An open dermatology position is expensive.
Patient schedules are backing up. Existing providers are absorbing additional volume. Staff members are stretched. Every week the position remains vacant represents patients who may not be seen and revenue the practice cannot capture.
But allowing that pressure to drive a rushed hiring decision can ultimately cost the practice far more. And in today’s dermatology hiring market, correcting that mistake may not be easy.
Simply put, urgency can change the objective from finding the right provider to simply filling the seat.
And that is a costly distinction.
Dermatology Practices Are Hiring in a Tight Market
Dermatologists remain a limited resource.
A 2024 Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology analysis found just 3.66 practicing dermatologists per 100,000 people in the US in 2023, with 156 geographic areas studied having no practicing dermatologist at all.
And practices are feeling that shortage firsthand.
In an April 2025 MGMA poll, 38% of medical groups said the time required to fill physician vacancies had increased, and respondents specifically identified dermatology among the most difficult specialties to staff.
Additionally, AAPPR’s 2025 benchmarking report found a median 118-day time-to-fill for physicians and 77 days for APPs. Physician candidates also accepted only 71% of offers in 2024, down from 83% the previous year.
Taken together, those numbers underscore the risk: replacing a provider is neither quick nor guaranteed, particularly when you are recruiting within an already competitive specialty.
The Cost Spreads Throughout the Practice
First, consider the financial commitment involved in making a dermatologist hire.
AMN Healthcare reported an average starting salary offer of $486,000 for dermatologists in its 2024 recruiting review—up 13.8% from the prior year.
Now add recruiting expenses, credentialing, onboarding, training, marketing the position, lost production while the position is vacant and the possibility that patients seek care elsewhere.
Across physician recruitment, AMN Healthcare estimates that the combined costs associated with replacing a physician can push the financial impact of a single search well beyond $500,000 in some circumstances.
But there is another cost that is harder to put on a spreadsheet, as hiring mistakes rarely affect one position alone.
Perhaps the provider expected significantly more clinical support. Their preferred patient volume does not align with the practice model. Communication with staff is consistently difficult. Or the schedule and workload they agreed to look very different once they are living them every day.
Those misalignments affect the entire team.
Other physicians and APPs may absorb additional patients. Medical assistants and administrative staff may spend more time managing workflow issues. Leadership becomes occupied with resolving problems rather than moving the practice forward.
And if the environment becomes frustrating enough, a practice can risk turning one hiring problem into additional retention problems.
Urgency Shouldn’t Replace Due Diligence
This is why hiring for “fit” cannot simply mean asking whether everyone liked the candidate during dinner.
Practices should evaluate whether expectations are aligned around patient volume, clinical autonomy, support staffing, schedule, compensation, leadership, communication and long-term career goals.
Before making your next dermatology hire:
- Define the position before beginning the search. Know your required experience, workload expectations, clinical mix and non-negotiables.
- Discuss the realities of the role. Be transparent about patient volume, documentation, administrative responsibilities and support.
- Use structured interviews. Ask candidates the same core questions so enthusiasm does not replace objective evaluation.
- Involve the people who will work with the provider. Clinical and operational team members often identify alignment concerns leadership may miss.
- Start recruiting before the need becomes critical. MGMA reports that practices maintaining stronger recruitment pipelines, including early relationships with residents and fellows, are better positioned to manage difficult searches.
- Treat onboarding as retention. Regular check-ins during the first year can surface mismatched expectations before they become resignation letters.
At myDermRecruiter, we work exclusively within dermatology and know that a successful hire requires more than finding a qualified provider. It starts with understanding the practice itself—its patient demand, provider expectations, support structure, culture and long-term staffing needs—and identifying candidates who can succeed within that environment. Taking the time to establish that alignment early can help practices avoid costly hiring mistakes and build teams they are better positioned to retain.
The goal is not simply to fill an open dermatology position. It is to hire someone your practice can successfully retain.
Because when recruiting is already difficult and expensive, the most costly hire may be the one you have to make twice.