Perceptions of U.S. dermatology residency program directors regarding the adequacy of phototherapy training during residency

Summary Background/Purpose Phototherapy utilization has declined over the last 20 years despite its efficacy and cost‐effectiveness. Adequacy of phototherapy training in residency may be a contributing factor. The purpose of this study was to evaluate perceptions of U.S. dermatology residency program directors ( PD s) regarding the effectiveness of their programs' phototherapy training and what constitutes adequate phototherapy education. Methods A questionnaire was sent to PD s to assess phototherapy training within their program; aspects such as dedicated time, exposure to different modalities, and barriers to resident education were surveyed. We assessed the statistical association between these aspects and the perception by PD s that a program's training was adequate. Statistical testing was reported using Fisher's exact tests. Results A total of 42 PD s responded. Residency training in oral psoralen and ultraviolet A therapy ( PUVA ), home phototherapy, and excimer laser, respectively, is not provided in 19.0%, 31.0%, and 47.6% of programs. 38.1% of programs provide ≤5 hours of phototherapy training over 3 years of training. 59.5% of PD s cited lack of curriculum time as the most common barrier to phototherapy education. 19.0% of PD s reported completely adequate phototherapy training, which was significantly associated with inclusion of faculty‐led didactics, assigned reading, or hands‐on clinical training in the curriculum. Conclusions There is a mismatch between the resources devoted to phototherapy education and the need for dedicated training reported by PD s. Limited time is allocated to phototherapy training during dermatology residency, and a large majority of PD s do not feel that the phototherapy training offered is completely adequate.