716 Supporting diversity in skin science: Development of a summer curriculum for underrepresented minority medical students

Abstract

Diversity in the scientific workforce fosters innovation, improves research quality, increases the likelihood of generalizable findings, and builds public trust. Despite a recent commitment to diversity in dermatology, gender, racial and ethnic diversity in skin science is still lacking. We developed a 6-week summer curriculum for underrepresented minority (URM) medical students conducting research with a faculty mentor in our department. The curriculum goals were to: create a supportive environment for URM students to develop research mentorship relationships, expose URM students to the breadth of research in dermatology, and facilitate acquisition of skills needed for academic success. The curriculum consisted of a weekly lunch seminar series led by faculty; peer mentoring with residents; and an informational career panel. Students attended resident didactics, and networking events were held to facilitate mentoring. All students completed program evaluations. Seven URM students (6 rising MS2s, and 1 rising MS4) from 5 medical schools participated (5 female, 5 black, 2 Hispanic, 1 Native American, 3 bi-racial). Two students received Dermatology Foundation Diversity Supplement awards and 2 received departmental funding designated for URM students. 5/7 reported having an academic mentor and 4/7 reported having a dermatology mentor at their home institutions. Upon program completion, students reported improved understanding of dermatology research and careers in dermatology, and feeling better prepared to read an article, give a presentation and write an academic paper. 4/7 reported financial constraints and affordable housing as the primary barrier to program participation. All were extremely likely to continue their mentoring relationship with their assigned mentors. We report an initiative aimed at supporting and cultivating racial and ethnic diversity in investigative dermatology. Longitudinal data are needed to understand the impact and long-term outcomes of this initiative.