Post Graduate Dermatology Fellowships

Post-graduate trained dermatology nurse practitioner programs are becoming more frequently seen in advanced nursing practice. Post-graduate training is not required to practice or become licensed as a dermatology nurse practitioner but is an opportunity to gain high-quality, evidence-based dermatology knowledge and clinical practice. Fellowship programs in dermatology for nurse practitioners are a common opportunity to gain high-quality post-graduate training. A fellowship program typically accepts a small number of nurse practitioners or physician assistants or both on a yearly or biannual basis. Fellowship programs provide intense training in dermatology nurse practitioner scope of practice, standards of practice, and evidence-based dermatology approaches to diagnosis and treatment. The fellowship program consists of didactic and precepted clinical experiences in a general dermatology clinic setting. Specialty opportunities are often also included in the curriculum such as pediatric dermatology, women’s health dermatology, dermatology surgery, cutaneous lymphoma, hair loss, advanced melanoma treatment, cosmetic dermatology, and often more.

The following is a list of fellowship programs known to date. *SDNP Endorsed Program

Advanced Practice Provider Dermatology Fellowship Programs 

*Regis University
  • One of the few post-graduate programs in the country specifically created to meet the requirements for national certification as a Dermatology Nurse Practitioner through the Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification (ABSNC)
  • Over the course of the fellowship, students complete 630 of the required 3,000 clinical hours needed for certification
  • Instructed by faculty who have been recognized as experts in the field of dermatology
  • Location: Denver, Colorado
  • Rolling applications
  • https://www.regis.edu/academics/majors-and-programs/certificate/dermatology-nurse-practitioner-fellowship
Penn State Health Milton Hershey Medical Center
  • The Advanced Practice Clinician fellowship including nurse practitioners and physician assistant students
  • Fellows are hired as full-time employees with benefits and continuing medication allowance
  • Applications generally open in November
  • Location sites: Hershey, Pa, Camp Hill, Pa, Harrisburg, Pa
  • Program:
    • includes didactic and direct patient care clinical curriculum
    • focus is on medical dermatology
    • Length of program: 1 year
    • Includes shadowing opportunities in Mohs surgery and other subspecialities
    • Attending physicians within the department provide formal oversight and guidance throughout each patient care visit
  • Contact information:
  • https://residency.med.psu.edu/programs/apc-dermatology-fellowship/

Lahey Hospital and Medical Center
  • This is a nurse practitioner fellowship
  • Fellows are hired as full-time employees with benefits
  • Applications generally open January 1st of even-numbered years (2020, 2022, 2024, etc.).
  • Location: Burlington (main campus), Lexington, Lynnfield and Peabody, Massachusetts.
  • Program:
    • includes didactic and direct patient care clinical curriculum
    • Length of program:  two-year training program that begins in September of even-numbered years (2022, 2024, etc.)
    • Focus is on medical dermatology, includes shadowing opportunities in subspecialties including Mohs surgery, pediatrics, women’s health, cosmetics, and others
    • All department physicians and nurse practitioners participate as preceptors in the program.
  • Contact:
  • https://www.lahey.org/lhmc/research-residencies/fellowships/dermatology-nurse-practitioner-fellowship/

University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
  • This is a nurse practitioner fellowship
  • Fellows are hired as full-time employees with benefits
  • Candidates considered for the program are those with career goals to practice in a rigorous academic setting as part of the dermatology care team at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center.
  • Applications: currently not accepting applicants
  • Location: Cleveland, Ohio
  • Program:
    • Includes didactic conferences, simulation labs, clinical case reviews, journal reviews, In-clinic mentoring, quality improvement initiatives, scholarly research, publications
    • Length of program Two years post-master’s fellowship
    • Focus is on medical dermatology but opportunity to rotate in procedural dermatology
  • Contact:
    • Margaret Bobonich, DNP, FNP-C, DCNP, FAANP
  • https://www.uhhospitals.org/services/dermatology-services/for-clinicians/clinical-education/dermatology-nurse-practitioners-post-masters-training-program 

Medical College of Wisconsin
 
University of Rochester Medical Center NP Fellowship Program in Dermatology

  • This is an intensive clinical and academic program that prepares NPs to practice general medical dermatology among culturally diverse and clinically complex patient populations.

