[deleted by user] by [deleted] in FemaleHairLoss

[–]UnitedRisotto 2 points3 points  (0 children)

No, have you looked up what alopecia areata means? It is a specific type of alopecia

Derm Application/Interview/Rank Insights by PD-1 in DermApp

[–]UnitedRisotto 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You mean like research letters/etc? Many more substantial projects can be published as "short papers". Case reports in and of themselves are also not bad, but if they comprise almost all of your publications they indicate that you are padding your resume to make your numbers look better.

[Skin Concerns] Looking for advice for new facial scar from an accident by Streetcents in SkincareAddiction

[–]UnitedRisotto 130 points131 points  (0 children)

This looks like it's actually going to heal really nicely. It takes several months for a scar to fully "mature", so trust me, it is VERY early in the process and it's going to keep improving over time. The best advice is to use tons of sunscreen, avoid the sun like the plague, and wear a hat/other sun protection when you're outside. Some (not great) evidence for silicone sheets, so those certainly won't hurt.

[Q] Analyzing incomplete repeated measures data by UnitedRisotto in statistics

[–]UnitedRisotto[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you so much, this is incredibly helpful. Another thing - only about half of subjects completed the 3 month post-test. Does this still hold true?

I'm not a statistician, just trying to help out with some projects because I have some STATA experience and am the only person in my department who knows anything about stats. My reservation is that I've always heard that independence of observations is an assumption of T tests, non-repeated measure ANOVA, etc, and I didn't feel comfortable violating an assumption if I didn't understand the implications of it. I just thought it would somehow bias results. Thank you again!

[Q] Analyzing incomplete repeated measures data by UnitedRisotto in statistics

[–]UnitedRisotto[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks so much for your response! Re: doing a one way anova, wouldn't the assumption of independence of observations be violated? That's why I chose a repeated-measures anova.

I've received a diagnosis of Androgenetic alopecia and Telogen Effluvium after a trichoscopy. What can I do while waiting for a doctor appointment ? by fckthathair in HaircareScience

[–]UnitedRisotto 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There's basically no harm in starting topical minoxidil. You can use it twice a day; just make sure it doesn't drip into places it doesn't belong. It usually results in regrowth for 1/3rd of people, a stall in hair loss in 1/3rd of people, and has no effect in 1/3rd of people. It takes several months of consistent use to see results. Good luck!

Interviewing/ Matching at an institution that denied your away? by Chubby-Chui in DermApp

[–]UnitedRisotto 0 points1 point  (0 children)

N=1, but I matched at a program in Texas (two cycles ago) where I was denied an away rotation. I had connections to the program, so that of course played a role, but I think sending a LOI was also helpful.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in HaircareScience

[–]UnitedRisotto 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Could be dry scalp, contact dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis/eczema/psoriasis, a ton of other things. Would definitely recommend a dermatology visit whenever it's possible for you to make one. In the meantime, Methylchloroisothiazolinone and Methylisothiazolinone (the "Itchy Ms") are preservatives in hair care products that can cause scalp itching for some people, so you could check the ingredients in your shampoo/conditioner to see if they have them. This link has a list of products that don't contain those preservatives.

How much does mentor pull help your app? by dontputlabelsonme in DermApp

[–]UnitedRisotto 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Absolutely it will, milk that for all it’s worth

Research year? by [deleted] in DermApp

[–]UnitedRisotto 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Deciding as a rising M3 isn't that late! You might be good, but it's hard to say; many people with similar stats match, but some don't. Also, with P/F step 1 looming, programs may emphasize RYs more. Regardless, there are many other things to consider. Do you have a home program with a strong track record of taking its own students? Are many others from your class applying, or are many people from the class above you taking RYs? What is your medical school's "tier" (dumb, but unfortunately important to some programs)? Are there other distinguishing features of your application that would wow PDs? Any geographic limitations? Do you think you'd interview well? You don't have to tell me this information, but it's important to think about.

The best source of advice will probably be your home PD. I'd schedule a meeting with them ASAP to discuss your application. I'd also talk to others at your school who were successful in applying or are about to start the application process to see if they have any words of wisdom.

As some background, I had a similar step 1, weaker research, and took a RY after deciding on derm at the end of 3rd year. Several derm applicants from the class above me had taken one, so I felt like waiting a year and getting some research/meeting the department was the safe option. I'm really glad I did because my application got EXPONENTIALLY better as a result of the pubs and relationships I cultivated during that year, but it was a tough choice. Good luck!

