537 candidates were allotted Dermatology in Round 1 of MCC NEET PG 2025 counselling. By the end of Round 3, 466 were still in Dermatology. The rest made a choice — and what they chose tells a story about how PG candidates actually think about specialities.
The headline: 87% stayed
Of the 537 R1 Dermatology allottees, 466 committed. That's an 87% retention rate — strong by any measure. Dermatology is a destination speciality for most who get it.
But 69 left. And 168 switched into Dermatology from other specialities. The net movement tells a different story than the headline.
41 left Dermatology for Radiology
The biggest exit from Dermatology wasn't to General Medicine or Surgery. It was to Radiology. 41 candidates who had Dermatology in R1 ended up in Radiology by R3.
This challenges the assumption that Dermatology is universally the most desired speciality. For a meaningful number of top-rank candidates, Radiology at the right institute was worth more than Dermatology at a less preferred one.
33 gave up General Medicine for Dermatology
On the other side, 33 candidates who had General Medicine in R1 switched to Dermatology by R3. They traded one of medicine's most established specialities for Derm.
168 switched into Dermatology from everywhere
The inflow into Dermatology came from nearly every speciality:
Paediatrics was the biggest source — 50 candidates gave up Paediatrics for Dermatology. This is a pattern across specialities: Paediatrics has one of the lowest retention rates in PG, and Dermatology is one of its biggest beneficiaries.
What does this mean for you?
If you're targeting Dermatology: the speciality is a net gainer. More people switch into it than leave. But the competition isn't just from other Derm aspirants — it's from General Medicine and Radiology candidates who pivot to Derm in later rounds. Your R1 allotment isn't safe if there's significant R2/R3 reshuffling at your institute.
If you're choosing between Derm and Radiology: 41 candidates made that exact choice — and chose Radiology. The institute mattered more than the speciality for them. Your decision might come down to the same trade-off: speciality preference vs institute quality.
If you're in Paediatrics or OBG and considering Derm: you're not alone. 71 candidates made that switch in MCC 2025.