Dermatology leadership and a top-down approach to increasing diversity

Abstract

The reasons underlying the lack of diversity within dermatology can be broadly categorized into lack of mentorship, decreased awareness of the specialty during medical school, socioeconomic barriers associated with the application process, and implicit bias during resident selection. This contribution examines the need for diversity in medicine and provides insight into the reasons behind the low number of underrepresented minority residents in dermatology. Leadership strategies that may help increase diversity in the field are also reviewed.