The Impact of Accessibility to Images of Disease Prevention on Skin of Color in Facilitating Content Delivery by Faculty in the First- and Second-Year Curriculum

Introduction The representation of darker skin tones in academic medical literature is inadequate, hindering education and accurate diagnoses. Skin conditions can present differently in high versus low pigmented skin types, leading to misdiagnosis and delayed treatment if diverse images are not included in medical education. The lack of comprehensive representation directly impacts patient outcomes, perpetuating disparities in health care delivery. This inconsistency in depicting diverse skin presentations in educational resources impairs cultural competency, perpetuates stigma, and reduces patient trust. Ensuring that disease presentations are accurately represented across all skin tones is essential for improving diagnostic accuracy and equitable patient care. This study aimed to evaluate the integration and effectiveness of skin of color (SOC) resources in medical education at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med). Methods A pre-post study design conducted at UNR Med evaluated the utilization of SOC resources by faculty teaching curricular blocks 1–10 between July 2022 and June 2023. Curricular blocks encompassed pre-clerkship educational modules focusing on foundational medical sciences and clinical skills. Pre- and post-surveys assessed the effectiveness of SOC resources. Faculty teaching these blocks rated their integration of disease presentations with SOC images. A SOC Medical Education Database, containing diverse dermatological images and curated teaching materials, was developed to support faculty. Statistical analyses, including Fisher’s exact, Z tests, Wilcoxon rank-sum, and Kruskal-Wallis H tests, were performed using SPSS 25.0. Results In the pre-survey, 41 participants were asked about SOC image usage in medical education: 53.7% reported using SOC images, while 46.3% did not, with no significant differences across curriculum levels. A critical finding was that 85% of respondents identified a gap between clinical settings and textbook resources, indicating that students are often underprepared to diagnose skin conditions in SOC patients. SOC image utility received positive ratings on a 5-point Likert scale (Year 1: 3.77, Year 2: 4.56, Combined: 4.05). Among 29 follow-up respondents, 96% agreed that SOC disease presentations enhanced student learning. Although no significant statistical differences were found across curriculum levels, 66.7% of faculty reported that the SOC Medical Education Database facilitated the integration of diverse images into their teaching. Conclusion This study highlights the underrepresentation of SOC images in medical education and its implications for clinical competence. The failure to incorporate diverse skin presentations in training risks perpetuating misdiagnoses and contributing to health care disparities. The SOC Medical Education Database was developed to address this gap, but its adoption by faculty remains limited. To bridge the disparity between clinical and textbook teaching, UNR Med should enhance the pre-clerkship curriculum with targeted faculty training, incentivizing database usage, and incorporating diversity-focused workshops. Ensuring that future physicians are equipped to recognize disease presentations across all skin tones is essential for equitable health care. Continued initiatives, including a freely accessible database, aim to promote diversity in medical education and foster cultural competency in future health care providers.