Nada Elbuluk, MD, MSc, is a dermatologist in California. 

Nada Elbuluk, MD, MSc

Skin of Color Savvy: The Art and Science of Treating Patients of Color

SOCS Serves gives members toolkits so volunteering requires no program-building.

The Pathway and Community arms target dermatology career exposure and culturally relevant education.

Any SOCS member can sign up online, and medical students need physician-level supervision.

In a new ‘Savvy Stories’ episode of the 

 podcast, Nada Elbuluk, MD, and Temitayo A. Ogunleye, MD, introduced SOCS Serves, a volunteer program giving 

 members ready-made resources for community service. Elbuluk is a professor of dermatology at the Keck School of Medicine of USC and immediate past president of SOCS. Ogunleye is a board-certified dermatologist and professor of clinical dermatology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Both co-chair the initiative.

Elbuluk was asked what inspired the program. She pointed to the community engagement programs she built in New York City and Los Angeles, and to a desire for a model any member could adopt without starting from scratch. Proposed during her presidency, SOCS Serves now has 2 arms: SOCS Serves the Pathway, offering age-appropriate exposure to medicine and dermatology for learners from kindergarten through medical school, and SOCS Serves the Community, which brings dermatology education to groups who rarely see a dermatologist.

SOCS leaders explain SOCS Serves, a toolkit-based program connecting dermatology volunteers with students and underserved communities across the country.

Ogunleye described 2 connected gaps. The first is limited access to trustworthy dermatologic information relevant to a person's skin tone and skin type. The second is a pipeline gap, in which young people from groups historically underrepresented in medicine may never meet a dermatologist or consider the specialty as a career. Elbuluk added the program aims to reach urban, rural, and eventually international communities.

How Do Volunteers Take Part in SOCS Serves?

Any SOCS member may volunteer, although medical students must join a dermatology resident, fellow, or attending, an arrangement the speakers said also supports mentorship. Volunteers submit a short online form listing the event, date, and location. The program team then sends a toolkit by email and physical mail.

Kits include slide decks, handouts, resource lists, and, when appropriate, demonstration materials and giveaways. Ogunleye was asked how resources fit different audiences and credited committee members for building age-specific Pathway materials for elementary school through residency applicants. Community decks cover dry skin, eczema, hair care, skin care, skin cancer, and sun protection, with some already available in Spanish. Elbuluk described a growing library of topics and languages, with international expansion planned.

Why Does Community Service Matter to Dermatologists?

Both were asked about the rewards of volunteering. Ogunleye said meeting people outside the clinic, away from documentation demands and visit time limits, reveals patient priorities, barriers, and stories while building trust that can improve later care. Elbuluk noted events reach people who never make it to an office, sometimes for a first encounter with a dermatologist, and reach far larger audiences than individual visits.

Both framed service as a core part of medicine rather than a separate pursuit. Ogunleye said it can ease burnout and reconnect clinicians with purpose, while Elbuluk tied it to health equity work. For closing advice, Ogunleye encouraged colleagues to find a way to serve. Elbuluk cited Margaret Mead's view that small groups of committed people drive change. Sign-up is live now on the Skin of Color Society 

Editor's note: This summary was edited with the help of AI tools. In this episode, Elbuluk described L'Oréal as the exclusive, champion-level sponsor of SOCS Serves.

Podcasts

SOCS leaders explain SOCS Serves, a toolkit-based program connecting dermatology volunteers with students and underserved communities.

Skin of Color Savvy: How SOCS Serves Builds Dermatology Pathways and Community Trust

What Systemic Changes in Skin Health Equity in Dermatology Are Taking Place?

What Systemic Changes in Skin Health Equity Are Taking Place?

 podcast, Mona Shahriari, MD, assistant clinical professor of dermatology at the Yale School of Medicine and host of 

, led a forward-looking discussion with Susan Taylor, MD, the Bernett Johnson Endowed Professor of Dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, and Nada Elbuluk, MD, MSc, board-certified dermatologist and Professor at the USC Keck School of Medicine, Department of Dermatology, focused on the intersection of skin health equity, advocacy, and innovation.

Shahriari emphasized equity does not end at diagnosis. Rather, it extends into public policy, systemic reform, and the broader structures determining access and outcomes. She asked how professional organizations, particularly those centered on skin of color, can translate awareness into durable change. Nearly every major dermatologic society now has a dedicated advocacy arm, a reflection of the growing recognition of policy decisions as directly shaping patient care and physician practice.

