PATIENTS & PUBLIC
The Skin of Color Society (SOCS) will continue to support institution-based fellowship opportunities with a research focus on dermatologic diseases in skin of color, particularly in areas where further clinical, translational, and observational/ prospective research is needed. Programs with either established or emerging areas of research focus are encouraged to apply.
Background The ethnic and racial demographics of the United States are significantly changing. By the year 2040, people with skin of color will represent more than half of the U.S. population. There is an increasing demand for understanding dermatologic conditions and treatments in patients with skin of color, as well as an accompanying need for education in this growing patient population.
As a member of the Skin of Color Society, YOU are a greatly valued part of our raison d’être--our “why”--which we sum up this way:
We work to achieve health equity and excellence in patient care for all.
So as we approach #GivingTuesday, we ask you to consider donating to the SOCS Foundation’s Diversity Movement Fund to help us fulfill our mission and realize our shared vision for a world that delivers compassionate, excellent and equitable dermatologic care for all people.
The Skin of Color Society Observership Program offers young physicians and scientists a unique and highly valuable opportunity to learn directly from SOCS mentors, enabling them to acquire academic and/or research skills that will further their careers as future leaders in skin of color dermatology.
This exciting and meaningful program is open to medical students (years 2-4), dermatology residents, fellows, and young dermatologists with fewer than four years since completing residency.
The SOCS Mentorship Program is a comprehensive program that connects young physicians and medical students with an approved skin of color expert from SOCS. The Mentorship Program is now open to medical students. Residents can serve as both a mentor (to medical students) AND as a mentee (matched with a practicing dermatologist).
At a time when all corners of society need to be working wholeheartedly to remove racial bias, discrimination, and barriers for people of color, we are profoundly disappointed in the recent decision by FINA (Fédération Internationale De Natation—the international swimming federation) to disallow swim caps that accommodate naturally tightly-coiled hair from the Tokyo Olympics. This decision illustrates a serious lack of understanding about the great importance of protecting Black hair and hairstyles in the water—which as dermatologists, we regularly encourage our Black patients to do.
If hair is not properly protected, dermatologic conditions that would require medical treatment can develop. Banning a swim cap that protects naturally tightly-coiled hair creates yet another inequity negatively affecting people of African descent.
In context, there is a long history of discrimination against African Americans using swimming pools and public beaches. In addition to this discrimination, people of African descent have been discouraged from even learning how to swim because of their concerns about the management and healthy grooming of wet hair; in combination, there are few competitive swimmers of African descent.