Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals Program

Program Identity & Fit

MCW's dermatology program is an academic, university-affiliated residency built across three distinct clinical sites—Froedtert Hospital (tertiary/quaternary adult consultative dermatology), the Zablocki VA (high-volume skin cancer and surgical care for veterans), and Children's Wisconsin (broad pediatric dermatology including rare quaternary referrals)—giving residents exposure spanning routine to complex consultative disease across the lifespan. Research is substantial though not the sole identity marker: the department runs active clinical, translational, and basic science programs (immunodermatology, autoimmune skin disease, pediatric dermatology, cutaneous lymphoma, rubella-granuloma investigation), maintains dedicated research fellowships, and produces frequent faculty and resident publications, while graduate outcomes show a genuine split between private practice, fellowship (Mohs, dermatopathology, pediatric dermatology), and academic careers. Distinctive structural features include early graduated-autonomy continuity clinics, named subspecialty clinics (melanoma, cutaneous lymphoma, contact dermatitis, vascular anomalies/birthmarks, neurofibromatosis/RASopathies), heavy procedural/surgical teaching (Mohs and non-Mohs, cosmetic, hands-on cadaveric/porcine surgical labs), and a five-hour weekly didactic block. The program explicitly states it values hardworking, scholarly, team-oriented residents with demonstrated diligence and integrity rather than a narrow academic-only pipeline.