How to Navigate Challenging Patient Encounters in Dermatology Residency.

Dermatology residents experience a variety of challenging clinical encounters in their work. There are multiple factors that can contribute to the clinical situation to make it challenging-not only for the resident but also for the patient. Thankfully, there are several strategies published in the medical literature that may be utilized to mediate conflict resolution and de-escalate tension in the dermatology clinic.

Sensitive Skin: A Survey of Dermatology Resident Physicians' Perspectives and Educational Exposures.

Sensitive skin (SS) is a common patient complaint presenting to the dermatology office, but there exists a lack of consensus on defining criteria and evidence-based management approaches. Furthermore, incorporation of SS training into the dermatology residency curriculum is unknown, and therefore the authors herein sought to determine dermatology resident physicians' exposure to education about SS, perspectives on SS, and management approaches. Ninety-nine percent of residents believe that SS should be included in some capacity in their dermatology residency training. However, less than half of responding residents received education specifically about SS during their training and less than one-fourth of residents reported feeling very knowledgeable about SS diagnosis, clinical evaluation, or management. Residents who had received specific education about SS were significantly more likely to self-describe as "very knowledgeable" about all queried topics. Residents reported challenges with all aspects of SS patient care, and cited heterogenous approaches to SS patients. These data highlight a gap in residency education, as indicated by limited consensus over diagnostic and management approaches to SS.J Drugs Dermatol. 2024;23(2):85-89.   doi:10.36849/JDD.7830.

Dermatology teaching for undergraduate medical students in clinical routine - a structured four-week curriculum.

BACKGROUND: Dermatology teaching is fundamental for the promotion of young colleagues in our specialty. However, traditional teaching methods are being scrutinized by students of the 'Generation Y and Z', which can pose new challenges for teaching institutions. We therefore aimed to assess the motivational impact and reception of a newly created four-week curriculum containing modernized teaching methods integrated into clinical routine. METHODS: In this single-center study, 67 medical students completed this curriculum composed of weekly learning objectives including knowledge of morphological terms, 10 common dermatoses, communication and presentation skills. The participants provided information on their level of interest in dermatology each week as well as positive and negative aspects of the curriculum. RESULTS: During the curriculum a significant median increase in interest in dermatology was reported with no differences between the genders. Low initial interest could be improved, high initial interest maintained. Participants with an interest in scientific work (20.9%) were more motivated during the curriculum. The variety, quality of teaching and structure were the main aspects rated positively. Suggestions for improvement included the need for more teaching by senior doctors, transfer of responsibility, and a working environment updated to the latest technology standards. CONCLUSION: The presented curriculum was well received by the participants and allowed to better define learning preferences of new generations which can be helpful to modernize traditional teaching methods. Interest in scientific work could be a factor to identify students with a particularly strong interest in dermatology.

Effectiveness of a leadership conference for chief residents in dermatology.

The position of chief resident involves increased leadership, mentorship, and management responsibilities. There is no standardized procedure in which dermatology chief residents are trained and prepared for their final year of residency. In 2008, an annual Dermatology Chief Academy conference was initiated in which incoming chief residents were given formal leadership training for their new role. At the 2020 conference, residents completed a survey regarding their expectations and experience of this conference. After the conference, residents felt significantly better prepared for their new role as chief residents, handling conflicts, and effective leadership. A formal leadership conference for incoming chief residents is vital for improving the success of a residency program.

Evaluating medical undergraduates' and dermatology faculty members' perception of using three-dimensional images as part of dermatology education in a time of COVID-19: a mixed-methods study.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus-19 pandemic has impacted the delivery of medical education in dermatology, leading to decreased patient contact. There arose a need to pioneer innovative teaching tools to augment current methods for now and beyond the pandemic. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to assess the utility of three-dimensional (3D) images in the learning and teaching of dermatology by analysing the perceptions of medical undergraduates and faculty members in a qualitative and quantitative study. METHODS: Medical undergraduates (n = 119) and dermatology faculty members (n = 20) were recruited on a voluntary basis to watch a showcase session using a portable 3D imaging system allowing 3D images of skin lesions to be examined and digitally manipulated. After the session, participants filled in an anonymous questionnaire evaluating their perceptions. RESULTS: Of the 119 learners, most (> 84%) strongly agreed/agreed that (i) they would have more confidence in the field of dermatology; (ii) their ability to describe skin lesions would increase; (iii) their understanding of common dermatological conditions would increase; (iv) 3D images allow a greater approximation to real-life encounters than 2D images; and (v) learning with this modality would be useful. Of the 20 faculty members, most (> 84%) strongly agreed/agreed that (i) it is easier to teach with the aid of 3D images, and (ii) they would want access to 3D images during teaching sessions. Skin tumours were perceived to be learnt best via this modality in terms of showcasing topography (P < 0.01) and close approximation to real-life (P < 0.001). Overall, thematic analysis from qualitative analysis revealed that conditions learnt better with 3D images were those with surface changes and characteristic topography. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that the greatest utility of 3D images lies in conditions where lesions have skin surface changes in the form of protrusions or depressions, such as in skin tumours or ulcers. As such, 3D images can be useful teaching tools in dermatology, especially in conditions where appreciation of surface changes and topography is important.

Geomapping of pediatric dermatologists: A tool to promote diversity and equity in dermatology.

There is a lack of racial and ethnic diversity across the field of dermatology, including the subspecialty of pediatric dermatology. Residency programs are improving recruitment and mentorship of medical students who identify with racial or ethnic minority communities (underrepresented in medicine [URiM]) to dermatology overall, a goal similarly held by our subspecialty. The objectives of this study were to create an online mapping tool to visually centralize the list of 142 dermatology residency programs, 105 with practicing pediatric dermatologists on faculty and 51 that offer financial scholarships for URiM visiting medical students completing away rotations. With this tool, we hope that prospective students may not only identify potential pediatric dermatology mentors for virtual and in-person activities, but that they may also build connections with and increase their chance of matching at prospective residency programs with demonstrable commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Home Is Where the Match Is: Mentorship and Dermatology Residency Match Trends Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Dermatology is one of the most competitive residencies for matching among medical school applicants. A strong connection with a residency program through research or clinical rotations may distinguish between similarly qualified applicants. Our previous study of research-mentor relationships among matched dermatology applicants corroborated the importance of program connections.1 However, the 2020-2021 residency match cycle was uniquely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, which prevented applicants from fostering connections with faculty at outside institutions. Our study objectives were to evaluate research-mentor relationships among matched dermatology applicants in the 2020-2021 pandemic match cycle with comparisons to pre-pandemic match cycles.