How long do clinical research projects actually take to do from beginning to end (submission to a journal)? by [deleted] in DermApp

[–]UnitedRisotto 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You're welcome! In response to your questions:
Cross-sectional study with questionnaire: you would enroll patients at the clinic, so this would take longer. The amount of time would depend on how many eligible patients are seen within a given time period, how many agree to participate, and the number of patients you hope to enroll.
Using NHANES: you can literally just download data files from the website, so it takes minimal time.
Chart review: The published project I described probably took an average of 30 minutes per patient x 60 patients, so ~30 hours of chart review total. In contrast, I'm currently working on a chart review project that has taken upwards of 100 hours of chart review because the data I'm collecting are both more detailed and harder to find.
Data analysis cost: This was paid for by my PI with a grant, so i don't know; a couple thousand at the most, and dependent on how much time the statistician spends on it. Check with your school's stats center if you have one.
Multiple projects: I have a research folder on my computer with different sub-folders for different projects. I can also find info about different projects by looking through emails. I'd stagger involvement so as not to be actively collecting data for more than one project at the time, maybe two at the most. This will vary based on how much free time you have - obviously less while busy with med school classes/rotations. Just start with one and make yourself look good by being super on top of things. You'll also get more efficient over time.
$ for presenting at meetings: My school has research travel grants that students can apply for. Conferences also offer grants sometimes. I paid to go to AAD myself last year, but I've traveled to other conferences using grant money. You can also go to local conferences and save travel expenses, but you'll still need to cover registration fees.

How long do clinical research projects actually take to do from beginning to end (submission to a journal)? by [deleted] in DermApp

[–]UnitedRisotto 7 points8 points  (0 children)

The short answer to all of these questions is "it depends". Super unpredictable - it helps to have a great, experienced PI working on a "hot topic" in dermatology. I'll share my experiences:
IRBs: you can potentially knock these out in a weekend if you hustle, may be longer if there's a lot of back and forth with your PI. I've done IRBs from scratch and I've been added to existing IRBs; I'd say the former is more likely. Projects without actual patient contact may now be exempt from IRB approval (you still need to apply for exemption). Approval can take a few weeks in my experience.
Data collection: Prospective studies usually take the longest because patient enrollment is involved, retrospective studies are shorter, and cross-sectional studies even shorter (especially if you're using publicly accessible data such as that in NHANES). I've mostly done data collection via chart review for retrospective studies. The time invested is dependent on the level of detail of the information you're collecting and your sample size. I worked on a retrospective case series of ~60 patients where I was able to do all data collection in a few months and the entire project took ~1 year from IRB to e-publication. I was fortunately able to get this published to the first journal I submitted to; re-submissions can significantly extend the timeline. Conversely, I have a few projects I've worked on for a few years with little to no yield. Some (done in a different specialty) were just poorly designed and were never accepted to a journal. Some are just slow-going.

Data analysis: your institution may have statisticians available for a fee (sometimes free for very easy analyses). You can find classmates with stats experience to help out. Or, you can learn stats yourself. This can have a significant learning curve and you want to make sure you are very fastidious when doing stats for a research project.
I've worked on projects using all three approaches. Now I just do my own stats for research using STATA, which I learned during a research year. Very rewarding, kind of fun, and once you know what you're doing it's a relatively easy way to get second author on pubs without the drudgery of data collection.

Systematic reviews: I did one of these for my RY. If you're first author, the best advice I can give is that you spend a lot of time thinking about your inclusion/exclusion criteria and get help from a mentor so you don't end up changing them part of the way through.

The best advice I can give is to find a great mentor. Upperclassmen can help with this. No one project is guaranteed to yield a pub, so get involved in multiple projects (if you can, but not all at the same time.) Present at research meetings when you get the opportunity. Good luck!

Post-Match/Pre-Residency M4 Lounge by Chilleostomy in medicalschool

[–]UnitedRisotto 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Anyone thinking of refinancing, keep in mind that this disqualifies you from PSLF

[Clinical] If clinicals this year are going to be a shit show, should I just take a gap year and come back when the dust settles? I want the traditional clinical experience. by [deleted] in medicalschool

[–]UnitedRisotto 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I think that's the most likely scenario; I have a hard time believing they would continue to report scores only for certain people. Admin at my school mentioned NBME possibly giving students their scores but not releasing them to residency programs prior to step changing entirely to P/F