The SOCS Meeting the Challenge in Research Committee
SOCS Past Presidents Drs. Valerie D. Callender (left) and Valerie M. Harvey lead the Meeting the Challenge in Research Committee.
For this month’s Committee Corner, we are pleased to feature the SOCS Meeting the Challenge in Research Committee, co-chaired by two past presidents, Drs. Valerie D. Callender and Valerie M. Harvey. This important and highly productive committee leads efforts to improve representation and participation in dermatological research, with particular attention to clinical trials.
Formerly known as the Diversity in Dermatology Clinical Trials Task Force, the Meeting the Challenge in Research Committee was upgraded to committee status at this year’s Annual General Business Meeting in March 2025 and its name was changed to better reflect the full scope and impact of its work.
Meet the Co-Chairs
Widely known as a “dynamic duo,” Drs. Harvey and Callender have co-led this exciting initiative since its inception in 2022. With passion and purpose, they and their dedicated group of members have accomplished so much in the last few years to bring a big, bold vision to life.
Dr. Callender is Professor of Dermatology, Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, DC; Founder & Medical Director, Callender Dermatology & Cosmetic Center, Glenn Dale, MD.
Dr. Harvey is the Clinical Director, Hampton Roads Center for Dermatology, Newport News and Virginia Beach, VA.
The Committee’s Main Achievements
The Meeting the Challenge in Research Committee has made significant progress over the past three years, including successfully organizing two summits focused on addressing key issues in ensuring broad representation in clinical trials. These meetings have provided a platform to discuss important issues in dermatology, from reasons for poor representation to defining and categorizing research populations.
This year’s Summit will focus on outcome measures used in dermatology research, offering an in-depth discussion of existing gaps and solutions on how to address them to ensure that all patient experiences are accurately captured.
We invite you to attend this program, which will take place on December 5-6, 2025, at The Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. Act now to RSVP here!
The committee’s work has also been published in journals such as JAMA Dermatology, The Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, and Archives of Dermatological Research. A Delphi Consensus on the criteria for a skin classification tool is currently being prepared for submission.
Additionally, under the co-chairs’ leadership, the committee is collaborating with The CHORD COUSIN Collaboration (C3), a global research organization dedicated to developing and implementing high-quality Core Outcome Sets. This collaboration aims to identify gaps in current dermatology outcome measures to ensure that they reflect the variety of clinical signs across different skin tones.
Drs. Callender and Harvey jointly express, “It has been a privilege to co-chair this committee alongside a talented group of dermatologists who are deeply committed to ensuring that all experiences are considered in the design and execution of scientific studies. This approach is critical to generating results that can be applied across the broader population.”
Call to Action
Drs. Callender and Harvey encourage SOCS members’ continued engagement with the committee’s work, and invite researchers, clinicians, and stakeholders to collaborate in advancing dermatologic research that truly reflects the full spectrum of patient experiences and ultimately optimizes patient care and their well-being.