The Full Spectrum of Dermatology: A Diverse and Inclusive Atlas is expanding to further address disparities in dermatologic care.
Three years after its print debut, followed by the launch of the Inclusive Derm Atlas Online Gallery, the program continues to expand, raising awareness and helping healthcare practitioners better understand the subtle differences and nuances of skin conditions across all skin tones.
“Access to resources that are equally inclusive to all skin tones is critical, and I am pleased to see this new wave of resources becoming available and being important within dermatology, a specialty based on what is visible,” says co-editor Misty Eleryan, MD, in a news release.
“Over the last three years, we have ensured every dermatology resident has this important resource in hand, entered the social media universe with gamified offerings using the images, and presented the history and value of the atlas on the international stage. That said, there is so much more to do,” adds co-editor Adam Friedman, MD.
The print edition includes skin conditions with side-by-side images as well as expert commentary on the distinct features and characteristics of conditions, which can assist dermatology clinicians in making an accurate diagnosis in any skin tone. The print version of The Full Spectrum of Dermatology: A Diverse and Inclusive Atlas was released to all U.S. dermatology residents in 2021, and since then more than 17,000 copies have been printed and delivered worldwide.
“While the creation of The Full Spectrum of Dermatology: A Diverse and Inclusive Atlas is an accomplishment in and of itself, its true value is its ability to help dermatology clinicians recognize skin conditions in their patients in real time,” says Ellen Quiros, Galderma USA, supporter of the atlas. “Every dermatology patient deserves high quality care no matter their skin tone. That’s why we continue to support distributing this atlas in order to get it into the hands of as many dermatology clinicians as possible.”
The Full Spectrum of Dermatology Inclusive Derm Atlas Online Gallery launched in 2022 and is hosted on JDDonline.com in partnership with the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology. The online gallery now contains more than 1,300 high-quality, medical grade images of real patients in more than 140 skin conditions; the image bank has doubled in size since its inauguration. New images are continuously added to this ever-expanding database, carefully vetted by the Atlas Council, and Drs. Eleryan and Friedman.
All images on the online gallery are available royalty-free for non-commercial educational use, making it an invaluable resource for educators and practitioners alike.
“Every presentation I give, no matter the stage, so to speak, utilizes images from the atlas,” Dr. Friedman says. “The images are so simple to use – and free! By being purposeful in our development of educational efforts, we ensure that the future dermatology community can take care of all dermatologic issues for all patients.”
“It’s important to have an equal visual representation of all skin tones in medical education because it is beneficial to our patients,” Dr. Eleryan says. “My hope is for skin tone diversity and inclusion to be the standard and for our specialty to no longer accept educational resources which fall below that standard.”
The publishers have also shared the images with Medscape and Derm In-Review, so that their educational resources and networks can leverage these diverse and inclusive images in presentations, articles, textbooks and study tools that benefit both practicing dermatologists as well as residents and fellows studying for the American Board of Dermatology exam.
“This is a multifaceted win as the basic, core and applied exams tend to be image heavy,” Dr. Friedman says. “Marrying the images with the certification exam high yield content in the Derm In-Review study guide helps solidify and retain the information while at the same time allows the reader to gain a broader appreciation and understanding of how even common skin conditions can look different on different skin tones.”
Published by SanovaWorks, The Full Spectrum of Dermatology: A Diverse and InclusiveAtlas has been supported by Galderma USA and Cetaphil since 2022 after skinbetter science and the Allergan Aesthetics DREAM Initiative funded the project’s inception.
CAPTION: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS)
Image source: The Full Spectrum of Dermatology: A Diverse and Inclusive Atlas
