TED Talks Daily The first step towards more inclusive dermatology | Jenna C. Lester
Oct 15, 2021
Jenna C. Lester, a TED Fellow and dermatologist, highlights the pressing issue of dermatological disparities in diagnosing conditions on darker skin tones. She reveals that nearly half of new dermatologists feel unprepared to treat patients of color, leading to worse health outcomes. Jenna discusses her initiative to broaden medical training, including the Skin of Color program, which aims to equip future doctors with the knowledge needed for inclusive care. Her insights emphasize the vital need for a more comprehensive approach in dermatology education.
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Skin Tone and Diagnosis
- Skin disease appears differently across skin tones, impacting diagnoses.
- Many dermatologists lack training in diagnosing conditions on darker skin, leading to healthcare disparities.
Textbook Bias
- Medical students primarily saw dark skin depicted in textbooks only when learning about syphilis.
- This observation is supported by research published in the British Journal of Dermatology.
Bias in Algorithms
- Algorithms and machine learning cannot solve the diagnostic disparity alone.
- They learn from biased data, perpetuating existing biases unless significant changes are made.