Certificate and Diploma program in General Dermatology

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

GPs are confronted with common skin, nail and hair conditions on a regular basis as patients have limited access to dermatologists. In fact, the largest organ of the human body makes up 15 percent of general practice consultations on a day-to-day basis. Undergraduate dermatology training is minimal in many medical schools and without additional education in general dermatology, GPs are often underequipped to handle common presentations such as paediatric infections, atopic eczema, chronic plaque psoriasis, female pattern hair loss, and many more conditions.

Presented by noted dermatologists, the online Professional Diploma of General Dermatology program will teach you how to manage all major dermatological conditions as well as general disease states manifesting through the skin, and help you minimise unnecessary referrals to specialists.

PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATE OF GENERAL DERMATOLOGY

The Professional Certificate course will teach how to diagnose various dermatological conditions in the early presentation stage and choose appropriate treatment options for common skin, hair and nail problems.

Module 1: Common benign lesions, pigmentary conditions and skin infections
Module 2: Facial rashes, systemic diseases and fungal skin infections
Module 3: Psoriasis, lichen planus and pityriasis rosea
Module 4: Atopic dermatitis and acne
Module 5: Dermatopathology, pruritus and contact dermatitis
Module 6: Nail diseases and hair loss
Module 7: Paediatric dermatology, follicular disorders and blistering disorders
Module 8: General dermatology cases

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ADVANCED CERTIFICATE OF GENERAL DERMATOLOGY

In the Advanced Certificate course, you will increase your clinical knowledge, learn how to assess more complex and rare cases, and make differential diagnoses for various dermatological conditions.

Module 1: Dermatological emergencies, vitiligo and skin infestations
Module 2: Treatment of dermatomyositis and sarcoidosis
Module 3: Systemic treatment options for psoriasis and lichen planus
Module 4: Systemic treatment for atopic dermatitis, and the differential diagnosis and treatment of acne
Module 5: Patch testing, contact dermatitis and cutaneous lymphomas
Module 6: Cicatricial alopecia and rare nail disorders
Module 7: Hidradenitis suppurativa and bullous pemphigoid
Module 8: More challenging cases
Concluding webinar: Summary and questions/clarification prior to exams

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PROFESSIONAL DIPLOMA OF GENERAL DERMATOLOGY

In the Professional Diploma course, you will develop the most advanced clinical knowledge and critical awareness of dermatology principles and treatment options.

Module 1: Bites: spiders, snakes and insects
Module 2: Skin ulcers, pressure sores and wound care
Module 3: Pregnancy dermatoses
Module 4: Oral mucosal diseases
Module 5: Urticaria and drug eruptions
Module 6: Nutritional dermatoses and delusions of parasitosis
Module 7: Sexually transmitted infections and HIV
Module 8: Vulvar skin diseases

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ADVANCED CERTIFICATE OF DERMOSCOPY FOR DERMATOLOGY

This course explores the applications of dermoscopy in diagnosing a range of skin and hair conditions commonly seen in primary care.

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ADVANCED CERTIFICATE OF HISTOPATHOLOGY FOR DERMOSCOPY

This course offers a comprehensive guide to the principles of dermatopathology and will help you understand and interpret pathology reports.

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CERTIFICATE OF CASE MANAGEMENT: DERMOSCOPY

Facilitated entirely online with personal 1:1 mentorship from dermoscopy expert A/Prof Andreas Blum, there is an opportunity to consider and interpret dermoscopic images and then receive feedback and elaboration on features and indicators within the image.

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ENTRY REQUIREMENTS AND COURSE REQUISITES

This course is for medical doctors and for degree-qualified nurses and dermal therapists who work under their supervision.

No previous formal training is required for the Professional Certificate course.
Participants of the Advanced Certificate course must have successfully completed the Professional Certificate course or have equivalent qualifications.
In order to qualify for the Professional Diploma, participants must complete both certificate courses in sequential order.
Participants do not have to pass an IELTS test but, as the courses are delivered in English, proficiency in listening, reading and writing English is assumed.
Participants will require access to a computer/laptop, an internet connection and a basic level of technology proficiency to access and navigate the online learning portal.

Other professionally accredited qualifications and prior studies may be recognised for entry into the program.

Prof Richard P. Usatine

MD PhD

Professor of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery at the University of Texas, USA

Founder and medical director of the University Health System Skin Clinic in San Antonio, USA

Professor Richard Usatine is the Professor of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery at the University of Texas. He is the author of nine books and over 120 papers, founder of the Interactive Dermatology Atlas on the web, and is the most recognised presenter on skin conditions in the USA. He is also the national chair of the yearly Skin Course held by the American Academy of Family Physicians, and is the founder and medical director of the University Health System Skin Clinic in San Antonio.

Richard has been involved in Global Health through his work in Mexico, Guatemala, Panama, Haiti and Ethiopia. In 2000, Richard Usatine was recognised as the national recipient of the Humanism in Medicine Award, by the Association of American Medical Colleges.

