title: Skin cancer examination teaching in US medical education.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine physician preparation for performing the skin cancer examination (SCE).
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated medical students' observation, training, and practice of the SCE; hours spent in a dermatology clinic; and self-reported skill level for the SCE by a self-administered survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Graduating students at 7 US medical schools during the 2002-2003 academic year.
  
  
  METHODS
  Percentages of students reporting SCE skill observation, training, and practice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 934 students, 659 (70.6%) completed surveys. Twenty-three percent of students had never observed an SCE, 26.7% had never been trained to perform an SCE, and 43.4% had never examined a patient for skin cancer. Only 28.2% rated themselves as somewhat or very skilled in the SCE. This rate dropped to 19.7% among 553 students who had not completed a dermatology elective. Compared with students without training, students who had been trained at least once in the SCE were 7 times more likely to rate themselves as being somewhat or very skilled in the SCE. Sixty-nine percent of students agreed that insufficient emphasis in their medical training was placed on learning about the SCE.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This survey documents the need for more consistent training of medical students in SCE. Even brief curricular additions would augment students' perceived skill levels and improve practice patterns and competencies of future physicians. More frequent and improved SCEs might result in earlier detection of melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancers by nondermatologists, with significant public health benefits.
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, USA.
authors.forename: Megan M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: Alan C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Geller
authors.forename: Zi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Benjamin B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.forename: Kendra
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bergstrom
authors.forename: Julia E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Graves
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Juan-Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Martinez
authors.forename: Ladan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shahabi
authors.forename: Donald R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Barbara A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Gilchrest
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003479:Curriculum / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003880:Dermatology / Q000193:education* / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000592:standards*; D012577:Schools, Medical / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology