Dermoscopy Education Investigation: A Tool for Students’ Clinical Decision Making

Work Type

Poster

Abstract

In the United States, skin cancer is the most common cancer diagnosis. 1in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer by the age 70 and when detected early the 5-year survival rate is 99%.1 Skin exams are a safe and cost-effective screening method available to patients to identify suspicion lesions. This exam can be performed by any provider with the aid of a dermatoscope. When a dermatoscope is used the provider will utilize a technique called dermoscopy. The role of Dermoscopy plays a vital role in clinical practice by allowing the clinician to view the skin’s morphologic features that undetectable to the naked eye.2 Dermoscopy is a proven clinical skill that when used accurately can improve diagnostic accuracy and clinical judgement. Highlighting that dermoscopy has a critical role in improving clinical decision making thus ultimately reducing the number of unnecessary biopsies, health care cost, unwanted outcomes and morbidity. Currently, there is limited data on how or if dermoscopy is taught during PA education. However, many students desire to incorporate dermoscopy in their future practice and believe that learning dermoscopy should be required during PA school rather than after graduation. A study conducted by Middleton and colleagues found that 59% of PA students that participated in their study believed that PAs should be trained in dermoscopy and majority of the students wanted to incorporate dermoscopy in their future practice.3

Significance:

dermoscopy has a critical role in improving clinical decision making thus ultimately reducing the number of unnecessary biopsies, health care cost, unwanted outcomes and morbidity. Additionally, not all patients will seek a dermatologist for a skin evaluation due to either accessibility, cost or availability. Often the first stop for patients is their PCP. However, providers in women’s health, ENT, plastic surgery and ophthalmology may also encounter suspicious skin lesions. Therefore, all providers can play a critical role in the diagnosis and management of skin lesions. As an individual that has been diagnosed with melanoma in situ, that was originally diagnosed as benign through a clinical evolution without a dermatoscope, motivated me to further understand how dermatology education could be expanded.

Guiding Questions:

The aim of this project was to investigate if PA programs included dermoscopy in their specific curriculum and to address the following research questions:

  • If PA programs include dermoscopy in the curriculum, how is it taught/incorporated?
  • What barriers contribute to lack of dermoscopy education in PA programs?

Publication Date

5-17-2026

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