Implementation of a team-teaching seminar on the stigmatization and psychosocial burdens of people with visible skin diseases in the standard curriculum of medical studies.

Background: Stigmatization of people with visible skin diseases (VSD) is a widespread problem that can lead to severe psychosocial stress. Owing to its great significance, there is also a need to develop and evaluate teaching opportunities for medical students to address stigmatization and the resulting negative consequences. Project description: The development of the seminar was based on the 6-step Kern cycle. Through the collaboration of dermatologists, psychologists, and an expert on stigmatization in psoriasis, a team-teaching seminar concept on the stigmatization and psychosocial burden of people with psoriasis was developed and implemented in standard teaching at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf. Results: The seminar was held 19 times from October 2023 to July 2024; it was attended by 315 students. Participation in the voluntary questionnaire survey during the seminar was 93% (n=293). Data from 284 students were analyzed. This revealed an increase in self-reported knowledge regarding psychosocial stress and stigma among people with VSD. The students rated their ability to advise and support patients who had experienced stigmatization after attending the seminar as higher. Among the students who attended the seminar, 95% were satisfied with it; the majority rated team teaching as useful and the implementation of interdisciplinary teaching as successful. Discussion: The seminar we designed closes the gap in the standard teaching of clinical and psychosocial subjects on the topic of stigmatization of VSD. By combining different teaching methods (frontal teaching, small group exercises, and discussions) with interdisciplinary team teaching, the sensitive topic of stigmatization in VSD was examined from dermatological and psychological perspectives. Appropriate teaching opportunities for students can improve their medical competence regarding stigmatization and psychosocial stress in people with VSD.