Dermatology residency
A message from the Dermatology Program Director
The goal of the Marshfield Clinic Dermatology Residency is to provide trainees with the education and practical experience that will enable them to deliver superior specialized care to patients with diseases of the skin, hair, nails and mucous membranes. This experience will be varied, broad, progressive and systematic. The four-year program, newly designated as a categorical dermatology program in 2024, will include a transitional-year style internship that is incorporated into our ACGME-accredited Internal Medicine, Combined Medicine-Pediatrics, Pediatrics and General Surgery residency training programs at Marshfield Clinic Medical Center. After successful completion of the initial internship year, your dermatology training will include instruction in all clinical areas that bear upon the specialty of dermatology, dermatological surgery, dermatopathology, the pertinent basic sciences, and training in research and teaching.
Residents will be provided:
- Suitable institutional environment
- Cooperative and supportive administrative authority
- Stable financial base
- Enthusiastic, competent, and available staff
- Adequate patient population
- Modern, efficient equipment and space
- Satisfactory liaison with other disciplines that relate to dermatology
We design our curriculum to accommodate a variety of learning styles, including a blend of traditional lectures, discussion groups, independent readings, quizzes, resident-driven didactics, Socratic methodology, problem-based learning, interdisciplinary and team-based learning, literature reviews, and excellent clinical teaching with direct supervision and progressive autonomy.
It is the philosophy of the dermatology department that good dermatologists require strong clinical mentorship, fostered foundations in critical thinking, a happy work environment, and experiences with a broad variety of patient diseases.
For 60 years the Marshfield Clinic has actively participated in the year-round training of dermatology residents. Established in 1963 by Marshfield Clinic's first dermatologist, Dr. Stephan Epstein, the Dermatology Residency is the oldest of Marshfield Clinic - Marshfield Medical Center (previously Ministry Saint Joseph's Hospital) residency programs. We provide general medical dermatology clinics, pediatric dermatology clinics, Mohs surgery clinics, hospital inpatient consultation services, dermatopathology service rotations, and a strong resident continuity clinic experience.
The Marshfield Clinic Health System dermatology residency is a categorical dermatology program, meaning that you will complete all four years of training within the Marshfield Clinic Health System. Your internship experience will include core rotations such as internal medicine wards, emergency medicine, and pediatrics wards but there will also be four months of selectives/electives that you will rank including allergy/immunology, rheumatology, and plastic surgery, just to name a few. After completion of your rotating internship year, you will then continue to the three-year dedicated dermatology residency. Our total complement of residents will be eight residents.
If you have further questions about our program, please contact us.
Erik J Stratman MD
Program Director
Dermatology Residency Program
Marshfield Medical Center
1000 North Oak Avenue
Marshfield, WI 54449
(800) 541-2895 or (715) 389-4151
E-mail: stratman.erik@mfldclin.edu
Aimie Eckelberg
Program Coordinator
Dermatology Residency Program
Marshfield Medical Center
1000 North Oak Avenue
Marshfield, WI 54449
Phone: (800) 541-2895 or (715) 389-4151
E-mail: eckelberg.aimie@marshfieldclinic.org
Download the residents and fellows resource guide
Program Information
Application criteria
We are accepting applications for the Dermatology Residency only through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS).
We will be conducting virtual interviews in December of 2024. Invited candidates will complete the same number of interviews with our faculty and residents. Candidates will still have opportunities to learn about our program and have their questions answered. We anticipate using Zoom as our interview platform.
Please contact your medical school for assistance with filing this electronic application. International graduates are advised to contact the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) for assistance.
The Dermatology Residency Program has the following application criteria:
- Minimum of two letters of recommendation from physicians, preferably dermatologists.
- Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE) letter.
- Marshfield Clinic Health System Dermatology Residency has no minimum board score cutoff. All candidates are reviewed.
- Special consideration will be given to candidates who wish to serve rural communities, candidates with strong ties to Wisconsin, and candidates who grew up on farms or other agricultural or rural settings.
- Thirty candidates are invited to interview with us. We typically rank around 24 candidates for two spots.
- There will be a pre-interview virtual social hour via Zoom with residents the night before interviews. Virtual interviews will be taking place on one of two Friday afternoons in December. Each interview will last about 15 minutes. Interviews are structured for 1 resident candidate speaking with one or more interviewers for the 15 minute block. Interviews occur with PD, key faculty, and residents.