  • Length: 24 months
  • Application deadlines and requirements: Rolling, please check our webpage for more information.
  • FNP certification is required.
  • The program fulfills the 3000-hour requirement to be eligible to sit for the DCNP exam.
  • After completion, graduates are sponsored to take the DCNP exam.
  • Our past graduates have a DCNP exam pass rate of 100%!
  • The most up-to-date information about this program can be found at: https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/dermatology/np-post-graduate-training-program.aspx

UC Davis
  • For new graduate advanced practice clinicians including nurse practitioners and physician assistants
  • Applications: open September 1st the year before
  • Location: Sacramento, California
  • This is a paid position, no benefits
  • Program:
    • Includes didactic lectures, clinical care, dermatopathology sessions, surgical skills, and Grand Rounds
    • Length of program: 1 year
    • Sees patients with board-certified dermatologists who will direct the fellow in the care of dermatology patients
  • Contact information: [email protected]
  • Website: https://health.ucdavis.edu/nurse/advancedpractice/ap_fellowship_overview.html

  

Post Graduate Certificate Program

Another avenue for furthering education in the field of dermatology is a post master’s training course, in which the end result is a certificate of completion. A post master’s training course enables nurses with a master's degree in nursing to pursue certification in an additional specialty area or seek a program of study that may lead to a change in role.  The program is designed to strengthen or broaden the clinical, or management capabilities of master’s-prepared nurses who are planning a role expansion or role change. At this time, the SDNP is aware of the following accredited post master’s training course.

Florida Atlantic University
  • A program for master and doctorate prepared nurse practitioners to develop entry level core competencies in dermatology
  • Location: Boca Raton, Florida but courses are online
  • Cost of courses range from $4000-$6000 per semester, and which includes CEUs
  • Program:
    • Length: 1 year (3 semesters) and starts in January
    • Includes didactic work (140 hours) and clinical work (480 hours)
    • Focuses on general dermatology to care for patients across the life span.
    • Taught by Certified Dermatology Nurse Practitioners and Board-Certified Dermatologists
    • Includes: online coursework, on-campus clinical intensive, “hands-on” skills workshops, clinical residency hours with approved preceptors
      • Students will be responsible for identifying and securing qualified clinical sites and preceptors.
  • Contact: Joseph Lotito at [email protected]
  • https://nursing.fau.edu/admissions/certificates/dermatology_program.php

 

Fellowship Testimonials:

“Attending a fellowship helped me start on the path to achieve my career goals by giving me the gold-standard knowledge base available to dermatology nurse practitioners. I decided to do a dermatology fellowship program because I wanted to help patients with skin disease, and I felt confident that the hands-on and didactic components of a fellowship would give me the foundation to do that. I loved many things about the fellowship program, but my favorite feature was the interprofessional learning environment and experience. Every day in the clinic we were made a part of the dermatology team and worked alongside attending and resident physicians, nurses, and other staff. My advice to NPs applying to fellowship programs is to prepare well. If possible, do an elective rotation in dermatology in NP school to get exposure to a dermatology clinic. Before your interview, it is very important to think deeply and critically about why you want to go into dermatology before the interview. The beginning of dermatology fellowship presents a steep learning curve, and it is important to be able to articulate why you want to go into dermatology. Make sure that your resume is polished, easy to read and also, write a cover letter! Fellowship programs are highly competitive and applications with a cover letter help us to get to know you better on paper and help your application stand out. Lastly, I recommend for students to join professional dermatology nursing organizations to learn more about dermatology opportunities and to network.”

 “While in nurse practitioner school I learned that I loved the field of dermatology but did not get as much exposure to caring for patients with dermatological concerns. I am really glad I completed a nurse practitioner fellowship in dermatology because it helped me to gain the knowledge to provide excellent care to patients with dermatological concerns. It also provided me with a great network and resources to make sure my patients are receiving the best dermatological care possible.”