Grand Rapids, Mich. (Wood) — A group of students training to become dermatologists is working proactively by teaching children and teens the causes and risks of skin cancer.
“I think it’s great that we can educate them early because, as we say on our shows, early prevention is really key,” said Kavya Shivaram, MD, a dermatology student at Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine.
Shivaram and her colleague, Kristina Druskovic, are sophomore medical students. When they’re not in class or studying, they volunteer their time teaching kids in West Michigan about skin cancer.
“I really wanted to spread this word to high school students and some middle school students just because it’s something I didn’t really realize growing up, and I could see working in dermatology the harmful effects it could have on people,” Druskowitz said.
studied them through Teach sun protection awareness to students, or SPOTS, which are run entirely by medical students. The Michigan State University College of Medicine chapter started this year.
Skin cancer can kill 8,000 people each year. The basal cell can dislocate the nose, and the basal cell can dislocate the ears. “So I just really want to spread awareness and that’s something I’m passionate about,” Druskowitz said.
About 30 medical students volunteer on MSU’s campus in Grand Rapids taking SPOTS classes in schools. At first, they were communicating with schools to offer their lesson. Now, schools are calling them.
“What we really hope children take away from this (is) the importance of this education, not only for themselves, but also for family members and loved ones. We really hope that once we start in schools, we can get this message across and reach out to society at large,” Shivaram said.
The hour-long lesson includes information about ABCDEs of melanoma (Acronym Remember What You Are Looking For), The Harmful Effects Of The Sun, And The Importance Of Sunscreen. At the end of the lesson, medical students share what it’s like to be in medical school, allowing students to ask questions and showing that people from all backgrounds can become medical professionals.
“We’ve taught over a thousand students this year in Traverse City, Detroit, and Grand Rapids. We’re just hoping to expand even more. I think the dream is going to be like all of MSU’s campuses. Flint, Marquette, Southfield, like all of those areas, too,” Druskowitz said. .
If you would like our SPOTS volunteers to share a lesson with your class, contact Kristina Druskovic at druskov4@msu.edu Or Kavya Shivaram’s shivara1@msu.edu.