Training Primary Care Physicians to Perform Melanoma Opportunistic Surveillance

Cutaneous melanoma is considered a potentially curable disease if detected early. Primary care physicians (PCPs) are well positioned to detect early melanomas by performing opportunistic melanoma surveillance on the at-risk population during physical examination. Opportunistic surveillance means physician performance of visual inspection of skin exposed during your physical examination focused on the presenting condition. Opportunistic surveillance requires skills in both visual inspection of the skin and with magnification of the skin by a hand-held device, a dermoscope. (This research aims to 1) develop an easily disseminated, interactive melanoma early detection skills training program for PCPs and to 2) to examine the clinical proficiency of PCPs regarding pigmented lesions.

The knowledge to be gained by PCPs is essential to the development and successful introduction of a method for physicians to learn how to perform opportunistic surveillance for melanoma. By evaluating means of encouraging and facilitating opportunistic surveillance for melanoma, an educational program may eventually be brought into widespread use in training PCPs.

In addition to a Pre-training Test and Post-training Test, each of the phases of the educational training program is described below:

1. Knowledge Acquisition The Knowledge Acquisition phase will be delivered via personal computer/tablet. It will take about one hour to complete. The one-hour course consists of case histories and videos in which the following are presented: 1) threshold rules of visual inspection, 2) benefit of magnification with dermoscopy to assist with diagnosis, and 3) demonstration of the 3-point checklist of dermoscopy.
2. Skills Assessment The Skills Assessment phase will be delivered via smartphone. The program may be intermittently accessed taking up to two weeks to complete. The PCP will be asked to review and make simulated management decisions on 20 case vignettes with clinical images of body surfaces and dermoscopy of individual lesions. Clinical practice will be simulated with the requirement that you make a decision to refer to dermatology or a decision that a referral is not needed. If a biopsy is performed in the case vignette, the pathology report will be provided, and the PCP will be asked the next step in the patient's care. Performance feedback will be provided.
3. Deliberate Practice The Deliberate Practice phase will be delivered via smartphone. It will take between 1-8 weeks to complete. The PCP will be asked to review additional cases with visual inspection and dermoscopy to improve aspects of your performance that have demonstrated weakness. Individual strengths and weaknesses will be assessed, and personalized feedback will be provided. After achieving competency with the simulated cases, the research staff will provide the PCP with a DermScope device (a smartphone fitted with a dermoscope) to use in the next phase.
4. Clinical Proficiency The Clinical Proficiency phase will take place in the clinical practice of the PCP over the course of 1-8 weeks. The PCP will be asked to use the DermScope to capture and transmit at least 12 lesions. Informed consent will be obtained from each patient prior to obtaining the non-identifying images. During image capture, each photograph is marked by the DermScope program with the date, time, and the clinical assessment form (CAF). The image will be transmitted to the teleconsultant (PI), who will assign a unique identification number to the image and the data. The PI will render an opinion within 72 hours regarding the need to refer the patient to dermatology or reassure the patient. The PCP will be asked to make a decision regarding the management of the patient and communicate this decision as needed to the patient.