Family practice center-based training in skin disorders: a photographic approach.

BACKGROUND

The majority of family practice residency programs rely on lectures and rotations in dermatologists' offices for training their residents about skin disorders. However, in a dermatologist's office, residents may not receive enough exposure to the types of skin problems typically seen in a family physician's office.

METHODS

A longitudinal, family practice center-based training experience was developed in which residents photographed patients with skin conditions and presented the cases to a dermatologist at a monthly teaching conference. Fifteen residents who were exposed to two different instructional methods (the photography conference and rotations with dermatologists) were surveyed to determine their preferred instructional method for learning to diagnose and manage skin disorders.

RESULTS

Over a 2-year period, a total of 232 skin lesions were photographed and presented. The distribution of the photographed skin disorders differed from the distribution of skin problems found in a national survey of dermatologists' practices. Of the residents surveyed, 93% preferred monthly photography conferences to rotations in dermatologists' offices for learning about children's skin problems. Eighty-six percent preferred using the photography conferences for learning about treatment of skin diseases.

CONCLUSIONS

A longitudinal, family practice center-based experience using photographic presentations of skin lesions is a valuable adjunct for teaching family practice residents about skin disorders.