Background: Educational debt levels are outpacing inflation.
Objective: To determine whether debt levels influence career choices of graduating dermatology residents.
Methods: Anonymous surveys of graduating dermatology residents.
Results: The presence of debt was associated negatively with pursuing fellowship training in 1999 and 2004 (P < .05) but did not affect choices about entering solo practice or job dissatisfaction levels.
Limitations: This study relies on self-reported data, and some surveys were incomplete.
Conclusion: Debt levels do not appear to significantly influence the career choices of dermatology residents.