Most common dermatologic conditions encountered by dermatologists and nondermatologists

Abstract

The dermatologic conditions that are most commonly encountered by nondermatologists are not well characterized, which can hamper efforts to train them in skin disease management. The purpose of this study was to identify the 20 most common dermatologic conditions encountered by nondermatologic specialties (ie, emergency medicine, family practice, general surgery, internal medicine, otolaryngology, pediatrics). Data from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey from 2001 to 2010 were analyzed to evaluate the dermatologic diagnoses made by each specialty during this time period. The most common skin conditions reported by dermatologists were compared to those reported by nondermatologists. Nondermatologists evaluated 52.9% of cutaneous diseases that presented in the outpatient setting. Among each nondermatologic specialty included in the study, only 6 to 10 of the top 20 conditions overlapped with the top 20 conditions reported by dermatologists. This study is a retrospective review of a large database and only included skin conditions that were diagnosed in an outpatient setting. The skin conditions that most frequently presented to nondermatologists differed considerably from those most commonly seen by dermatologists. Because dermatologists often are responsible for training nondermatologists in the diagnosis and management of skin disease, curriculum content should reflect these differences to enhance the efficacy of such training opportunities.