More Than Skin Deep

Grabbing an umbrella on your way out, smoothing in sunscreen on a bright day or dabbing your face with micellar water at the end of a day — these small, unremarkable actions are woven into the fiber of average days. But Caroline Roberts, M.D., CAS ’20 and OUWB ’25, and Madison Romanski, M.D., CAS ’21 and OUWB ’25, noticed that these core commonalities were unavailable to people they were helping through the Student-Run Free Clinic at the Gary Burnstein Community Health Clinic as well as the Street Medicine Oakland teams.

Madison Romanski, M.D., CAS ’21 and OUWB ’25

“With the street medicine team, there was a gentleman I met who was really only asking for medication for his joint pain and reviewing his blood pressure,” Dr. Romanski says. “But I noticed his sunburnt legs as well, and I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, this is another need that we can meet here, right now.’”

Many shelters shift accommodations during the day, sometimes only providing shelter in the evenings. The man that Romanski and Dr. Roberts interacted with relied on the support of shelters, and thus, during the day, he remained continually outside. He was wheelchair-bound, which gradually led to severe sunburns on his legs as he spent each summery day with little shaded relief.

Shelters and clinics focusing on underserved populations initially prioritize “brushing your teeth and staying clean, which are really important needs,” Roberts explains. Even on an individual level, they saw many people overlooking sunscreen when they would buy products because a “sunburn is just an initial consequence of sun exposure” and doesn’t hold the same weight as other challenges their patients faced, according to Romanski. Long-term effects, including the risk of skin cancer, are much more daunting, but even in the short term, the student pair believed that their patients deserved these everyday comforts.

Caroline Roberts, M.D., CAS ’20 and OUWB ’25

“I wish we were able to provide things that make people feel good about themselves,” Roberts remembers.

Acting on this wish, the two OUWB medical students responded to the additional patients’ needs by applying for two community engagement Compass grants and a grant through the OU-Pontiac Initiative. All grants awarded their innovative thinking and thoughtfulness, and they used the funds to coordinate care packages, initially including sunscreen and hats.

“We went out and distributed them in person to all the recipients,” Roberts says. “Then we asked them, ‘Is there anything else that would be helpful?’ and we received feedback asking for face wash and moisturizer too. Our next phase was themed after their requests.”

Most recently, skin hygiene kits have included 10 pieces, including a canvas bag to carry everything, moisturizer, face wash, sunscreen, body lotion, a tube of petroleum jelly, lip balm, an umbrella, cotton pads and micellar water. The product brand, consistency and cost were thoughtfully balanced when deciding each item, understanding that “the best skin protection is the protection that you actually use,” Romanski says.

Moreover, the sunscreens sported high SPF numbers, ranging from 50 to 70, but the formulas remained light and wearable, ensuring protection that was versatile for people of varying skin tones too. Romanski and Roberts aim to provide protective products that people actually want to wear consistently.

Graduating in 2025, the OUWB medical students now prepare for their clinical residencies, where they’ll specialize their practice. Romanski is fittingly pursuing dermatology, continuing to advocate that skincare makes up mental and physical care, and Roberts will focus on family medicine, drawing from her emphasis on caring conversations with patients.

While their residencies take precedence in their health care journeys, their skincare project both uncovered vital needs in the community and inspiration from others. Furthermore, the waves they made in local health care had such a strong impact that it is continuing: The OUWB chapter of the Dermatology Interest Group intends to grow their endeavors further.

“We didn’t have any sort of expectation that it was going to be as big and successful as it was,” Roberts says. “We saw a need — there are people that need sunscreen and don’t have access — and we wanted to help. That was only the start. Even if we could help a few people, awesome, but I’m thankful more opportunities came.”