Skin of Color Society To Address Racism in Medicine

Skin of Color Society, NEJM Group, and VisualDx have announced a series of virtual panel discussions that call attention to health disparities and structural racism in medicine. The four-part webinar series, “The Impact of Skin Color and Ethnicity on Clinical Diagnosis and Research,” will delve into longstanding problems in education, research, and patient care as well as introduce ways to improve outcomes in marginalized patients.
 
Studies have shown patients with darker skin experience worse health outcomes than patients with lighter skin. This free series will address the socioeconomic factors, structural racism, and implicit bias that lead to disparities, as well as look at how the medical community can address these issues by offering tangible, real-world solutions. Each discussion will feature insights from renowned experts, thought leaders and advocates that are driving the industry forward to improve the health and lives of underrepresented populations.
 
The four-part series will feature the following topics and leading physicians:
 
“Structural Racism and Racial Bias in Medicine,” October 28 at 1 pm ET: Focused on identifying health disparities and highlighting solutions to address this issue such as medical education, more training and funding, and fast-tracking research publication. Panelists include Susan C. Taylor, MD, Henry W. Lim, MD, and Maritza I. Perez, MD; the discussion will be moderated by Susan Saulny.
 
“Hair Disorders in People of Color,” November 12 at 1 pm ET: Focused on the external factors and systemic diseases that can cause hair loss, and the need for physicians to understand the effect of ethnicity on the significance and cultural meaning of hair loss to better treat this critical problem. Panelists include Ncoza Dlova, MBChB, FCDerm, PhD and Andrew F. Alexis, MD, MPH; the discussion will be moderated by Amy McMichael, MD.
 
“Pigmentary Disorders and Keloids,” November 18 at 1 pm ET: Focused on sharing the latest research and treatment options on keloids/hypertrophic scarring and on the breadth of pigmentary disorders and how these conditions are often signs of systemic disease, causing serious psychological and social ramifications. Panelists include Seemal R. Desai, MD, FAAD, and Donald A. Glass II, MD, PhD; the discussion will be moderated by Pearl E. Grimes, MD.
 
“COVID-19 Comorbidities and Cutaneous Manifestations of Systemic Diseases in Adults and Children,” December 2 at 1 pm ET: Focused on the challenges of recognizing systemic diseases in melanin-rich skin types, using skin signs of COVID-19 morbidities to demonstrate the need to improve diagnostic accuracy and efficiency in patients of color. Panelists include Lynn McKinley-Grant, MD, FAAD, Candrice R. Heath, MD, and Ginette A. Okoye, MD.
 
“For 20 years, we have been committed to improving diagnosis and care in patients with skin of color,” said Art Papier, MD, CEO of VisualDx. “We are thrilled to team up with such exemplary partners who share in that commitment. Now is the time to not only talk about racial disparities, but to do something impactful about the problem by equipping our clinicians with the ongoing education, training, and comprehensive information tools needed to improve patient care.”
 
“Implicit bias and structural racism play a central role in the development of health care disparities. One example is misdiagnosis of skin diseases in patients of color,” said Kathy Charlton, managing director of NEJM Group Education and Applied Knowledge. “NEJM Group is pleased to be a part of this collaborative effort with Skin of Color Society and VisualDx to engage and educate clinicians to strive for diagnostic quality and accuracy in patients of color.”
 
“Founded 16 years ago, the Skin of Color Society’s (SOCS) programs in education, research, and mentoring and SOCS' collaboration with other dermatology societies have significantly increased the numbers of underrepresented minority dermatologists, research grants, publications, and educational opportunities in skin of color dermatology. SOCS welcomes this collaboration with NEJM Group and VisualDx. These webinars exemplify the type of education needed to understand implicit bias and eliminate health disparities in people of color,” said Lynn McKinley-Grant, MD, FAAD, SOCS President.
 
These events are free and open to the public but are geared toward frontline healthcare workers, said organizers. More informatuion can be found here.