Nanette B. Silverberg, MD: Diversifying Dermatology Studies

In a recent entry of the This Year in Medicine series, prominent dermatologists spoke of racial disparities in the field of dermatology.

Of the myriad of reasons for these disparities, education on skin of color is a primary factor. Additionally, the education of skin of color is often influenced by location, exposure, and location.

In an interview with HCPLive, Nanette B. Silverberg, MD, Chief of Pediatric Dermatology for Mount Sinai Health System and Member of Society for Pediatric Dermatology, spoke of the lack of exposure that some dermatologists experience regarding skin of color.

Silverberg noted that while physicians in bigger cities across the US might treat a more diverse patient population, under-representation in training can be seen in various parts of the country, in addition to a lack of resources and educational tools on darker skin types.

Because of this, many physicians and dermatologists across the US have lobbied for the inclusion of darker skin types in current studies.

“It's wonderful that there's really so much interest in it now, but there have been so many physicians who are really truly dedicated to the topic in the past few decades, that have really helped bring it to the forefront,” Silverberg said. “But it's so important in education, because our population is becoming progressively more diverse, and also because disparity interacts with skin of color, particularly in the United States.”

To hear more of the changes regarding education of skin of color, watch the video above.