A UK‐wide survey looking at teaching and trainee confidence in teledermatology: a vital gap in a COVID‐19‐induced era of rapid digital transformation?

Abstract

Summary Teledermatology has had an explosive impact on the provision of dermatology services in recent times, and even more so with the unprecedented situation created by the COVID‐19 pandemic. Although teledermatology is not presently a feature of the Joint Royal Colleges of Physicians Training Board (JRCPTB) curriculum for dermatology training, this is due to change imminently. Specialty trainees need training in this area to be able to confidently and competently meet the demands of the changing face of dermatology services. We surveyed dermatology registrars in training across the UK, prior to the outbreak of COVID‐19, to ascertain the teledermatology teaching available and trainee confidence in this area. Our survey found that only 15% of respondents felt slightly confident in their ability to deal with teledermatology referrals and almost all (96%) felt more teaching was needed.

A paradigm shift in trainee confidence in teledermatology and virtual working during the COVID‐19 pandemic: results of a follow‐up UK‐wide survey

“…Interestingly, we noted a dramatic rise in trainee confidence levels (Fig. 1b), with 58% of respondents now feeling slightly confident compared with only 15% in the previous pre‐pandemic survey 1 7 months earlier.…”

“…The COVID‐19 pandemic has been a crash course in teledermatology for all concerned. A previous study of UK dermatology registrars pre‐COVID‐19 demonstrated that only 15% of the surveyed dermatology registrars in training felt even slightly confident in their ability to deal with teledermatology referrals 1 . Trainee access to teledermatology teaching and training was highly variable across the UK, with up to 46% of respondents surveyed having no teaching at all in this area and 96% agreeing that more teaching was needed 1 .…”

Teledermatology for medical education in the COVID-19 pandemic context: A systematic review

“…This is in direct contrast to a global survey that found that the majority of faculty members had used webinars and virtual rounds to facilitate resident teaching. 1 In terms of the provision of TD training, Lowe et al 5 reported that dermatology residents in the United Kingdom experienced a deficit in training and limited exposure to TD. Although all United Kingdom dermatology departments surveyed offered TD consultation during the pandemic, 46% of residents reported not receiving any relevant teaching or training.…”

“…Although all United Kingdom dermatology departments surveyed offered TD consultation during the pandemic, 46% of residents reported not receiving any relevant teaching or training. 5 Moreover, 96% of residents surveyed believed that more teaching in TD is required. A subsequent follow-up survey found that 100% of residents surveyed had been involved in TD consultations; 58% of all residents were confident in managing a TD consultation compared with only 15% residents in the previous survey.…”

A new virtual inpatient dermatology electronic referral service: a timely solution in the COVID‐19 pandemic and beyond?

“…It establishes a secure and permanent digital record, enabling effective handover of acutely unwell inpatients (Table 1). This format also lends itself to peer review of images and virtual ward rounds, 5 and therefore contributes substantially to the education and training of residents, particularly in meeting their teledermatology training needs, 6,7 a boon during the pandemic wherein resident training has unavoidably Letters to the Editor been impacted by altered patient flow. Until COVID-19, teledermatology was underutilized in the inpatient setting.…”