets which are available to the students. The students will attend the Dermatology weekly Grand Rounds where they may see patients and participate in the discussion and presentation of the pathology for those patients. Additionally, the students will attend a formal dermatopathology teaching session once per week.

The Department of Dermatology considers research a core component of education. Below is a selection of research opportunities within the department along with the associated faculty.