Grant Number:	1R21CA176534-01 Interpret this number
Primary Investigator:	Hernandez, Claudia
Organization:	University Of Illinois At Chicago
Project Title:	Assessing Resident Physician Melanoma Detection Across Ethnic Groups
Fiscal Year:	2013

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The incidence of melanoma is greater in non-Hispanic Whites (referred to as Whites) than in Blacks. However, it has recently been recognized that minorities present with more advanced stage disease.1-4 Low levels of suspicion and training in melanoma presentations in skin of color may lead to a bias against performing skin examination in minorities or misdiagnoses of malignant lesions delaying medical care.5 Our group has considerable experience assessing melanoma detection in medical students using standardized patients (SPs) wearing a moulage (realistic tattoo) simulating a melanoma. Building on our expertise, we propose to extend our melanoma detection studies to third-year internal medicine (IM) residents using unannounced (stealth) SP visits to resident ambulatory continuity clinics allowing us to observe actual patient care practices. Our first specific aim is to determine melanoma detection rates for White and Black SPs placed into resident continuity clinics wearing identical melanoma moulages in the same anatomic location. Each unannounced SP-physician encounter will be audio-recorded. Our second aim is to review recordings and analyze content using the Inventory of Diagnostic Thinking Processes (DTP) from the Gale and Marsden model for clinical decision-making to determine common sources of diagnostic error. Following completion of initial visits, residents will then be randomized to eithr an educational intervention or control arm with no additional education. The intervention utilized SPs and simulation exercises will help residents identify and correct errors in melanoma medical knowledge, examination skills, clinical data interpretation, or communication. Our third aim is to determine if the melanoma detection rate improved and is sustainable, unannounced SPs (both White and Black) will once again be inserted into resident continuity clinics. If physicians fail to detect melanoma in Blacks this could result in diagnostic delays and patient harm. Documenting these deficiencies would be invaluable to improving medical education curriculums.





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