A/Prof Caterina Longo

MD PhD

Scientific Coordinator, Skin Cancer Unit, ASMN-IRCCS, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy

Associate Professor Caterina Longo is a board-certified dermatologist specialising in the diagnosis and treatment of skin cancers. Although providing the best care possible for patients remains her primary goal, she also committed to education and clinical research. She is actively involved in clinical research and has published numerous papers on topics related to skin cancer with an emphasis on melanoma, atypical nevi, Spitz/Reed nevi and non-melanoma skin cancer.

Caterina’s research interests are focused on the use of imaging instruments such as dermoscopy and confocal laser microscopy to recognise skin cancer early in its development. She pioneered the use of ex vivo fluorescence confocal microscopy for micrographic Mohs surgery applied for basal cell carcinoma and other visceral tumours. Caterina frequently lectures on these topics both nationally and internationally.

Dr Christopher M Ross

BSc(BiomedSc)(Hons) BMBS FACD

Dr Christopher Ross is an Adelaide-based Dermatologist who completed a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Science with Honours at Adelaide University in 2004, before completing his Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery at Flinders University in 2008.

Dermatology specialist training was conducted at Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Flinders Medical Centre and Royal Adelaide Hospital; he was awarded Fellowship of the Australasian College of Dermatologists (FACD) in 2016. Dr Ross has published multiple articles in the Australasian Journal of Dermatology and has written and presented several courses in General Dermatology with HealthCert for teaching purposes.

Dr Ross has a keen interest in rural dermatology, providing outreach services to Darwin and rural South Australia. He also holds the position of Visiting Medical Specialist at Flinders Medical Centre, providing care and teaching to Dermatology registrars. Dr Ross has an interest in all general dermatology including acne, eczema, psoriasis and hair loss.

Dr Ross become a founding member of DermoDirect, which is an online teledermatology service that provides a valuable specialist service to rural areas of Australia. He also is a founder of Diagnode, the telehealth platform behind Dermodirect.

Dr Daniel Stulberg

MD, FAAFP

Dr Daniel Stulberg is a Professor and the Vice Chair of Education in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of New Mexico, USA. After completing the Inteflex program and residency at the University of Michigan in 1990, he worked for eight years in rural Arizona before moving into full time teaching. Daniel has published multiple articles and presents at national conferences regarding skin care and treatment. He has a dual appointment in family medicine and dermatology with an emphasis on skin care and procedural family medicine.

Dr Jonathan B. Karnes

Dr Jonathan B. Karnes is a family medicine physician with special fellowship training in dermatology. He is employed by MDFMR Dermatology Services and is a member of Maine General Medical Center's active staff. He is also a faculty member in the Maine Dartmouth Family Medicine Residency program.

Jonathan’s special interest areas include:

Advancement flaps
Burn therapy (excluding burns requiring grafting)
Cryotherapy of skin lesions
Destruction of malignant skin lesions by electrosurgery or cryosurgery
Excision/biopsy of skin lesions without grafting
Fricke graft for small skin defects
Incision and drainage of superficial abscesses and haematomas
Intermediate and complex facial repairs
Local infiltration anaesthesia with minor nerve blocks
Patch tests for allergy diagnosis
Phototherapy

Dr Zoe Apalla

MD PhD

Consultant Dermatologist at State Hospital for Skin and Venereal Diseases, Thessaloniki, Greece

Dr Zoe Apalla was board certified in dermatology in 2008 at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. She was trained in dermatopathology at the St John’s Institute of Dermatology in London in 2010 and obtained her PhD degree at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in 2013.

Zoe has worked as a consultant in the First Dermatology Department of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki since 2010. She oversees the Supportive Oncology Outpatient Clinic and the Skin Cancer Outpatient Clinic, and the department’s dermatopathology laboratory. She also holds General Dermatology and Inflammatory Dermatoses Outpatient Clinics.

Zoe’s main research fields include skin oncology, melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer, topical treatments, photodynamic therapy and dermatoscopy. She has published more than 100 peer-reviewed scientific articles in international journals and has lectured at many international and national congresses and meetings.

COURSE FEES AND PAYMENT OPTIONS

UPFRONT PAYMENT

Single course

$1,795

Two-Course Bundle*

$3,410

Three-Course Bundle*

$4,840

*Special rates for upfront registrations for multiple courses within the same pathway.

DEFERRED PAYMENT

Single course

$640 x 3

Two-Course Bundle

$605 x 6

Three-Course Bundle

$645 x 8

Defer your payments over several months.

GP REGISTRARS: Doctors in training who are on a pathway to General Practice Registration through a recognised training provider receive a HealthCert Scholarship and save $500 on face-to-face certificate courses (two-day practical workshops) and $300 on online and hybrid certificate courses (one-day practical workshop with supporting online theory). This offer cannot be used in conjunction with the Early Bird special.

