More than just a handbook.

It was not long after my arrival at medical school that I became acutely aware of the lack of clinical teaching provided about conditions as they appear on patients of darker skin. As a black man I found it perplexing that I was being shown images of clinical signs exclusively on Caucasian patients and wondered how I would identify these signs on my own skin as well as any non-white patients I would be treating in the future. 

The medical care you receive should never be compromised due to the colour of your skin; the premise upon which BlackandBrownSkin has been created. This platform has been devised to showcase clinical signs of diseases on black and brown skin. My vision is to see the impact of this educational platform result in earlier and more accurate diagnosis, increased patient satisfaction and greater confidence amongst healthcare professionals when treating people of colour.

More recently we have seen patients from a BAME Background were 4times more likely to be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.* Illustrating some of the current disparities that exist in healthcare today. This further highlights the need for ‘Mind The Gap’ which goes hand in hand with this platform as resources for all to access for education on the presentation of clinical signs in darker skin tones. 

It’s more than just a handbook. It’s a movement for change.