Dermatology tops U.S. medical field over skin care boom: WSJ

NEW YORK, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- Due to skincare boom, U.S. dermatologists boast some of medicine's most enviable work lives, and more aspiring doctors are vying for residency spots in the specialty, with four-day workweeks, double the salary of some colleagues and no emails at night, reported The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on Monday.

Dermatologists earn a median 541,000 U.S. dollars a year, according to a recent survey of more than 150,000 U.S. physicians conducted by Medical Group Management Association, a trade group. Pediatricians, by contrast, earn a median 258,000 dollars annually.

Medical residency applications for dermatology slots are up 50 percent over the past five years, according to data from the Association of American Medical Colleges, with women flooding the zone.

"A younger generation of physicians wants better work-life balance than their predecessors and, unlike pressure-cooker medical specialties such as cardiac surgery, dermatology fits the bill," said the report. "Given the infrequency of skin emergencies, far fewer dermatologists are on call at night and on weekends. The more traditional schedule-and flexible hours-are drawing more women into the field."

The boom in skin care, and its popularity on social media, has added to the profession's allure. Some dermatologists have built commanding presences on Instagram and TikTok, earning as much as 30,000 dollars for each sponsored post to promote various brands' skin products, according to the report.