I was asked last week by a patient regarding the training to become a dermatologist. I informed her that it first requires graduation from medical school.  After medical school, one must complete at least 1 year of an internship.  Generally, this is a rotating type internship to broaden your general medicine knowledge(I completed mine at Hennepin County Medial Center).  After internship, you then complete a 3 year Dermatology residency program. During these years you do extensive training to become the expert on all aspects of the skin(I did my residency at the Univ. of Minnesota).  Once you have completed your dermatology residency you are eligible to take your exams to become board certified by the Board of Dermatology. ( I became board certified in 1995).    Dermatologists are required to take a significant number of hours of continuing education each year and to recertify their  board certification every 10 years.  This patient was very happy to know that dermatologists are required to have a significant amount of training before they can enter into practice.