In an effort to combat the challenges of healthcare access in rural Montana, 57 student volunteers from Rocky Vista University’s Montana College of Osteopathic Medicine recently organized a community skin cancer screening clinic in Billings. The event, which saw more than 100 residents sign up for examinations, aimed to provide critical early detection services in a region where specialized dermatological care can be difficult to access.
The initiative highlights a pressing public health demand. Skin cancer remains the most common form of cancer globally, with the American Cancer Society noting that approximately 5.4 million cases of basal and squamous cell skin cancers are diagnosed each year in the United States.
For the students, the clinic served as both a community service and a rigorous clinical exercise. By conducting preliminary screenings under the supervision of attending physicians, the volunteers were able to apply their classroom knowledge to real-world pathology, identifying suspicious lesions and refining their diagnostic skills.
Bridging the Rural Dermatology Gap
The decision to host the clinic in Billings was driven by the systemic shortage of specialists in rural states. Matthew Schmeiser, president of Rocky Vista University’s Dermatology Club, emphasized that the sheer size of the skin—the body’s largest organ—creates a vast surface area where malignancies can develop unnoticed. “It’s our largest organ, so we’ve got lots of surface area for things to proceed wrong,” Schmeiser said.
For many residents, these free screenings are the only proactive health measure they can access without traveling long distances or facing lengthy wait times for a specialist appointment. This gap in care is particularly dangerous for high-risk populations, including those with a family history of melanoma or those with fair skin who have had significant sun exposure.
Sandra Hensen, a local resident over the age of 70, attended the clinic due to a family history of the disease. Hensen shared that her brother had previously battled melanoma and she had dealt with a precancerous lesion. While her previous physician had suggested a three-year window between screenings, the student volunteers at the clinic recommended a more frequent, yearly cadence.
The Clinical Process and Student Training
The clinic operated through a tiered diagnostic approach designed to ensure patient safety while maximizing the educational value for the medical students. The process began with the student volunteers performing an initial head-to-toe examination. After this preliminary phase, students reported their findings—categorizing lesions as suspicious or benign—to the supervising attending physicians.
Following the student’s report, the physician conducted their own independent screening of the patient. This dual-layered approach allowed the physicians to verify the students’ accuracy, providing a feedback loop where students could see exactly what they might have missed or confirming their correct identification of a lesion.
Schmeiser noted that this experience is invaluable for future physicians, as it trains the eye to recognize the subtle differences between a common mole and a potential malignancy. “The student will have the opportunity to kind of have their work checked to see if they were right, see if there was something they missed, kind of taken as a learning experience,” Schmeiser said.
Recognizing the Warning Signs: The ABCDE Method
A central component of the clinic’s mission was patient education. Students and physicians worked to teach attendees how to perform self-exams using the “ABCDE” mnemonic, a gold standard for identifying abnormal moles that may require biopsy.
| Letter | Feature | What to Look For |
|---|---|---|
| A | Asymmetry | One half of the mole does not match the other half. |
| B | Borders | Edges that are irregular, ragged, notched, or blurred. |
| C | Color | Multiple colors or uneven shading within a single mole. |
| D | Diameter | Moles larger than 6mm (about the size of a pencil eraser). |
| E | Evolution | Any change in size, shape, color, or elevation over time. |
Schmeiser pointed out that while many people associate skin screenings only with moles, the “evolution” of a spot—how it changes over time—is often the most critical indicator of a problem. He also stressed the importance of prevention, noting that the most effective sunscreen is simply the one a person will actually use consistently.
The Broader Impact of Early Detection
Early detection is the most significant factor in improving survival rates for skin cancer, particularly melanoma. When caught in the early stages, most skin cancers are highly treatable through surgical excision. However, in rural areas where screenings are infrequent, diseases may progress to more advanced stages before they are identified, complicating treatment and lowering the prognosis.
By integrating these clinics into the medical school’s curriculum, Rocky Vista University is not only providing immediate care to the Billings community but is also fostering a generation of physicians who are acutely aware of the disparities in rural healthcare. These students are learning that the “bridge” to better health outcomes often requires taking the clinic directly to the people who need it most.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
As the Dermatology Club continues to develop its community outreach programs, the university expects to evaluate the outcomes of this clinic to plan future screening events and identify specific high-need areas within the state of Montana.
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