Piloting an Asynchronous Dermatology Clerkship Curriculum to Bridge Student-identified Gaps.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Dermatology Training
• Online Learning

Background:

• Dermatology is a frequent reason for healthcare visits but is often underemphasized in medical curricula.
• Medical students express significant dissatisfaction with current dermatology training.
• There is a clear need to enhance dermatologic education for future physicians.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of a novel asynchronous online dermatology curriculum on medical students' knowledge, diagnostic accuracy, and confidence.
• To evaluate student satisfaction with integrated dermatologic training.
• To identify areas for improvement in dermatology medical education.

Main Methods:

• Development and implementation of a ten-module asynchronous online curriculum over two academic years.
• Integration of the curriculum into existing clerkships using interactive case studies, videos, and games.
• Pre- and post-intervention surveys to evaluate changes in diagnostic accuracy, confidence, and overall satisfaction.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements were observed in students' diagnostic accuracy in dermatology.
• Medical student confidence in dermatologic diagnosis and management increased post-intervention.
• Overall satisfaction with dermatology training did not significantly improve despite curriculum enhancements.

Conclusions:

• An asynchronous online curriculum can enhance medical students' diagnostic skills and confidence in dermatology.
• Despite improved performance metrics, overall satisfaction suggests that further integration and pedagogical refinement are necessary.
• Comprehensive and integrated dermatologic education is crucial for preparing competent healthcare providers.