“We all have a role to play in writing our love letter to humanity”, says fourth year Exeter Medical School student, and recent TEDxNHS speaker Naabil Khan.

Naabil’s chosen role is to make a difference in the way medicine is taught in UK universities, and in the language and imagery of medical texts.

When she started studying medicine Naabil found only 18% of the imagery related to non-white patients in leading medical textbooks, and up until six years ago only 8% of general medical texts included darker skin images.

“Representation of skin shouldn’t be binary,” she explains. “It’s a spectrum determined by melanin, the pigment that defines our skin.”

“I am so aware that the issue of race is politicised, but this isn’t about politics, it’s about human rights,” she says.

She provides a couple of examples of how the lack of representation of all skin types can backfire. Sunburn being described only as pink or red patches, as opposed to including reference to darker skin tones where it manifests as darker patches, or uneven pigmentation. Acne being described as red and angry, but not including reference to dark spots, and darker patches on melanated skin.

The traditional diagnostics for Strep A and Meningitis include similar descriptions that only apply to lighter skin.

Originally from London, Naabil says the first time she took a platform locally to discuss these disparities she was a little nervous.

“I fully expected to be told that what I was saying wasn’t relevant down here in the South West, but instead the support has been wonderful, with many people saying how important it is to get this right.”

“Working in medicine has to be non-political” she says. “But we must ask why some patients don’t get the same treatment as others. Medicine must be objective.”

To aid this Naabil created the Skin For All website, to help both medical practitioners and patients better understand what is, after all, our largest organ.

“I prioritised making the content accessible, simplifying technical jargon for everyday people while still providing detailed information on common signs and symptoms, necessary investigations, and suggested management plans for medical students,” she says.

Sadly, Exeter might not have this engaging activist in our midst for too much longer – Naabil says she’s off to work in a hospital in Truro for her fifth year, and then could be posted anywhere in the country.

“I have loved getting to know the people of Devon, who have been so kind to me, and I have really benefitted from the support of my professors and tutors who have been helping me on my mission,” she says.

The thing she’ll miss most is Exeter’s cafés. When pressed to name her favourite she lists three – Café Nero on the high street, Coffee#1 near Princesshay and The Glorious Arthouse on Fore Street.

Next time you notice someone working on a laptop in one of these just think – like Naabil, in their own polite, engaging and determined way, they could be developing real change.

Learn more about Naabil and Skin For All at www.skinforall.co.uk

Words: Bruce Hetherington