Examining diversity and community engagement dermatology residency positions in the United States

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Diversity and Community Engagement (DCE) residency positions have recently emerged to promote diversity and encourage academic investigation in caring for underserved populations. DCE residents pursue traditional medical and surgical residency training plus scholarly work and leadership in diversity, equity, inclusion, and community engagement. We describe DCE dermatology residency positions to provide a roadmap for educators who are interested in creating similar positions. Methods: Websites of 138 ACGME-accredited dermatology residency programs were reviewed, which revealed DCE residency positions affiliated with Duke School of Medicine and University of Pennsylvania. Semistructured interviews were held with key faculty members at these institutions to discuss program vision and to identify associated benefits and challenges. Results: The vision of these programs was to prioritize increasing DCE initiatives by recruiting residents who had sustained interest in research, educational programs, and/or community service specific to diversity and inclusion. DCE residents were encouraged to pursue their interests through clinical electives and scholarly work;many completed research projects on diseases that disproportionately affect people of color. Key benefits of these positions include expanded curriculum on diversity and inclusion and increased community outreach efforts by all faculty and residents. Other benefits include demonstrated department commitment to diversity and community engagement, which contributed to increased underrepresented in medicine residency applicants. Challenges include initial conceptualization of program funding and maintaining community outreach initiatives during the COVID-19 pandemic. Discussion: DCE residency positions provide personalized graduate medical education and may foster the next generation of leaders who are dedicated to caring for underserved populations.