Dermatology Resources for PA Students and New PAs

By: Savanna Perry, PA-C

TL;DR

Dermatology makes up only about 5 percent of the PANCE [VERIFY] and gets just a couple of weeks in most programs, so you have to fill in the gaps on your own. The resources below are the ones I leaned on as a student and still use daily as a practicing derm PA, split into what helped in school and what I reach for in practice.

Last Updated: June 12, 2026

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Why do PA students need extra dermatology resources?

After I graduated, I went straight into working in dermatology. During didactic year we got about 2 weeks of derm, and it makes up a whopping 5 percent of the PANCE [VERIFY]. Those 2 weeks plus some shadowing I did beforehand were enough to spark my interest, but not enough to make me feel confident about what I really needed to know.

I was lucky to have a great supervising physician and to do both of my elective rotations in dermatology, which helped a lot. But even after almost 3 years at my job, I still look things up multiple times a day! That is normal, and it is exactly why having a few trusted references on hand makes such a difference.

In this post:

What dermatology resources are best while you are in school?

While I was in school, two resources stood out. The AAD Basic Dermatology Curriculum from the American Academy of Dermatology is built specifically for medical education, and it is genuinely good. The lessons are thorough and give you a solid overview of the basic topics likely to come up on boards and rotations, and they do not take a ton of time.

The other was Dermatology Secrets Plus, a small, simple book packed with pictures, which are so helpful in derm. I used it during didactic year and still pull it out occasionally as a quick reference. It is not the book for every fine detail on a subject, but it is great for a quick overview with images.

In Our Experience

In our experience coaching applicants who think they want a specialty, the best thing you can do early is shadow in that field and start a running list of the resources practicing PAs actually use. I was drawn to derm from a little shadowing and two weeks of lecture, and building my reference shelf early made my transition to practice so much smoother.

Which dermatology references do you use in clinical practice?

In practice I rely on a mix of digital tools and textbooks. Here are the ones I use most:

UpToDate: current, regularly updated, and great for any specialty. I love the patient handouts and the detailed drug information.
VisualDx: I open it as soon as I get to work. Huge photo library, pearls, differentials, and treatment, plus a nice app.
Habif's Clinical Dermatology: my first real derm textbook and very easy to read for a textbook.
Practical Dermatology: my favorite journal for up and coming derm news on common topics.
Litt's Drug Eruption and Reaction Manual: my go to for rashes that could be drug related.
Wolverton Comprehensive Dermatologic Drug Therapy: the most in depth book on derm medications.
Andrews' Diseases of the Skin and Bolognia's Dermatology: my SP's favorites, with every obscure disorder you can imagine.
SDPA Diplomate Fellowship Program: derm specific training modules that follow Bolognia's Dermatology Essentials.

Every Pre-PA Should Know...

Dermatology makes up only about 5 percent of the PANCE [VERIFY] and gets roughly 2 weeks in many programs, so most of your derm depth will come from self study and rotations.

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Listen: New Grad Life in Dermatology: An Interview with Brittany of PA Fanatic

Brittany runs PA Fanatic, just graduated, and is starting in dermatology - so obviously we had a lot to talk about.

Episode show notes & key takeaways

Brittany runs PA Fanatic, just graduated, and is starting in dermatology - so obviously we had a lot to talk about.

This one covers the stretch nobody prepares you for: the months between finishing school and actually being a working PA. Studying for the PANCE. Applying for jobs. Realizing that landing the specialty you want as a new grad is competitive in its own right.

She's honest about how hard PA school was and how much her classmates carried her through it. That's a theme I hear from basically everyone. The people sitting next to you in lecture end up being the reason you make it.

What we talk about

Going through PA school and what surprised her
Studying for the PANCE
Job hunting as a new grad
Getting into dermatology right out of school
Leaning on classmates through the hard parts
Building an audience with PA Fanatic

Resources

Follow The Pre-PA Club: Apple Podcasts · Spotify · All episodes

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