Diversity in Dermatology

ACADEMY RESOURCES

• The Academy's Diversity Mentorship Program
  • How to Mentor a Medical Student in the AAD's Diversity Mentorship Program
    
  • Testimonials from Medical Students
  • Frequently Asked Questions About the Diversity Mentorship Program
• How to Volunteer for AAD's Camp Discovery

• Skin of Color Information

OTHER RESOURCES

• Doctors Back To School - American Medical Association (AMA) Minority Affairs Consortium Project
• AspiringDocs.org - Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Diversity Campaign
  
• Guide to Success in Securing a Dermatology Residency

OTHER ORGANIZATIONS

• American Medical Student Association (AMSA)
  
• Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)
  
• Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA)
  
• National Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA)
  
• National Medical Association (NMA)
  
• National Network of Latin American Medical Students (NNLAMS)
  
• Student National Medical Association (SNMA)

Dr. John (Jack) A. Kenney Jr. was a pioneer in advancing diversity in dermatology. Dr. Kenney had a long, illustrious career dedicated to promoting physicians of color in the study and practice of dermatology. He became the first black physician elected to the board of directors of the American Academy of Dermatology in 1973, was eventually named a Master in Dermatology in 1995, and was awarded the AAD's highest honor, the gold medal, in 2001.

Dr. Kenney was fortunate to grow up in a successful family where his father was a prominent physician at the famed Tuskegee Institute in Tuskegee, Ala. After his family was threatened by the Ku Klux Klan, they moved to New Jersey. At the time Dr. Kenney was applying to medical schools, there were limited opportunities for people of color. He tried applying to the University of Chicago and New York University but was denied because the “black” slots usually were reserved for their undergraduates. The only medical schools that accepted Dr. Kenney were Howard University and Meharry Medical College; he chose Howard because it was farther north.

Dr. Kenney decided to become a dermatologist after he was approached by the Cleveland Dermatological Society. At that time, there were 80 black physicians in Cleveland, of which none were dermatologists. Many white dermatologists would not accept black patients. Those who did were not trained in the subtleties of skin of color. As Dr. Kenney practiced dermatology, the differences between black and white skins became more evident to him. This strengthened his passion for academics.

In 1961, Dr. Kenney left a lucrative private practice and made financial sacrifices to accept an assistant professor position at Howard University. He believed it was his destiny to advance black physicians in dermatology. As he became chairman of the dermatology department at Howard, he was able to achieve his three major goals: the establishment of a full dermatology department, a three-year residency program, and a dermatologic research laboratory. Personally, establishing the research laboratory was most rewarding because he could encourage future dermatologists to pursue careers in research.

Dr. Rebat Halder, current chairman of Howard's Department of Dermatology, describes Dr. Kenney as being “known nationally as a founder of the discipline known as ethnic dermatology, which is the study of skin diseases in nonwhite populations. The manifestations, symptoms, and treatments of many skin disorders are different in black populations, and his career was devoted to research and clinical efforts in those areas” (New York Times, 12/6/03).

Dr. Kenney wrote many studies and produced considerable work in the areas of pigmentation and vitiligo. These areas were the subject of Dr. Kenney's Master's Case that he submitted as he was awarded the Masters in Dermatology from the American Academy of Dermatology in 1995.