INTRODUCTION
The United States (US) population is becoming increasingly more diverse. According to the 2020 US Census, all racial or ethnic groups experienced population increases, apart from the non-Hispanic White population, which declined by approximately 0.03%.1 It is expected that no single ethnic group will comprise greater than 50% of the US population by 2024.2 Despite this growing diversity, studies have shown that medical education lacks sufficient images of conditions in skin of color (SOC) patients. A recent study that analyzed the content of textbooks assigned at top medical schools reported that skin tone representation favored light skin tones while darker skin tones were underrepresented.3 When evaluating dermatology textbooks, Passby et. al found that around 89% of photographs in the six top best-selling dermatology textbooks were of white skin.4 Given that medical conditions may present differently in different skin tones, limited exposure to images of darker tones in medical training may contribute to incorrect or delayed diagnoses, perpetuating health inequities.
Several academic institutions have launched initiatives aimed at addressing the aforementioned lack of representation, coined Visual Learning Equity (VLE). Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (UPSOM) created a course auditing system to assess the proportion of brown and black skin images in medical school curricula versus images depicting white skin.5 At our institution, the Georgetown University School of Medicine (GUSOM), a 2020 student-led open letter addressed to the school administration called for racial justice reform at multiple levels. This letter prompted the creation of the Racial Justice Committee for Change (RJCC). To address curriculum concerns outlined in the letter, a Curricular Reform Subcommittee was created. Through diversity,
Several academic institutions have launched initiatives aimed at addressing the aforementioned lack of representation, coined Visual Learning Equity (VLE). Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (UPSOM) created a course auditing system to assess the proportion of brown and black skin images in medical school curricula versus images depicting white skin.5 At our institution, the Georgetown University School of Medicine (GUSOM), a 2020 student-led open letter addressed to the school administration called for racial justice reform at multiple levels. This letter prompted the creation of the Racial Justice Committee for Change (RJCC). To address curriculum concerns outlined in the letter, a Curricular Reform Subcommittee was created. Through diversity,
