Dermatology education in internal medicine residency programs: A nationwide survey of program directors

Abstract

To the Editor: Skin diseases are commonly evaluated by primary care physicians and hospital-based internists. However, physicians-in-training in generalist fields often receive inadequate dermatology education,1 with up to 85% of internal medicine (IM) residents reporting feeling uncomfortable or very uncomfortable managing dermatologic issues in ambulatory clinics.2 The Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) mandates “opportunities for experience” in dermatology for IM residents3 but specifies neither the quality of these experiences nor methods to ensure curricular effectiveness.