INTRODUCTION
The need for diversification in dermatology has been increasingly highlighted. However, until recently there had been a lack of emphasis on the pathway that unites all physicians: medical education. Fortunately, current articles have begun to provide suggestions for the role of medical education in improving diversity and inclusivity in our field.1,2 Key curricular changes in dermatology education can impact medical students' experiences and emphasize dermatology's commitment to cultural sensitivity. Here, we outline a roadmap for the development of a diverse and inclusive medical student dermatology curriculum.
It is important to first evaluate the pre-existing curriculum. At our institution, first-year medical students receive a required one-week course on dermatology. We assessed thematic content by cataloging diseases and topics covered in our preexisting curriculum (Table 1). To assess photographic content, lecture photographs were classified as appearing in lighter (non-SOC: FST I-III) or darker skin tones (SOC: FST IV-VI) by two trained reviewers. Discrepancies were resolved by an attending dermatologist. We found that disorders such as acne, dyschromia, and alopecia were not represented in our thematic content, yet are top conditions for which SOC patients seek dermatologic care.3,4 SOC photographic content varied across lectures, ranging from 0-42%. Overall, however, a total of 84/399 images (21%) shown were in darker skin tones. This classification of photographs does have limitations, yet was our best surrogate to approximate photographic diversity.
The second step is to diversify lecture content and photographs.
It is important to first evaluate the pre-existing curriculum. At our institution, first-year medical students receive a required one-week course on dermatology. We assessed thematic content by cataloging diseases and topics covered in our preexisting curriculum (Table 1). To assess photographic content, lecture photographs were classified as appearing in lighter (non-SOC: FST I-III) or darker skin tones (SOC: FST IV-VI) by two trained reviewers. Discrepancies were resolved by an attending dermatologist. We found that disorders such as acne, dyschromia, and alopecia were not represented in our thematic content, yet are top conditions for which SOC patients seek dermatologic care.3,4 SOC photographic content varied across lectures, ranging from 0-42%. Overall, however, a total of 84/399 images (21%) shown were in darker skin tones. This classification of photographs does have limitations, yet was our best surrogate to approximate photographic diversity.
The second step is to diversify lecture content and photographs.
