I realize that I'm jumping the gun AND being a pretty big gunner here but...
Current M1 at a mid-tier private allo. No home derm program, the other allo (top tier) in state also does not have a derm program (yet). My home state has no derm program as well
Went to undergrad at my current med school and did molecular mechanisms of SCC research for 3 years, and jumped right back into it M1 year. 2nd author on a poster presentation, 3rd or 4th author on a PhD dissertation that has yet to be published (I think), and currently helping a PhD candidate with his research. (all under Department of Biomedical Sciences)
I realize that my skin cancer-specific research gives me a massive leg up on other potential derms. Derm is something that I'm genuinely extremely interested in given the time I've put into it. Of all of biology, I find cellular and molecular biology to be the most interesting as well, and I have a true passion for treating cancer (insert spiel about how it's cruel and unfair and yet scientifically fascinating). Thus, dermatology is literally where ALL of my interests merge.
Anyways, what can I do to further improve myself to make me a very attractive (and not just physically
) candidate in a few short years? I pretty much don't care for any other field at the moment, nor do I care for any ECs that I constantly get bombarded with in my email inbox, aside from Habitat from Humanity and anything food-related (former professional chef).
One of my classmate's father is a dermatologist and he already knows me from my cooking career (it's fate/destiny, seriously). I definitely would like to get that connection going for me. What else can I do? Start contacting and shadowing/rubbing elbows with dermatologists affiliated with the two medical schools in my state (happen to be in my city) even though there is no proper department/program?
Thanks all, hope I'm not being that annoying gunner M1 (I know I am)