Shortage of full-time faculty in dermatology.

A persistent shortage of full-time faculty exists in dermatology. Despite the addition of 124 new full-time faculty since 1971 through 1972, 136 training programs in 1974 through 1975 were actively seeking 88 new full-time faculty and believed they needed 243. With a net gain of 30 new faculty a year, it will take 2.93 years to add 88 new faculty that are being actively sought and 5.16 years to add 155 more that are urgently needed. During this eight years, demand for new faculty will increase, so that figures of need may remain essentially unchanged in 1982 through 1983 and between 1971 through 1972 and 1974 through 1975. Expertise that was most needed was in immunology, electron microscopy, histopathology, microbiology, and biochemistry; many accept faculty in any area or with no special training. Measures should be taken to attract and retain more dermatologists in full-time academic positions.