- Residents meet and interview each candidate individually. The program director meets with all residents to hear their thoughts on each individual candidate. A chief resident attends the rank meeting to represent the views of the residents on the ranking of each candidate. Collectively, the resident ranking of candidates counts an equal weight as a faculty member ranking of candidates.
- Medical school graduation not more than five years prior to residency start date, unless currently working as a board certified physician in a different specialty.
- United States clinical experience is required.
- Personal statement.
- Curriculum vitae.
- ECFMG certification for foreign graduates.
- Marshfield Clinic as an organization currently sponsors H1B visas.
The program tracks and reports to the Graduate Medical Education Committee (as part of its ongoing annual program evaluation) and includes the percentage of USM candidates applying to the program, those interviewing for positions and those ranked by the program.
For more information please contact the Program Coordinator:
Aimie Eckelberg
Marshfield Clinic
1000 North Oak Avenue
Marshfield, WI 54449
Phone: (800) 541-2895 or 715-389-4151
E-mail: eckelberg.aimie@marshfieldclinic.org
Benefits
Salary
We offer a competitive salary and benefit package which includes relocation assistance, malpractice coverage and an annual $1,750 travel/education fund available to each resident beginning in PGY1.
Salaries for 2026-2027 (effective July 1, 2026)
When taken in aggregate, the compensation package provided residents, depending on post-graduate year, ranges from $70,000 to $100,000 per resident.
PGY1: $71,033
PGY2: $73,370
PGY3: $75,708
PGY4: $78,045
PGY5: $80,383
PGY6: $82,722
PGY7: $85,060
Health/dental insurance
Please visit this document for more information about our benefits.
Time away
- Sick leave: Residents (or house staff officers) are allotted sick days. Residents will not be compensated for any unused sick time. It is the responsibility of the Resident to notify the appropriate individual(s) of an absence due to illness in accordance with his/her program specific policy. Residents are eligible for a short and long-disability plan the first of the month following 90 consecutive calendar days of employment within a benefited status.
- Vacation: 15 workdays per contract year
- Continuing medical education (CME)/meeting time: Residents are allotted up to seven (7) working days per academic year for scientific meetings (includes travel time), which varies in program and training years.
- Interview days: Residents are allotted, with approval and planning, up to ten (10) interview days total during the course of their residency, for Fellowship, and/or job related interviews (prorated for programs less than three (3) years).
- Exam day(s): Exam time away from residency training for USMLE, COMLEX, (first time), Licensure exam, In-training exam, representing the Program or Clinic for a business, or required educational purpose as approved by the Program Director, are accounted for as days in training.
- Birth/adoption leave: Residents may take up to six weeks of leave in a 12 month period for the birth of the Resident's natural child or the placement of a child with the Resident for adoption. Absence from the residency program beyond six weeks may require an extension of the residency to meet board eligibility criteria.
- Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA): The FMLA is an unpaid, job protected leave. Residents who meet the eligibility criteria will be eligible for unpaid leave under the FMLA. Absences from the residency program may request an extension of the residency to meet board eligibility criteria.
Professional liability, disability & life insurance
- Residents are fully covered under Marshfield Clinic's self-insurance plan for professional liability. This is an occurrence policy. Contribution to the State of Wisconsin Patients Compensation Fund is also made on behalf of each licensed resident, which provides additional protection.
- Each Resident is covered under Worker's Compensation.
- Short and Long term disability insurance is purchased for each Resident. This policy is effective the 1st of the month following 90 days from your hire date in a benefited status.
- Group term accidental death and dismemberment insurance is an option at the Resident's own expense.
- Group term life insurance A $50,000 term life insurance is purchased for each Resident.
Additional perks
- An annual $1,750 travel/educational fund is available to each resident for attending meetings, purchasing textbooks or a combination of these activities. The resident is allotted seven working days per eligible academic year for scientific meeting time.
- Relocation assistance up to $2,500 per resident family household.
- Wireless tablets assigned to each resident.
- A meal allowance is provided to residents while on call in the medical complex.
- Residents have designated "on call" rooms in the hospital.
