‘Be a light in a dark room’: What dermatologists can do to promote health equity

Key takeaways:

• Patricia Treadwell, MD, FAAD, discussed ways to promote health equity in her John Kenney Jr., MD Lifetime Achievement Award speech.
• She emphasized that dermatologists, as individuals, can make a difference.

SAN DIEGO — Patricia Treadwell, MD, FAAD, the John Kenney Jr., MD, Lifetime Achievement Award and Lectureship presenter, offered simple, daily practices that dermatologists can implement to improve health equity for underrepresented groups.

“One of the things that certainly has been said is that if you do the same thing over and over again and expect that something different is going to happen, that is insanity,” Patricia Treadwell, MD, FAAD, professor emeritus of dermatology and pediatrics at Indiana University School of Medicine, said during the American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting Plenary session. “And so, one of the things that I’d like people in the audience to think about today is what can we do differently? What can we do to change some of the issues that are at hand?”

Treadwell, referring to the health disparities that continue to affect patients with skin of color, suggested practical ways that dermatologists can help achieve health equity for all.

First, she recommended that practicing dermatologists offer opportunities to underrepresented medical students, primarily African American, Hispanic and Native American individuals. These opportunities should also be presented with an encouraging demeanor rather than a challenging one.

“I know of one instance where a chairman of a dermatology department said to a student, ‘Why do you think you can get into dermatology?’” Treadwell recalled, emphasizing the insensitivity of the statement. “Because we know the benefits of diversity, I believe encouragement would be a better approach.”

Treadwell also explained that providing networking opportunities for medical students from underrepresented backgrounds is very important for their success in the field.

“Many of these students may not have connections or a network,” she said. “So, providing those opportunities is important.”

Lastly, mentorship is key for the advancement of these students.

“I certainly have had mentors in my career who have been very helpful,” Treadwell stated. “And that has led me to where I am today.”

Organizations such as the Skin of Color Society offer mentorship, networking and research opportunities for these medical students that can be quite profitable. However, the support of individual dermatologists in this endeavor cannot be understated.

“What you can do doesn’t have to be exceptional,” Treadwell said.

She closed with a quote from Miep Gies, one of the Dutch citizens who helped hide Anne Frank and her family from the Nazis during World War II.

“Each individual in their own small way,” Treadwell said, “can be a light in a dark room.”