DermWorld Academy Insider: New clinical image collection

Jan. 9, 2025

The Academy is launching a new Clinical Image Collection that AAD members can access for free as a member benefit. The collection was developed by the AAD Clinical Image Collection Workgroup to address the critical gap in professional education resource images representing dermatologic conditions and disease in all skin types and tones.

In this exclusive DermWorld Academy Insider interview, Vinod Nambudiri, MD, MBA, FAAD, chair of the workgroup that helped develop the clinical image collection, talks about the new program and why members should make use of the collection and submit images to it.

DermWorld: What is the AAD Clinical Image Collection?

Dr. Nambudiri: The AAD Clinical Image Collection is an exciting and important new member resource for all AAD members. It provides a digital library of images showcasing a variety of skin diseases across a range of skin tones. The Collection serves a critical role in meeting a member’s need to have images for a spectrum of cutaneous conditions presented among the diverse phenotypes that represent the range of patients that we care for.

DermWorld: Why should AAD members make use of the Collection?

Dr. Nambudiri: The images are freely available for AAD members to incorporate into presentations — such as at meetings and conferences within our specialty and beyond — to enhance the educational impact of such endeavors. By incorporating a diversity of images into professional dermatology education material, we can empower dermatologists and other clinicians to improve their diagnostic skills and enhance patient care for all. There has been a recognition of a dearth of images in dermatologic teaching materials for particular cutaneous conditions in individuals with darker skin tones, and the Clinical Image Collection has made a deliberate effort to source for images across darker skin tones.

DermWorld: How can members submit their own images?

Dr. Nambudiri: Image submission is ongoing and is easily done through a secure upload link at the Collection webpage. Once you’ve logged in with your AAD credentials, you can upload images directly through the site. All images are reviewed by our Image Collection Workgroup and tagged with keyword identifiers to facilitate searching through the collection. If you have several images that you would like to submit in bulk, reach out to aadcme@aad.org and members of the Academy staff can help you get started.