Elbuluk highlighted the advocacy committee within the 

, noting its focus on issues disproportionately affecting patients of color. However, she described progress as requiring collaboration and “strength in numbers,” encouraging partnerships across organizations to amplify impact. Taylor offered a concrete example of advocacy in action: policy surrounding pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB) in the military. Under a directive affecting service members with refractory PFB, individuals who do not improve after a year of treatment may face discharge. In response, the American Academy of Dermatology, in collaboration with multiple dermatologic societies, convened experts to develop a Delphi consensus on optimal PFB management.

Shahriari noted such efforts advance equity broadly. While PFB disproportionately affects men with skin of color, it is not exclusive to any one demographic group. Advocacy addressing disease biology rather than stigma reinforces fairness across patient populations. The discussion then pivoted to innovation, particularly artificial intelligence in dermatology. Shahriari posed a critical question: as new technologies emerge, how can the specialty ensure they narrow rather than widen disparities?

Elbuluk stressed the importance of maintaining a critical lens. Dermatologists should interrogate the datasets informing AI algorithms and diagnostic tools, asking whether they adequately represent diverse skin tones. Blind adoption risks embedding and perpetuating bias at scale. She encouraged clinicians to ask difficult questions of companies developing these tools and to advocate for transparency in data sourcing and validation.

Taylor described representation in decision-making spaces as equally crucial. Being present “in the rooms” where investment, research priorities, and technological development are determined is key to shaping equitable innovation. Without diverse voices at the table, bias can become structurally embedded.

Shahriari illustrated the stakes with a practical example: online image searches for psoriasis often underrepresent skin of color. If search algorithms are trained on non-diverse imagery, patients may fail to recognize their own disease, delaying care. For clinicians, this underscores the downstream consequences of algorithmic bias.

In closing, the panelists offered pragmatic, grassroots actions for 2026. Elbuluk encouraged dermatologists to identify one disease state outside their comfort zone—particularly conditions affecting underrepresented populations—and proactively seek updated literature or educational sessions. She also urged clinicians to join committees within professional societies, noting meaningful change does not require senior leadership titles; consistent engagement at any level matters.

Taylor emphasized collegiality. Dermatology is a community, she said, and clinicians should feel empowered to consult peers when uncertain about a diagnosis in any patient population. Shahriari echoed this sentiment, advocating for small, consistent shifts, such as diversifying personal teaching image libraries, collectively driving meaningful change. For practicing dermatologists, the message was clear: advocacy, critical evaluation of innovation, and everyday clinical intentionality are central to advancing skin health equity.

Editor’s note: This summary was developed with the help of AI tools.

Videos

In this segment of the recent Skin of Color Savvy podcast, the value of advocacy and meaningful change in skin health equity is highlighted.

Where Are We in 2026 in Skin Health Equity Progress?

, Mona Shahriari, MD, assistant clinical professor of dermatology at the Yale School of Medicine and host of 

, led a clinician-focused discussion with Susan Taylor, MD, the Bernett Johnson Endowed Professor of Dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, and Nada Elbuluk, MD, MSc, board-certified dermatologist and Professor at the USC Keck School of Medicine, Department of Dermatology, on what “skin health equity” means in practice, and why this moment represents an inflection point for the 

Shahriari emphasized that the phrase “skin health equity” was chosen intentionally. For today’s dermatologists, she noted, the conversation must extend beyond isolated diagnoses or cosmetic concerns to encompass outcomes, access, education, and trust. What once was discussed quietly “in the hallways” is now visible in the literature, on social media, and across industry initiatives. The shift, she suggested, is from performative concern to measurable accountability: clinicians, institutions, and companies are increasingly being asked to demonstrate what they are doing differently.

Taylor reflected on why this period feels distinct from prior waves of discussion. In her view, one of the most tangible differences is therapeutic progress in diseases that have historically and disproportionately affected patients with skin of color. She pointed to hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) and atopic dermatitis as examples in which clinicians now have more effective and safer treatment options than in years past. These therapeutic advances, she explained, are complemented by educational gains, including expanded image collections and textbooks that more comprehensively depict dermatologic disease across a spectrum of skin tones. Such resources are critical for improving diagnostic accuracy and reducing delays in care.

