Melanoma Moulage for the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE)?

Educational research at the September 2012 meeting of the Dermatology Teachers Exchange Group  by Reddy S, Powers J, Jacob R, Wilson L, Belazarian L, Dominguez E, George P, Robinson-Bostom L, Avashia N, Wise E, Wang J, Geller A, and Garg A. entitled “The Skin Cancer Objective Structured Clinical Examination (SCOSCE): a multi-institutional collaboration to develop and validate a clinical skills assessment for suspicious pigmented lesions” discussed their experience with the use of a realistic melanoma moulage that was placed on the back of gowned  simulated patients requiring examination of the posterior chest  for respiratory complaints. This created a realistic clinical situation because many asymptomatic primary melanomas present on the posterior chest and removal of the gown during pulmonary examinations would permit the examiner with an opportunity to identify early melanoma and provide early intervention.