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Efficacy of a Nail Cadaver Lab as a Teaching Tool for Dermatology Residents
Christian Bailey-Burke1, Jennifer Panara2, Guanlin Guo3
1Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.
Introduction:
Instruction in nail procedures is limited in dermatology residency programs. Cadaveric-based educational sessions can help bridge the gap in nail procedure knowledge and confidence in residency education. This study evaluates a combined didactic and hands-on cadaveric workshop for two cohorts of second- and third-year dermatology residents at a single institution (2023 and 2025).
Methods:
Second- and third-year dermatology residents completed a pre-survey prior to the session to assess their comfort and confidence with nail procedures prior to completing a didactic nail surgery lecture and subsequent nail procedure cadaveric training. Participants completed a post-survey within a week after the nail cadaver lab training to re-assess their experience and confidence.
Results:
Participants demonstrated significant post-intervention improvements in comfort with nail procedures, including instruments needed to perform nail procedures, postoperative care, nail matrix biopsies, and nail avulsions, with confidence in complete and partial nail avulsions doubling. All residents endorsed the session's effectiveness and recommended repeating it for future dermatology residents.
Conclusion:
These findings highlight nail procedure cadaveric training as a reproducible, scalable intervention to address gaps in procedural dermatology education and enhance residents' skills in nail surgery.
