Temporary tattoos to simulate skin disease: report and validation of a novel teaching tool

Dermatology is a visual specialty requiring examination and description of skin lesions and the development of analytic skills to establish a diagnosis. Student education in dermatology is challenged by several factors. Although 10% to 15% of a general practitioner's consultations are related to the skin, dermatology is often underrepresented in undergraduate medical curriculums. In addition, more serious lesions, such as malignant melanoma (MM), are promptly biopsied and may not be available for students' examination. The authors carried out this study to learn whether a novel educational tool, a temporary tattoo, could successfully simulate an MM.

Eighty-one dermatologists and 14 dermatology residents participated in this validity study of a tattoo applied to the arm of a standardized patient (SP) to simulate an MM. The study was conducted at the 82nd Annual Canadian Dermatology Association Conference held in June 2007 in Toronto, Canada.

A correct diagnosis was made by 93.8% (76/81) of the dermatologists and 90.5% of the participants (86/95) overall. The tattoo was also evaluated as being very realistic on a five-point Likert scale.

The validation of the tattoo shows potential for use in medical education, such as SP visits and examinations. This teaching tool can be used to simulate a variety of skin lesions, providing a way to visually examine a lesion on the skin of an SP, which would enhance the medical student's learning experience.