Canadian dermatology residents express views on inclusion, diversity, and equity in 3rd annual national essay competition

The Chronicle of Skin & Allergy, in partnership with the Dermatology Industry Taskforce on Inclusion, Diversity and Equity (DiTiDE), is pleased to announce the winners of the 3rd annual short essay competition for Canadian dermatology residents.

This contest was open to any resident enrolled in a dermatology training program at a Canadian medical school, with enrolment confirmed by their Program Director. Entrants submitted a 350- to 500-word composition reflecting their viewpoints and experiences relating to inclusion, diversity, and equity.

A selection committee consisting of Dr. Neil H. Shear (University of Toronto), Mitchell Shannon (Chronicle), and Allan Ryan (Chronicle) judged the submissions. The winning essays will be published in The Chronicle of Skin & Allergy during 2025.

In an unusual twist, three submissions were judged to be equally impactful and each are awarded the Grand Prize.

The winners are:

Ahmad AA Abdulkareem, MD, MSc is in the PGY1 Dermatology Residency Program at McGill University, Montreal

Bohmyi Choi, MD, is a PGY1 resident with the Division of Dermatology at the University of Ottawa

Rahila Shaikh, MD, is a full-time PGY1 resident with the Division of Dermatology at the University of Ottawa

On behalf of The Chronicle, DiTiDE, and the Canadian dermatology community, congratulations to all.

DiTiDE is a volunteer working group composed of Canadian life sciences managers and executives, dermatologists, patient association leaders, and allied parties committed to improving the patient experience and outcomes of under-represented skin types and underserved ethnicities through developing physician education and resources.

The 4th DiTiDE short-essay competition is now underway, with a submission deadline of Dec. 4, 2025. Full details about the 2025 contest can be found at derm.city/for-residents

For additional information please contact: health@chronicle.email