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Observations on the Art and Science of Making a Morphological Diagnosis in Dermatology

Robert Jackson, MD, FRCP(C)

Arch Dermatol. 1975;111(5):632-636.

Abstract
Morphology (or living gross pathology) is being neglected in contemporary dermatology. It is high time for a renaissance of the teaching of the art and science of seeing, so that students, residents, and physicians can learn about basic morphological changes in the skin, the raison d'être of the speciality of dermatology.

How do we see? How can what we see be recorded? What do these recordings tell us when applied to morphological diagnosis? Basing my arguments on the studies of Thomas and others, I will discuss the significance of how much a physician actually sees, the effect of certain emotional states and blind spots, the ability to synthesize visually, and the influence of prior knowledge.

Author Affiliations
From the Department of Dermatology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Footnotes
Accepted for publication Sept 20, 1974.

Presented in part before the American Dermatological Association Meeting, April 2, 1974, Kona, Hawaii.

Reprint requests to 1081 Carling Ave, Suite 508, Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 4G2, Canada.

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