Gap Year Program

The APDerm Gap Year Program

Have you considered a gap year internship as a medical assistant before heading off to medical school? This will give you an in-depth look into the field of dermatology and help you make informed decisions about your course of study.

The APDerm Network of Practices consists of multiple brands that share a dedication to delivering exceptional outcomes. We do this by making comprehensive dermatology services available and accessible to all patients within their local communities.

We are always looking for enthusiastic interns to join the APDerm family and provide them with crucial hands-on experience. Because, as Benjamin Franklin said, ‘tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn’.

As a gap year intern, you will have the opportunity to:

Learn about general, surgical and cosmetic dermatology
Obtain valuable patient care skills that are transferrable to any speciality
Receive mentorship and insights from practicing dermatologists
Gain experience that will maximize your chances of getting into medical school
Receive medical school interview training
Collaborate with other gap year interns and expand your industry network

As a gap medical assistant, you can expect to:

Assist physicians, physician assistants, doctors, and nurse practitioners with office procedures such as biopsies, surgeries, and treatments for various skin conditions
Document (or scribe) for physicians, physician assistants, doctors, and nurse practitioners in the Electronic Medical Record (EMR)
Provide patient education and post-operative care instructions
Work as part of a team at the location of your appointment

Why choose APDerm? We offer competitive pay, paid time off (PTO), sick time, paid holidays, health, dental, and other voluntary benefits that are effective as of your date of hire!

Want to become a part of the APDerm family by doing a gap year at one of our locations?

Click here to submit your application. We can’t wait to meet you!

Meet The Current Gap Year Interns

Caleigh Wagner

Undergrad: The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Bio: Hello all! My name is Caleigh, I graduated May of 2024 from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. I am from Saratoga Springs, NY and moved to Boston this past fall to work for Boston Center for Plastic Surgery, which I am loving. I am hoping to get into PA school within the next year! I am unsure of the specialty that I would like to go into, but dermatology and plastic surgery are #1 right now! I studied abroad in Florence, Italy, which has sparked my love for traveling.

Adeline Allen

Undergrad: Brown University
Bio: Hello! My name is Addie. I graduated from Brown University in 2025 with a degree in Health and Human Biology and am currently applying to medical school. I joined APDerm in April 2025. Some fun facts about me: I have two dogs (a French Bulldog and English Bulldog) and love to crochet.

Kimberly Ellis

Undergrad: Quinnipiac University
Bio: I am originally from Watertown MA and graduated from Quinnipiac University with a degree in Health Science Studies. I plan to attend Physician Assistant school in the future and joined APDerm in June 2025 to gain hands on clinical experience. My personal connection to dermatology initiated my interest in specializing in this area one day as a PA. Outside of work, I like to cook and spend time outside, like playing with my dogs Bailey and Hugo, playing pickleball, golf, or even just going to the gym!

Kaitlin Bardsley

Undergrad: University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Bio: My name is Kaitlin, and I am from Northborough, MA. I joined APderm in May 2025 immediately after graduation. I graduated from University of Massachusetts Amherst in May 2025 with a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Kinesiology. I am on the physician assistant track where my goal is to start PA school in January 2027. During my time at UMass I was part of the division 1A cheerleading team where we placed top 10 at nationals my senior year. I am super excited to keep learning at APderm as a Gap Year Intern.

Sotheany Leap

Undergrad: Salem State University
Bio: Hi! My name is Sotheany and I graduated from Salem State University and completed a post bacc at the Harvard Extension school. I then completed an internship at the Harvard School of Public Health. I joined APDerm to gain patient care experience. I hope to go to medical school in the future. In my free time, I love to draw and bake!

Julianna Fusco

Undergrad: Northeastern University
Med School: Tufts University School of Medicine
Bio: During my time at Northeastern University, I explored my passion for healthcare through clinical work, research and community outreach. I completed my co-op experience as a patient care technician at Beth Isreal Deaconess Medical Center. I also conducted research at the Rahme Lab at Massachusetts General Hospital on recalcitrant pathogens, contributed to clinical studies in the Brain Aging and Demential Lab at MGH, and worked on global health and bioethics projects through the TIGER Lab at Harvard Medical School. Additionally, I was involved in mentoring and service through programs like Big Sister Boston and avolunteering through St. Francis House and food pantries across Greater Boston. During my gap year, I had the incredible opportunity to work at Dermcare Physicians & Surgeons as a Medical Assistant and a Mohs Surgical Assistant. The mentourship and hands-on experience I've gained through this role have provided me with the skills and perspective I'll carry with me into medical school and into my future career!

Celia Callahan

Undergrad: University of Tampa
Bio: Hi! I'm Celia, and I'm originally from Princeton, MA. I recently graduated from the University of Tampa's Honors College, and I've been working at APDerm for almost two months. I plan to apply to medical school this May, and I'm interested in dermatology, pediatrics, and pediatric anesthesiology. For my honors thesis in undergrad, I studied skin cancer prevention in college students. A fun fact about me is that I was the captain of the cheer team at UTampa and have been tumbling for 15 years. Some of my hobbies include yoga, running my small photography business, and hiking. I'm excited for a great year at APDerm!

