More Doctors Need to Learn to Spot Skin Cancers
MONDAY, Oct. 19 (HealthDay News) -- Too few resident physicians have been trained in skin cancer examinations or watched or practiced the procedure, U.S. researchers report.
In a survey of 342 resident physicians in family medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics and internal medicine, researchers collected information on the participants' training and experience with skin cancer exams as well as their level of skill in performing the exams.
"Clinical training for the skin cancer examination during residency was infrequent," wrote Dr. Emily Wise, of the Boston University School of Medicine, and colleagues. "During residency, 75.8 percent were never trained in the skin cancer examination, 55.3 percent never observed a skin cancer examination and 57.4 percent never practiced the examination. Only 15.9 percent of residents reported being skilled in the skin cancer examination."
The researchers found that performing four skin cancer examinations (about one per year of residency) was associated with improvements in skill levels reported by the respondents.
The findings are published in the October issue of the Archives of Dermatology.
Melanoma is the second-most common cause of cancer in Americans aged 15 to 29.
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