A closer, more sensitive look

The AAD has developed a new digital course for you focusing on genital skin exams.

The course designers understood that during full-body exams, a significant number of patients decline cutaneous exam of their genitalia. Residents are sometimes asked to leave the room during genital skin exams, decreasing resident training in such an important skill.

Now, members will gain valuable insights on genital exams by participating in this CME-certified course. A team of dermatologists worked with the AAD to find solutions to fill learning gaps. The new course allows physicians to:

• Identify and utilize appropriate and sensitive terminology/language during the genital examination and when discussing conditions with patients.

• Practice conducting a thorough genital exam in an organized, standardized manner.

• Identify and describe normal genital anatomy and variations across age and racial groups.

• Distinguish various disease processes that involve genitalia in children and adults.

“One of the most important parts of the genital exam is making sure the patient feels comfortable, so we spent a good portion of the module detailing the process of creating a comfortable physician-patient encounter,” said Christina Kraus, MD, FAAD. “This was the impetus toward developing the module: To create a comfortable environment, use anatomic terms, explain the exam step by step as you go, and avoid making assumptions.”