ICYMI: Dispatches from The Skin of Color Society’s 18th Annual Scientific Symposium

The symposium was held on March 24, 2022 in conjunction with the American Academy of Dermatology's Annual Meeting in Boston.

 The Skin of Color Society’s 18th Annual Scientific Symposium wowed the crowd during the American Academy of Dermatology's Annual Meeting in Boston.

This year's SOCS Scientific Symposium was co-chaired by Andrew Alexis, MD, MPH, FAAD, Professor of Clinical Dermatology, Vice-Chair for Diversity and Inclusion, Department of Dermatology, Weill Cornell Medicine, and Ginette A. Okoye, MD, FAAD, Professor and Chair of Dermatology, Howard University College of Medicine. Themed "Diversity in Action: Science, Healthcare & Society," the Symposium kicked off the Society's year-long theme for programming.

Representing 14 countries, the audience included physicians with an interest in skin of color, dermatology residents, fellows, medical students, researchers and industry professionals, who gained insights from invited speakers, interactive panels, oral abstract presentations and iPosters.

Invited speakers included:

• "Artificial Intelligence in Dermatology," presented by Roxana Daneshjou, MD, PhD, FAAD, Clinical Scholar, Dermatology, Postdoctoral Scholar, Biomedical Data Sciences, Stanford University
   
• "Dermoscopy of Scarring Alopecia in Skin of Color," presented by Tiffany Mayo, MD, FAAD, Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, University of Alabama at Birmingham
   
• "Physician Leadership in Advancing Equity and Shaping the Future of Medicine," presented by Jack Resneck,Jr., MD, FAAD, President-Elect, American Medical Association; Professor and Vice-Chair of Dermatology, UCSF School of Medicine

Interactive panels included:

• Keloids Panel, moderated by Donald A. Glass, II, MD, PhD, FAAD, Associate Professor, Department of Dermatology, UT Southwestern Medical Center with panelists Eva Kerby, MD, FAAD, Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Dermatology, Weill Cornell Medicine and Jill Waibel, MD, FAAD, Medical Director, Miami Dermatology and Laser Institute
   
• Aesthetics in Skin of Color Panel, moderated by Pearl E. Grimes, MD, FAAD, Director, The Grimes Center for Medical and Aesthetic Dermatology and Director, The Vitiligo & Pigmentation Institute of Southern California, with panelists Cheryl Burgess, MD, FAAD, Founder and President, Center for Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery and Janiene Luke, MD, FAAD, Associate Professor, Residency Program Director, Department of Dermatology, Loma Linda University
   
• Pigmentary Disorders Panel, moderated by Seemal R. Desai, MD, FAAD, President, Medical Director, Innovative Dermatology; Clinical Assistant Professor of Dermatology, UT Southwestern with panelists Nada Elbuluk, MD, FAAD, Associate Professor of Clinical Dermatology, Director, Skin of Color Program & Pigmentary Disorders Clinic; Director, Skin of Color Research Fellowship; Director, Dermatology Diversity & Inclusion Program, USC Department of Dermatology, Keck School of Medicine, and Corey L. Hartman, MD, FAAD, Assistant Clinical Professor, UAB Dermatology; Founder and Medical Director, Skin Wellness Dermatology

Abstract presentations included:

• "Treatment of Keloid-Associated Pain and Pruritus with Oral Pentoxifylline," presented by Ariel Knowles, MBBS, Clinical Research Fellow, UT Southwestern Medical School
   
• "Clinical Decision-Making Bias in Darker Skin Types:A Prospective Survey Study Identifying Diagnostic Bias in Decision to Biopsy," by Eman Hijab, BS, Medical Student (4th year), Emory University School of Medicine and presented by Loren Krueger, MD, FAAD, Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, Associate Program Director, Emory University Dermatology Residency Program
   
• "Treatment Recommendations for Pseudofolliculitis Barbae in the Barbershop," presented by Channi Silence, MS, Medical Student (4th year), Massachusetts General Hospital
   
• "Racial Disparities in the Management of Hidradenitis Suppurativa: Evidence From the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, 2012–2018', presented by Isabelle Moseley, BA, Medical Student (2nd year), Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University
   
• "Matching into Dermatology Residency: The Impact of Research Fellowships," presented by Erica Ogwumike, BA, Medical Student (2nd year), UT Southwestern Medical Center

Dr. Donald A. Glass II, SOCS President (2021-2022), offered closing remarks with appreciation for his presidential year and welcomed incoming SOCS President, Valerie Harvey, MD, MPH, FAAD.

Immediately after the Symposium, an awards reception honored recipients of the 2022 SOCS Research and SOCS Career Development Awards, including:

• 2022 SOCS Research Award Recipients: Jillian Richmond, PhD, for "Examining Gene and Protein Expression in Clinically Diverse Mycosis Fungoides Samples From Skin of Color Patients;" Shawn Shih, MD, for "The Utility of Topical Oxymetazoline in Preventing Post-filler Ecchymosis in Skin of Color Patients: A Randomized, Double-blind, Split-Face Study"and Nkemjika Ugonabo, MD, MPH, for "Combination Topical Cysteamine and Fractional 1927nm Low-Powered Diode Laser Resurfacing vs. Topical Cysteamine Alone in the Treatment of Melasma: A Prospective, Split-Face Cohort Study"
   
• 2022 SOCS Career Development Award Recipient: Shawn Kwatra, MD, FAAD, for "Racial Differences in Germline and Somatic Mutations in Prurigo Nodularis"

The 2022 SOCS Research Awards and SOCS Career Development Award are made possible thanks to support from Pfizer.

The 18th Annual SOCS Scientific Symposium was supported by the following sponsors: Abbvie, Janssen, and Sanofi/Regeneron, (Champion Level); Bristol Myers Squibb, Dove, Lilly, Google Health, and Incyte Dermatology, (Ally Level); Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Beiersdorf, Dermavant Sciences, Ortho Dermatologics, P & G, and Scientis, (Partner Level); Burt's Bees, Clinique, Senté Labs, UCB, and ZO® Skin Health, (Friend Level), and special acknowledgement to Dermstore, EltaMD, Hairstim, Pfizer, Revision Skincare, SkinCeuticals, SkinMedica, and Urban Skin Rx.

A recording of the SOCS Scientific Symposium will become available through the SOCS Dermatology E-Learning + Equity Platform (DEEP) in the near future.

PHOTO CAPTION: Skin of Color Society 2021-2022 Executive Committee at the 18th Annual SOCS Scientific Symposium (l-r): Candrice Heath, MD, FAAD, Secretary-Treasurer; Lynn McKinley-Grant, MD, FAAD, Immediate Past President; Valerie Harvey, MD, MPH, FAAD, President-elect, and Donald A. Glass II, MD, PhD, FAAD, President.