- If not previously taken, the United States Medical Licensure Examination (USMLE) Step 3 exam fee or the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX) Level 3 exam fee will be paid one time per resident if taken during the PGY1 year of residency. Lab coats and laundering are provided.
- A standard 35 percent discount (excluding contact lenses) at Marshfield Clinic Optical Shop.
- Special funds are available for resident paper presentations in representing their respective program.
- Residents have medical transcription support and program coordinator assistance.
- Marshfield Clinic Health System offers a drug and tobacco-free environment.
- Resident Association special activities planned.
- Resident all-day workshops.
- Resident Well-Being Committee support.
- Resident/learner lounge is accessible 24/7.
Housing
Affordable housing is available in Marshfield. The average rental cost for a two bedroom apartment is $425-$700 per month. A variety of housing is available, ranging from apartment complexes to single houses and duplexes.
Faculty & residents
TBD???
Evaluation process
Periodic in-training evaluation of trainees will be carried out to ensure that the trainee is making satisfactory progress. Both formal examinations and performance ratings by the faculty will be utilized, and the trainee will be personally apprised of his or her strengths and weaknesses at appropriate intervals at least twice annually. Completion by the program director of resident yearly report forms, such as those requested by the American Board of Dermatology and other certifying boards, is an important part of this evaluation process.
A 360 degree evaluation method will be used to evaluate the residents. Members of the health care team including medical assistants, support staff, administrative assistants, patients, attending dermatologists, consulting providers from other services, Problem-Based Learning facilitators, and resident peers will take part in this type of evaluation of the resident. Evaluations will be made part of the resident's academic file, and results will be discussed with the resident by the Program Director or Training Director.
At least once a year the educational effectiveness of a program will be evaluated in a systematic manner. In particular, the quality of the curriculum and the extent to which the educational goals have been met by residents must be assessed. Written evaluations by residents will be utilized in this process.
- Summative evaluations conducted during months three (3) and nine (9).
- Formative evaluations conducted during months one (1), six (6), and eleven (11).
Education & training
Clinical education
Our intern year program will consist of 4 months of inpatient wards (Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, General Surgery), 1 month of ED/Urgent Care, 2 months of Dermatology (outpatient clinics and dermatopathology/lab), 4 months of Selective rotations (Rheumatology, ID, Gynecology, Wound Care, Plastic Surgery, Heme-Onc, and Allergy/Immunology), and 1 month of an Elective experience. These rotations will be housed within our accredited affiliate programs but overseen by our Dermatology department.
Our dermatology training year rotation schedule is made up of 26 2-week blocks. Please click here to see an example of a schedule. Our subspecialty clinics consist of pediatric dermatology, dermatopathology and Mohs surgery. Elective blocks are scheduled for one 2-week rotation in your second year and two 2-week rotations in your third year.
Conferences, workshops & didactics
All members of the core teaching staff are involved in residency training and education. On average, we offer 10 hours of protected academic time weekly, used for conferences and scholarly activity. Conferences blend learning delivery methods to accommodate a wide range of learning styles. These include lectures, discussions, hands-on labs and others. We have weekly dermatopathology conferences (approximately 4 hours weekly), derm surgery lectures (2 hours monthly) and peds derm lectures in addition to general derm conferences.
Resident well-being
Marshfield Clinic residency programs are conscientious of the well-being of their residents. The Division of Education, along with your program director and faculty, supports a healthy learning environment. Please visit our Resident Well-Being Committee website for more information.
In addition to the Resident Well-Being Committee resources, Dermatology also has one half-day per month of resident personal discretionary wellness and/or research time. Residents are not required to use this time but can for personal needs that are not regularly able to be met after normal work hours (i.e. car repair, driver's license renewal, etc.).
Research expectations
By January 1 of the first year in residency, the dermatology resident will choose a project idea and select an initial faculty mentor with whom they wish to pursue upper level resident scholarly project(s). Prior to completion of the first year of dermatology training, residents will complete a research proposal. The Resident Research Facilitator should be included in this process. Timelines are then developed with the resident depending on the project's magnitude. Projects requiring funding should have submission plans for Resident Research Committee approval by the end of the first year.
