Practice and Educational Gaps in Surgery for Skin Cancer

Murad Alam; Abigail Waldman; Ian A Maher

doi:10.1016/j.det.2016.02.012

Practice and Educational Gaps in Surgery for Skin Cancer

Dermatol Clin. 2016 Jul;34(3):335-9. doi: 10.1016/j.det.2016.02.012.

Authors

Murad Alam¹, Abigail Waldman², Ian A Maher³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Dermatology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 676 North St. Clair Street, Suite 1600, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Otolaryngology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 676 North St. Clair Street, Suite 1600, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 676 North St. Clair Street, Suite 1600, Chicago, IL 60611, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Department of Dermatology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 676 North St. Clair Street, Suite 1600, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
³ Department of Dermatology, Saint Louis University, 1755 South Grand Blvd., St Louis, MO 63104, USA.

PMID: 27363890
DOI: 10.1016/j.det.2016.02.012

Abstract

Surgery for skin cancer is a major part of clinical dermatology, and the largest single component of dermatologic surgery practice. In general, residency training in dermatology provides comprehensive training in the theory and practice of skin cancer surgery. Practicing dermatologists are similarly expert in this area, and frequently assist other medical and surgical services by managing and coordinating the care of patients with skin cancer. However, there are minor gaps in training and practice that bear scrutiny and are amenable to rectification. This article defines the current practice in surgical treatment of skin cancers by dermatologists, gaps in practice, and mechanisms to improve current surgical practice.

Keywords: Educational gaps; Practice gaps; Skin cancer; Surgical treatment.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Dermatologic Surgical Procedures / education*
Dermatologic Surgical Procedures / standards*
Humans
Internship and Residency*
Practice Guidelines as Topic
Practice Patterns, Physicians'*
Skin Neoplasms / pathology
Skin Neoplasms / surgery*