Duke Dermatology offers visiting students the opportunity to participate in a four-week clinical elective. During the course of the month, students will rotate through the inpatient dermatology consult service and multiple outpatient dermatology clinics, spending time with a variety of faculty members and residents at our various sites and enabling the students to learn more about Duke Dermatology.
In support of our commitment to advancing health equity and community engagement, we will also provide a scholarship to one applicant per year who has demonstrated interest and engagement in activities aimed at research, educational program development, leadership roles, and/or community engagement specific to health equity, advocacy, and/or community interactions during their educational career.
Rising fourth year students interested in dermatology should apply via the Visiting Students Learning Opportunities (VSLO) portal. Please note that to participate in this elective, an affiliation agreement between the student’s home institution and Duke is required. Please apply via VSLO and include:
- Medical school transcript
- A copy of your official USMLE board examination scores (or pass/fail results)
- A brief statement describing your potential areas of interest in dermatology and professional goals, and explaining why you would like to rotate at Duke
- Letter of Recommendation
- Please indicate your preferred date(s)
- June 29, 2026 - July 24, 2026
- July 27, 2026 - August 21, 2026
- August 24, 2026 - September 18, 2026
- September 21, 2026 - October 16, 2026
- October 19, 2026 - November 13, 2026
Please note: Visiting rotations must be completed during the available rotation blocks. Unfortunately, we are unable to accommodate alternative dates for visiting students.
Important Dates:
- Wednesday, February 11, 2026: Duke VSLO application is released
- Friday March 13, 2026: Due date for VSLO applications
- Mid-April 2026: Anticipated date for notifications to accepted students
Please note: The VSLO page may continue to accept applications after March 13, 2026, but we will be unable to review any applications received after this date.
Contact Us
Due to the large volume of requests and in an effort at fairness, we will not be meeting with individual candidates from outside of Duke SOM before the interview process. Instead, we will hold monthly drop-in sessions for students to join a zoom meeting with Dr. Lesesky, Dr. Fresco, or Dr. Whitley and ask questions. In addition, we will be having a formal Duke Dermatology Information session in August/September 2026. The exact date, time, and a zoom link will be posted on our website once this is determined.
2026 Student Drop-in Q&A Sessions:
1. May 7, 2026 - Dr. Erin Lesesky 12pm - 12:30pm
2. June 3, 2026 - Dr. Amber Fresco 12pm - 12:30pm
3. July 9, 2026 - Dr. Erin Lesesky 12pm - 12:30pm
4. August 3, 2026 - Dr. Melodi Whitley 12:30pm - 1pm
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://duke.zoom.us/j/94676938300
Meeting ID: 946 7693 8300
- Duke students, please contact your DIG leadership for meeting dates and zoom links with the Dermatology Education Leadership faculty.
If you have any questions about the application process or Duke Dermatology Department please contact:
Jessica Braddock
Residency Program Coordinator in Dermatology
Clinical Research Fellowship Program Coordinator in Dermatology
Email: jessica.braddock@duke.edu
For more information about the Duke Visiting Student program please contact:
Scott Campbell
Student Services Officer and Visiting Student Coordinator
Email: scott.campbell@duke.edu