Educational Apps for Clinicians

The purpose of such apps is to close gaps in physicians’ knowledge regarding performing skin exams, newer technologies such as dermoscopy etc. These apps can be beneficial for students and clinicians alike to keep their dermatology knowledge up to date. The cost effective, convenient and user friendly interface may be more enticing to current medical students and future clinicians. They are readily accessible and can be a quick refresher for clinicians when needed. They have the potential to standardize dermatology training if widely accepted in medical school and other health care curricula. However, timely monitoring and updates from the dermatology community (AAD and ACS) will be needed so that users will get up to date, standardized training. Conceivably, these tools could be expanded to deliver opportunities for Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits for clinicians as an added incentive to use them.

Integrated Skin Exam – a film used in medical schools, can be used by Family Practitioners (FPs), Nurse Practitioners (NPs), and Physician Assistants (PAs) in remote areas to increase their expertise in performing a skin exam. Scientifically proven to increase confidence in extended health care professionals would conceivably lead to more skin exams and increased detection of concerning lesions. Could serve as a platform to build apps to be used in a similar fashion.

Dermoscopy Two-Step Algorithm – resident training tool. Based on examples and quiz cases to solidify concepts. But recommended to be used in the context of history and physical exam.