1800 867 1390Life by a Thousand Cuts podcast series | A/Prof Tony Dicker looks at Mohs surgery, how it differs from excision, and the clinical situations it's used in.
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HealthCert Education
Mohs surgery is often described as the gold standard for skin cancer excision, but in practice it’s a precision tool, not a default option.
In this episode of Life by A Thousand Cuts, A/Prof Tony Dicker looks at what Mohs surgery actually involves, why it is different from standard excision, and the specific clinical situations where it adds real value.
Rather than relying on representative histology, Mohs uses complete margin assessment before reconstruction. That makes it particularly useful when margins are hard to define, tissue is limited, or recurrence would be costly for the patient.
Tune into this week's episode for an insightful discussion about:
- Why poorly defined or recurrent tumours raise margin uncertainty
- Why anatomical sites like eyelids, lips, and the nose change the risk calculus
- How Mohs compares with alternatives such as delayed reconstruction or planned re-excision
- When standard excision remains entirely appropriate
The aim is to help you recognise when certainty matters more than speed, and when referral can spare patients repeat surgery or complex revisions.
Listen to the episode to hear the clinical reasoning in detail and see where Mohs fits into everyday skin cancer decision-making.
Listen to the podcast
Prefer a visual format? Watch this podcast on the HealthCert Education YouTube channel.
Next steps in your learning journey
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Prefer flexible learning across many topics? Access 4,000+ CPD hours on-demand with HealthCert 365 — anytime, any topic, one flat annual fee.
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Or explore more educational content in Skin Cancer Surgery.
Life by a Thousand Cuts
This podcast series is designed to help you enhance your clinical decision-making, procedural skills, and confidence in skin cancer management. Focus on real-world cases, surgical techniques and tips, journal article reviews, diagnostic and management insights, and guest interviews with GPs and specialists.
Listen to the previous episode: GPs in skin cancer surgery - When to cut and when to refer
About A/Prof Tony Dicker
Associate Professor (Skin Cancer) & Course Coordinator MMed (Skin Cancer), The University of Queensland
Tony Dicker has practised full-time Skin Cancer Medicine in Melbourne since 2004, and previously practised in Brisbane. He obtained his PhD from The University of Queensland in molecular biology of skin cancer with Professor Ian Frazer's group at Princess Alexandra Hospital. He then spent three years as a dermatology registrar at the Royal Brisbane and Princess Alexandra Hospitals.
CPD self-submission
You can self-record CPD for this podcast. If you consume educational content on this blog, you can Quick Log CPD hours with the RACGP/ACRRM via the usual self-submission process. You will be asked to reflect on what you have learned, and you will require supporting evidence such as a screenshot. For more information, view the: RACGP CPD guide | ACRRM CPD guide
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