Holistic review increases inclusion of underrepresented-in-medicine applicants in dermatology residency recruitment

To the Editor: The field of dermatology historically lacks diversity [1]. The AAMC uses “Underrepresented in Medicine” (UIM) to describe groups like Black, Hispanic/Latino, and Native American populations that are underrepresented among physicians compared to the general population [2]. Residency recruitment is a critical juncture where biases may hinder UIM inclusion [3]. Dermatology residencies prioritize metrics like USMLE scores, medical school reputation, and research productivity when evaluating applicants, which may affect inclusivity [4]. Holistic review is often adopted to improve inclusivity, but its efficacy remains uncertain. Here, we compare the use of a standardized holistic review system in which 10 applicant attributes are similarly weighted to the use of traditionally prioritized metrics in the evaluation of dermatology applicants to assess how each approach influences UIM inclusion in dermatology residency. …