Assessing students' ability to detect melanomas using standardized patients and moulage

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Dermatology
• Oncology

Background:

• Early melanoma detection by physicians can decrease mortality rates.
• Medical students often lack sufficient exposure to melanoma cases during training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the melanoma detection skills of fourth-year medical students at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
• To evaluate student proficiency in recognizing simulated melanoma lesions.

Main Methods:

• Melanoma moulages were placed on standardized patients during a wrist pain examination.
• Observers reviewed videotapes and student documentation for evidence of lesion detection, history taking, and counseling.

Main Results:

• Only 22.6% (43/190) of students detected the simulated melanoma.
• Of those who noticed the lesion, 13 failed to document it or advise the patient.
• Students focused on lesion changes but neglected broader skin examination or lymph node palpation.

Conclusions:

• The study identified a significant deficit in medical students' ability to detect melanoma.
• Training methods, such as time-restricted standardized patient encounters, may impede thorough medical evaluations.
• Standardized patient examinations offer a potential avenue to enhance physicians-in-training's competence in skin cancer screening.