Piloting a Community Education Skin Cancer Program, Coordinated by Medical Students (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Skin cancer prevention and sun protective habits are the target of many community engagement initiatives given the rising incidence of melanoma, and the effectiveness of preventive measures. OBJECTIVE Certify medical students as local melanoma educators. Educate school-age children on skin cancer prevention and detection to improve outcomes and decrease skin cancer mortality. METHODS Block the Blaze is a non-profit community education program through the John Wayne Cancer Foundation. Two chapters were recently started in Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine Minnesota and Arizona campuses. The MCASOM chapter leadership team consists of medical students who work to coordinate pre-prepared presentations with local teachers at their respective schools and recruit and prepare medical student training and presentation sign-ups. Participants: Mayo Medical Students at Mayo AZ and MN served as presenters through their medical school’s chapters of Block the Blaze. Presentations were given to local elementary, middle, and high school students via Zoom. Exposure: One-time school presentation on skin cancer prevention and detection through the John Wayne Cancer Foundation’s premade presentations. RESULTS Main Outcome(s) and Measure(s): Number of presentations scheduled, and number of students reached. Results: 40 presentations were scheduled, 113 teachers contacted, and 424 reached at local middle and high school in MCASOM Minnesota’s Block the Blaze chapter’s first year. The program was expanded to include more skin of color photos. CONCLUSIONS Conclusion and relevance: Community education programs can be an effective tool for health promotion and public health improvement. Block the Blaze as a skin cancer and sun protection education program targets school age population with a higher risk for excessive sun exposure and indoor tanning use.