Dermoscopy Curriculum in Family Medicine Residency Bridges Gap Between Dermatological Care of Skin Malignancies in Rural, Underserved Medical Communities

Abstract

An important aspect of any family medicine resident’s training is the ability to competently diagnose and manage common skin conditions, including differentiating between benign and potentially malignant skin lesions. This is particularly important for residents planning to practice in rural or underserved areas where patients may have limited access to specialty dermatologists due to barriers related to their social determinants of health. The authors believe that training family medicine residents in the effective use of dermoscopy can improve the accuracy with which they are able to differentiate between benign and malignant skin lesions, and thereby reduce the need for unnecessary and burdensome referrals to dermatology specialists. Use of the triage amalgamated dermoscopic algorithm (TADA) as part of a family medicine residency’s dermatology curriculum is a simple and effective way to train residents in the use of dermoscopy, and could prove to be an important part of how FM GME programs produce a primary care workforce with the knowledge and skills required to care for the healthcare needs of rural and underserved patient populations.