Is training in general dermatology a required prerequisite for ABD subspecialty certification?

Is training in general dermatology a required prerequisite for ABD subspecialty certification?

Yes. All dermatology subspecialties are based on the prerequisite knowledge, skills, and competencies learned in general dermatology. Candidates for certification in all dermatology subspecialties who have completed an ACGME-accredited fellowship (MSDO, Pediatric Dermatology, and Dermatopathology), must have also completed an ACGME-accredited residency in dermatology and be Board Certified in Dermatology by the ABD.

There are two exceptions:

1) candidates for Dermatopathology certification offered by the American Board of Pathology for physicians with a primary certificate in pathology and,

2) during the MDS practice pathway (2021-2025), candidates from two ABMS qualifying boards (Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and Plastic Surgery) who completed fellowship training and passed a dermatology qualifying examination, along with the MDS exam.