In the second and third years of dermatology residency training, the resident is expected to continue through completion of the scholarly project proposed during the first year of dermatology training, including the literature review, protocol development including IRB approval, data acquisition, data analysis, results, discussion and conclusion of the project. Each project will be expected to be of a quality to produce a publication submission to a reputable dermatology journal.
Call expectations
Each resident will be on-call approximately one week in six. In addition, residents can expect one major and/or one minor holiday call each year, which is predetermined. There will always be an assigned attending on-call as the on-call supervisor.
Video resources
We appreciate your interest in our program and invite you to review the following video presentations regarding the Marshfield Clinic Dermatology Residency Program.
- Big picture of Marshfield derm residency program
- Overview of your patient care training
- Overview of your education conferences
- Overview of residency training 'extras'
- Overview of evaluation methods
- FAQ about our program and interview day
- Hear from our residents about the program
- Resident life
- Tour of the dermatology department
Mission statement
Marshfield Clinic Dermatology Residency's mission is to train excellent dermatologists through strong clinical mentorship, fostered foundations in critical thinking and resourceful information gathering, a satisfying work environment, and experiences with a broad variety of diseases of the skin, hair, nails and mucous membranes in patients of all ages.
Medical student dermatology rotations
Medical students interested in careers in dermatology and desiring an away dermatology elective in Marshfield Clinic dermatology
Each year, many students interested in careers in dermatology seek to rotate in Marshfield Clinic Dermatology for 2- or 4-week rotations. The Marshfield Clinic Dermatology Department at the Marshfield Campus is the primary home of the Marshfield Clinic dermatology residency program and is the most appropriate site to rotate for interested dermatology residency candidates. Although we host rotations every month, we encourage such candidate rotations occur between July and December.
The rotation experience consists of clinical dermatology experiences, resident teaching conferences, monthly grand rounds that include all dermatology providers, weekly clinicopathologic correlation conferences that include all dermatology providers, and any other educational activity occurring deemed worthy of rotator participation. Rotators will receive homework assignments throughout the rotation (assigned from conferences and/or clinics), complete education modules in their own time after work hours, complete an oral and written knowledge test at the conclusion of the rotation, and present a brief 10-minute topic of choice presentation at the conclusion of the rotation. Assigned grades are performance-based.
Interested applicants should apply through Marshfield Clinic Student Programs before March 15. We also ask you to complete a brief 200 word or less response to why you want to rotate with Marshfield Clinic Dermatology, specifically. This may be as a residency exploration, because of a community connection, a regional preference, a particular interest in our organization mission or patient population, or some other reason. Interested applicants should click on the link below to complete the response:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZJ9T2V2.
We process all applications at once and not on a first-come-first serve basis. Our decision will be made each year by April 1 based on feasibility, availability, and responses. We accept applications after this time but may not have rotation availability.
Our availability may not match your medical school rotation calendar. We do not accept rotation lengths of under 2 weeks. Rotation agreements between your medical school and Marshfield Clinic must be in place in advance of this rotation. If no agreement currently exists, please understand that this process takes a surprisingly long time to accomplish (months), so plan ahead. If you accept a rotation but then cancel late (within 4 weeks) without reasonable explanation, we consider that unprofessional behavior and we will notify your school of your late cancellation impact on our competitive rotation schedule. This will also affect how we view your application for residency.
We do not currently offer research opportunities for external medical students who do not rotate with us.
We look forward to working with students interested in careers in dermatology and wish you well in your career journey!
FAQs
Do I have to perform research as part of my residency training
Research and scholarly activity are required of all ACGME-accredited residency training programs. However, no resident will be forced to participate in bench research or other projects which do not interest the individual resident. Scholarly projects will be chosen, proposed, approved, performed and reported with end results fit for publication.
Do you accept non-traditional applicants?
Marshfield Clinic Dermatology Residency program is interested in matching the best applicants for our position. We accept qualified applicants even when these applicants have prior training experiences in other categorical residencies, come from an osteopathic background, or come from a foreign country. To date, we have interviewed candidates from all three of these circumstances. We have matched multiple residents with prior GME training.
Will I be eligible to apply to the residency training program if I have previously completed the pre-requisite internship year?
The Marshfield Clinic Health System dermatology residency accepts all applicants including those with previous residency training and those who previously failed to match. We are interested in matching residents that help us best meet our mission.