Diversifying Skin Tone Representation in Medical School Dermatology Curriculum

TL;DR

This study shows that adding more skin of color examples to medical school curricula improves students' confidence in diagnosing dermatologic conditions in diverse patients.

Contribution

The study demonstrates that increased skin tone diversity in teaching materials enhances medical students' diagnostic confidence for skin of color.

Findings

Students in 2022 showed increased comfort diagnosing skin conditions in people of color compared to 2020.

Exposure to diverse dermatologic photos correlated with greater diagnostic confidence among students.

The study supports the need to integrate skin of color content into medical education to reduce health disparities.

Abstract

The lack of diversity in medical education contributes to disparities in dermatologic health outcomes, particularly for patients of color. This study evaluates second-year medical students’ comfort in diagnosing conditions in skin of color (SOC) and explores strategies to improve their confidence. We hypothesize that a curriculum enriched with SOC representation will enhance diagnostic skills. Surveys from Fall 2020 and Fall 2022 showed increased student comfort in diagnosing SOC. Fall 2022 students, exposed to more diverse dermatologic photos, demonstrated greater confidence. These findings underscore the necessity of integrating SOC content into medical curricula to address healthcare disparities.

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