Adam Friedman, MD, professor and chair of the Department of Dermatology at the George Washington University (GW) School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS), and Misty Eleryan, MD, RESD ’20, former GW chief dermatology resident and current fellowship-trained Mohs micrographic surgeon, have developed a new resource for dermatologists, dermatology residents, and other clinicians: The Full Spectrum of Dermatology: A Diverse and Inclusive Atlas.
“As clinicians, we must be able to accurately recognize and manage skin conditions in every patient, and to do so, we must be able to appreciate unique nuances between skin tones for even the most common of dermatologic diseases. This uniquely formatted atlas is designed to ensure inclusivity and diversity in dermatology education for current and future practitioners,” Friedman said. “With contributions from students, including Nagasai Adusumulli (GW SMHS MD Class of 2022), residents, and faculty from multiple institutions, we now have a comprehensive, visual guide to dermatological conditions across the spectrum of skin tones.”
This atlas, which features high-quality, full-color images provided by dermatology fellows trained in medical photography, aims to advance education among clinicians. The intent, according to Friedman, is to visually teach health care practitioners, especially dermatologists and dermatology residents, how to recognize conditions regardless of the skin tone.
“Diverse skin tones are the beauty and strength of our nation. It’s when we begin to highlight and celebrate these differences that we can truly learn from them,” said Eleryan. “This book is a celebratory, educational resource that I hope is just the beginning of true inclusivity in the field of medicine, especially dermatology. My hope is this sparks even more resources to address the gaps in knowledge as it pertains to dermatologic conditions in melanin-rich skin.”
Atlas Advisory Council Member and GW Dermatology Chief Resident Blair Allais, MD, said, “As a dermatology resident in training, I have been able to witness firsthand how important it is to be able to recognize and diagnose dermatologic disease in all different skin tones. This is imperative to providing high-quality, equitable care for our patients. Working to bridge the gap and help create a lasting educational resource that will address this issue has been, without a doubt, one of the highlights of my residency and a project that I will forever cherish.”
The atlas, published by SanovaWorks and Educational Testing & Assessment Systems, was supported by Allergan Aesthetics and SkinBetter Science. Copies of the atlas are being shipped to all U.S. dermatology residents and program directors.