Elbuluk agreed that the landscape has evolved from dialogue to accountability. She observed that journals, conferences, pharmaceutical companies, and even the cosmeceutical industry are now explicitly prioritizing health equity. Whereas prior limitations, such as a lack of diverse representation in research or educational materials, might have been passively accepted, there is now an expectation that organizations address these gaps. According to Elbuluk, that expectation signals a readiness within the field to pivot from aspiration to implementation.

Shahriari also framed equity as a patient safety issue. As the US population becomes increasingly diverse, she argued, the inability to effectively diagnose and manage dermatologic disease across heterogeneous skin types risks compromising care. For practicing clinicians, this reframing underscores that equity is not ancillary to core dermatologic practice; it is foundational to delivering safe, high-quality care.

The discussion also addressed ongoing gaps. Taylor highlighted clinical trials as an area of both progress and unfinished work. She cited efforts to increase the diversity of both investigators and study participants, noting initiatives supported by professional organizations and pharmaceutical companies. Trials intentionally designed to evaluate therapies in patients with skin of color represent an encouraging step, but she stressed that sustained commitment is necessary to ensure study populations reflect real-world demographics.

Beyond research, Elbuluk pointed to changes in conference programming and educational content. Speakers are becoming more intentional about including diverse imagery in lectures, and sessions addressing conditions that disproportionately affect patients of color are more visible. Importantly, she noted that skin of color dermatology is increasingly integrated throughout meetings and curricula, rather than siloed as a standalone topic, an evolution that reinforces its relevance to all clinicians.

Collectively, the panelists conveyed cautious optimism. Meaningful gains have been made in therapeutics, education, and representation, but structural and clinical gaps remain. For dermatologists in practice, the message was clear: progress matters only if accompanied by honest appraisal and continued action to ensure equitable, evidence-based care for all patients.

In this segment from the latest episode of the Skin of Color Savvy podcast, progress in skin health equity and advancements still needed in 2026 are highlighted.

Skin of Color Savvy: Why 2026 Is the Year of Skin Equity, With Susan Taylor, MD, Nada Elbuluk, MD, MSc, and Mona Shahriari, MD

episode, hosted by Skin of Color Society (SOCS) leaders and produced by 

, led a forward-looking conversation on advancing 

 equity with Susan Taylor, MD, the Bernett Johnson Endowed Professor of Dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, and Nada Elbuluk, MD, MSc, board-certified dermatologist and Professor at the USC Keck School of Medicine, Department of Dermatology.

Framing 2026 as a potential “pivotal year,” Shahriari guided a discussion that moved beyond awareness of disparities toward measurable action. Taylor reflected on how the current moment differs from the past, citing tangible therapeutic advances in conditions that disproportionately affect patients with skin of color, including hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) and atopic dermatitis. She also pointed to growing educational resources—such as expanded image libraries, textbooks, and conference programming—as evidence that skin of color dermatology is no longer confined to side conversations but embedded in mainstream discourse.

Elbuluk emphasized accountability as a defining shift. Industry, journals, and conference organizers are increasingly expected to demonstrate meaningful inclusion in research, imagery, and programming. However, both she and Taylor stressed that progress remains incomplete, particularly in clinical trial representation. They highlighted the importance of diversifying trial sites, training more investigators from underrepresented backgrounds, and intentionally designing studies that capture endpoints relevant to diverse patient populations—including pigmentary sequelae and disease burden nuances.

Education was another focal point. Elbuluk underscored the need for standardized residency training in skin of color dermatology, while Taylor highlighted continuing medical education and integrated conference sessions that compare presentations across skin tones. Both reinforced that competency in treating diverse populations is no longer optional in an increasingly heterogeneous US patient base.

The discussion also addressed advocacy, including collaborative efforts to address policy issues such as pseudofolliculitis barbae in military service members. Looking ahead to emerging technologies, Elbuluk cautioned that artificial intelligence (AI) tools must be built on diverse datasets to avoid perpetuating bias, while Taylor stressed the importance of dermatologists occupying decision-making rooms and spaces.

In closing, the speakers urged grassroots action—whether by deepening knowledge in unfamiliar disease states, joining advocacy committees, or simply reaching out to colleagues for guidance. As Elbuluk noted, progress requires sustained momentum, and as Taylor emphasized, achieving equity will depend on collective effort across the dermatology community.

To learn more about SOCS’s programs and initiatives, visit 

Editor’s note: This summary was edited with the help of AI tools.

This new February episode of the Skin of Color Savvy podcast highlights why 2026 may be the year of skin health equity in the dermatology field.

Nada Elbuluk, MD, MSc

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