Dermsquared is searching for the brightest stars in dermatology among residents and fellows. We invite you to compete in the highly anticipated Rising Derm Stars^® Competition for Residents program. This prestigious initiative aims to honor and spotlight the top rising talents in the dermatology field.

About the Program

20 selected participants will present a 5-minute oral presentation of their research at the upcoming 2026 Winter Clinical Dermatology Conference taking place at Winter Clinical – Hawaii (January 16 – 21, 2026) or Winter Clinical – Miami (February 27 – March 1, 2026).  Each resident will be paired with a distinguished faculty mentor, offering an invaluable chance to glean insights directly from esteemed educators in dermatology.

Exclusive Benefits for Competitors

• Complimentary registration for the 2026 conference in Hawaii or Miami.
• Roundtrip, domestic airfare from your home city.
• Hotel accommodations.
• One-on-one mentorship throughout the meeting, enriching the overall learning experience.
• The chance to present your research report during the conference at a special Competition session.
• The first-place winner will then present LIVE during the plenary session.
• Select abstracts will be featured in an upcoming issue of SKIN - The Journal of Cutaneous Medicine^®, the official journal of the conference.
   

Top Three Grand Prizes

The first, second, and third-place winners of the oral presentation competition will each receive complimentary registration to the 2027 meeting. Additionally, the program's results and competition outcomes will be announced via email to Dermsquared's network of 16,000 dermatology professionals.

How to Enter

Applications will be accepted until Friday, November 14, and should be submitted through our form. To be eligible for consideration, you must currently be in year 1-3 of a US or Canadian dermatology residency or fellowship training program (medical students are not eligible).

To apply for the program, please include the following:

• Your name, academic institution, email address and cell phone number.
• A concise research report (maximum 500 words, 2 tables, and 5 references) structured into background, methods, results, brief discussion, and conclusions. This report should summarize the content of your proposed oral presentation for the special session.
• A brief letter of good standing and recommendation from your training director.
• A one-page abbreviated curriculum vitae.
• A personal statement (maximum 250 words) highlighting why you believe you should be selected for this opportunity.
• Your availability to participate at Winter Clinical – Hawaii (January 16 – 21, 2026) or Winter Clinical – Miami (February 27 – March 1, 2026). Your preference will be considered, however, the program committee will make final selections based on the presentations submitted.

Click here to submit your application. Winners will be notified via email shortly after the submission deadline.