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More Doctors Need to Learn to Spot Skin Cancers

Resident physicians should be taught to screen for suspicious lesions, researchers say

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."

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