Jennifer Smith

Undergrad: Stonehill College
Med School: Accepted into PA School. Assumption University. I have another interview at Bryant University
Bio: My name is Jennifer, and I am originally from the small town of Millis, Massachusetts. I graduated from Stonehill College in Easton, MA, and have recently been accepted into the Physician Assistant Program at Assumption University as part of the Class of 2028. While I am honored to have been accepted, I am currently awaiting decisions from several other programs as I consider my next steps. In June 2024, I joined APDerm as a Mohs Medical Assistant. This role has provided me with invaluable exposure to the field of dermatology and hands-on experience with surgical procedures. I have developed a strong foundation in clinical skills that I know will serve me well throughout my future career as a PA. Some fun facts about me are I enjoy reading, building book nooks, and also aspire to working higher education as a professor. Outside of academics and work, I enjoy reading and building book nooks. I also aspire to work in higher education as a professor one day, combining two passions medicine and teaching.

Tirth Patel

Undergrad: University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Bio: Hi, I’m Tirth Patel. I’m originally from Raynham, Massachusetts, and I graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a bachelor's degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology as a Pre-Medical student. I joined APDerm in May 2025 and plan to apply to medical school in the 2026 cycle, with a strong interest in attending the University of Massachusetts Medical School. I’m passionate about dermatology because it combines clinical problem-solving with hands-on procedures and provides the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in patients’ lives. I’ve seen how skin conditions can impact people’s confidence and self-image, and I find it rewarding to help patients feel more comfortable and confident in their appearance. If not dermatology, I’m also interested in pursuing a specialty such as anesthesiology or pulmonology. Outside of work, I enjoy playing chess and traveling—especially to the mountains.

Abby Hugo

Undergrad: University of South Carolina
Med School: Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) PA Program
Bio: Hello everyone! My name is Abby Hugo and I am originally from North Carolina and completed my undergraduate studies at the University of South Carolina, where I majored in Exercise Science and was also a student-athlete on the women’s soccer team. I joined APDerm in May of 2023, shortly after I graduated college as part of my path toward a career as a Physician Assistant (PA). I applied to PA school last year and was accepted at MCPHS, where I will be starting school in September. I am currently planning to pursue a career as a PA in pediatric orthopedics or sports medicine, as I have strong interest in both sports and working with kids. Outside of work you will most likely find me at the gym, playing pickleball, at the beach (with plenty of sunscreen and protective clothing of course) or hanging out with my friends on the North Shore! Moving away from my family in NC was a difficult decision to make, but ultimately one of the best decisions I ever made. I gained so many clinical skills throughout my time working here, and with the support of my colleagues and providers at APDerm, I am now able to pursue my dream of becoming a PA. I have enjoyed working here so much that I have also decided to stay as Per Diem, and will be back in the clinic whenever I have any breaks during PA school!

Jusrin Padam

Undergrad: Wellesley College
Bio: I was born and raised in Lexington, MA and went to Wellesley College for my undergraduate degree. At Wellesley I studied Psychology and Biochemistry, played for the Women's Varsity Soccer team and started a campus wide thrift store. In my free time I love being outdoors, playing sports, going thrifting and finding good spots to eat! I started at AP Derm in June and am currently on the pre-med track hoping to start medical school within the next few years!

Abigail Hayes

Undergrad: College of the Holy Cross
Bio: My name is Abby and I am from Tewksbury, MA. This past May I graduated from the College of the Holy Cross with my Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry. I plan to go to PA school in the future, possibly specializing in dermatology. I just joined APDerm this July. In my free time, I love spending time outside and reading thriller books.

Daisy Yuyun

Undergrad: University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Bio: Hi, my name is Daisy and I joined APDerm in October 2024. I was born in England but I moved to Lexington, MA when I was a teenager and have lived here ever since. I graduated from UMass Amherst in 2024 where I studied biochemistry & molecular biology. I'm currently applying to medical school for the 2026 cycle and my gap year experience at APDerm has been an excellent introduction to patient care and clinical work. I enjoy learning more about the various skin conditions and have also grown an interest in dermatology as a potential specialty I may choose to go into. Some of my favorite hobbies include reading, painting, pilates and music.

Amir Bird

Undergrad: Wake Forest University
Bio: Hello! I was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and I graduated from Wake Forest University with a degree in Sociology. I joined APDerm in August, 2024 and have loved learning more about dermatology as a gap intern. I plan to attend medical school; I aspire to intertwine medicine and public health in my practice. Outside of work, I enjoy weightlifting, long walks, the visual arts, and spending time with friends. Two fun facts about me: 1) I have a Black Belt in Karate, and 2) I studied abroad in London while at Wake.

Samuel Fontaine

Undergrad: Johns Hopkins University
Bio: I recently graduated from Johns Hopkins University and joined APDerm in June 2025. I'm originally from Monterey, CA and have decided to move to the Boston area to spend my gap years before applying to medical school. I love playing basketball and rooting for Bay Area sports teams (the Warriors and 49ers) and my main interest has been in orthopedics. However, I am still open to many specialties and have been finding a lot of interest recently in dermatologic surgery being an assistant for Mohs surgeries.

Zachary Tympanick

Undergrad: College of the Holy Cross
Bio: Zach attended The College of The Holy Cross and graduated with a degree in Classics. He is from America's hometown, Plymouth, MA, and is currently applying to medical school. He joined APDerm in August 2024 and his interest include listening to vinyls, gardening, and experimenting with cooking. He wants to pursue a surgical specialty in medical school.

Anthony Preci

Undergrad: University of Massachusetts, Boston
Bio: Hello! My name is Tony, and I studied Biochemistry at UMass Boston. Since February 2024, I have been working as a gap-year medical assistant at AP Derm. I am from Natick, and I am currently applying to medical schools for matriculation in Fall 2026. In my free time, I enjoy playing soccer, going to the gym, and spending time with friends and family.