Erin X. Wei’s research while affiliated with University of Nebraska Medical Center and other places

Dermatopathology (DP) is integral to dermatology residency training, aiding in accurate diagnoses and clinical interpretations. This study evaluates the current state of DP education and faculty backgrounds in dermatology residency programs, using information available on 142 ACGME-accredited dermatology residency programs. The focus was on DP training, including dedicated rotations, training years, and duration as well as DP faculty and fellowship opportunities. Of the programs analyzed, 53.52% offered distinct DP rotations. Residents in these programs spent an average of 11.37 weeks in DP training, with 70.83% providing DP exposure in the first year. The average number of board-certified dermatopathologists per program was 2.91 (SD = 2.11); however, 23.19% of programs lacked dermatology-trained dermatopathologists. DP fellowships were available in 36.62% of programs and among fellowship directors, 63.46% were board-certified in anatomic pathology and 51.98% in dermatology. While DP training is widely offered, the extent and structure of this training vary across residency programs with many lacking dedicated rotations or first-year exposure. Both dermatology-trained and pathology-trained dermatopathologists contribute to academic settings, although fellowship directors are more commonly trained in pathology. This highlights the need for greater consistency and clarity in DP training across residency programs to ensure comprehensive exposure in this essential field.

Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a group of inherited skin disorders characterized by extreme skin fragility, leading to recurrent blistering and significant impacts on patients' quality of life. A bibliometric analysis of the 50 most‐cited EB articles from the past six decades reveals that the majority of research focuses on understanding EB pathogenesis, with a growing emphasis on therapeutic interventions, particularly gene and cell‐based therapies. This study highlights a shift toward clinical trials in recent years, but there is still a need for more global collaboration to address regional variations in EB and improve treatment outcomes for patients worldwide.

BACKGROUND The Sun Protection Outreach Teaching by Students (SPOTS) program previously demonstrated benefits to adolescents and medical students in the Midwest. Six years later, there have been significant program enhancements and geographic outreach has expanded. OBJECTIVE This multi-institutional program evaluation study sought to quantify the efficacy of the enhanced SPOTS program in improving skin cancer knowledge, sun-safe attitudes, and sun protection behaviors in adolescents living in multiple geographic regions of the United States. MATERIALS AND METHODS Surveys assessing students' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors concerning skin cancer and sun protection were administered before and 1 month after SPOTS teaching. RESULTS Analysis of 1,508 pre-program and 969 post-program surveys revealed statistically significant improvements in adolescents' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding sun protection. Notably, there was a 34.3%, 107.5%, and 27.1% relative improvement in the percentage of students' sunscreen protection factor knowledge, belief that a tan is unhealthy, and intention to wear sunscreen, respectively ( p < .001). In addition, 57.6% of students reported having tried to increase sunscreen usage after SPOTS. Subgroup analyses demonstrated similar improvements across Fitzpatrick skin-types and across different geographic regions. CONCLUSION The enhanced SPOTS program demonstrated significant improvements in adolescents' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors toward sun protection.

Growing racial diversity raises concerns about equitable dermatology care. Only 4.5% of US medical textbooks include diverse skin types, and dermatologic literature lacks focus on Skin of Color (SOC). This study examines SOC cosmetic research in five dermatology journals. Articles from Lasers in Surgery and Medicine, Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, Cosmetics, Lasers in Medical Science, and Clinical, Cosmetic, and Investigational Dermatology (September 2018 – September 2023) were screened for cosmetic interventions on SOC, defined as studies with > 50% non-Caucasian patients. Studies without defined race or Fitzpatrick skin type (FST) were excluded. Article type, race, ethnicity, research country, and FST were recorded. Of 5,175 screened articles, 561 (10.84%) met inclusion criteria, and 214 (4.14%) provided FST data. FST 3 (40.74%) and 4 (40.53%) were most represented. East Asian (57.75%) and Middle Eastern-North African (24.06%) ethnicities were most represented, with most research from East Asia (56.15%). SOC articles often lacked specific FST details, focusing on hair issues and came mostly from predominantly Caucasian countries. There is significant underrepresentation of SOC in cosmetic dermatology research, with bias toward FSTs 3, 4 and East Asian populations. This highlights the need for standardized ethnicity reporting and inclusive research to ensure equitable dermatologic care.