COURSE DELIVERY and ASSESSMENT

Each of the three levels of this course consists of eight modules which are delivered online and can be viewed and replayed at any time. All courses include:

All presentation slides available for download.
Access to additional learning resources, reference materials and video lectures.
Reading list with references to peer-reviewed journal articles to keep up-to-date with developments in the field.
Web-based support with the opportunity to ask the instructors questions while you implement your learning.

There is a six-month exam period for the Professional and Advanced Certificates. In order to pass the assessment and progress to the next course, you must complete the assessment online. Exam extensions are available on a case by case basis.

Online activities for the Professional and Advanced Certificates include a pre-course activity, responding to interactive case discussions, knowledge- and scenario-based questions, two interactive webinars, and a post-course activity.

Online activities for the Professional Diploma level include a pre-course activity, literature review, responding to interactive case discussions, knowledge- and scenario-based questions, two interactive webinars, and a post-course activity. A clinical audit is also a module of the Professional Diploma designed to demonstrate your application of learning in clinical presentations. The clinical audit is separately accredited.

Online assessment

In order to meet the requirements of professional and academic learning, the course assessment includes professional requirements and two online examinations.

Develop a report/explanation of how the learning from this course will help you with your professional development. - All certificate levels
Complete a literature review of three articles nominated by the course chair. - Professional Diploma only
Complete a clinical audit (separately accredited) to demonstrate application of learning. - Professional Diploma only
There is a knowledge-based examination and an application-based examination which are both equally weighted. The pass mark for online examinations is 80 per cent. It is therefore not possible to pass this course on knowledge alone; knowledge must be successfully applied to patient cases in order to pass the course. - All certificate levels
Explanation of how the learning from this course has helped you with your professional development. - All certificate levels

HealthCert recommends completion of all requirements at your convenience within six months of the start of a cohort for the Professional and Advanced Certificates and within 12 months for the Professional Diploma.

CERTIFICATION AND ACCREDITATION

Professional Diploma of General Dermatology Upon successful completion of the exam, course participants will receive the respective Certificates of General Dermatology and below points. To learn more about the delivery of certificates in Australia and overseas, please visit our FAQs.

Professional Certificate
RACGP CPD Accredited Activity 40 Points
ACRRM - PDP units: 36 Educational activity, 16 Performance review

Advanced Certificate
RACGP CPD Accredited Activity 40 Points
ACRRM - PDP units: 43 Educational activity, 8 Performance review

Professional Diploma
RACGP CPD Accredited Activity 40 Points
ACRRM - PDP units: 42 Educational activity, 16 Performance review

This program:

Provides CPD points from the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP).
Provides PDP points from the Australian Council of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM).
Is recognised by the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (RNZCGP).
Is recognised by the Hong Kong College of Family Physicians (HKCFP). The HKCFP recognises all courses endorsed by the RACGP. Points are calculated differently.
Is a self-submitted activity in Dubai. The number of CPD points must be stated on the certificate. Please contact PLD@dhcr.gov.ae for more information.
Is a self-submitted activity in the UK. CPD events overseas, applicable to a doctor’s scope of practice, may be submitted for revalidation. Please confirm with your Responsible Officer.
Is a self-submitted activity in Canada through the College of Family Physicians of Canada. Category 1 points are reported as certified and Category 2 points are reported as non-certified. Contact mainprocredits@cfpc.ca for more information.
Meets World Federation of Medical Education standards.
Is quality-assured by Bond University.
Qualifies for certified clinical attachments in General Dermatology in Austria at the University of Vienna.
Provides credit for Postgraduate Diploma in General Dermatology which is studied online at the Rila Institute of Health Sciences which in turn provides credit for a Master of Science in Dermatology awarded by the University of Plymouth (UK).
Has been independently developed with subject specialists and does not receive education grants from any pharmaceutical company.

EDUCATION PATHWAYS

Professional Diploma Pathway

This course is the first stage of the professional diploma pathway. The full pathway is: Professional Certificate of General Dermatology, Advanced Certificate of General Dermatology, Professional Diploma of General Dermatology.

Postgraduate Pathway

This pathway is suitable for doctors who are mainly interested in clinical academic study.

Postgraduate Diploma in Dermatology studied through the Rila Institute of Health Sciences and awarded by the University of Plymouth (UK).

There are three modules in the Postgraduate Diploma. Medical professionals who successfully complete the HealthCert Professional Certificate of General Dermatology, Advanced Certificate of General Dermatology and Professional Diploma of General Dermatology will be eligible to apply for Accreditation of Prior Certified Learning (APCL) for module 3 of the Rila Institute/Plymouth University Postgraduate Diploma in Dermatology.

The Postgraduate Diploma is mainly delivered online. No practical workshops will be required due to the APCL from the HealthCert qualifications. Overall there will be a time saving of 40 per cent of the postgraduate program due to the APCL. Exams will be held in Perth, Western Australia.

When the Postgraduate Diploma has been successfully completed, medical professionals can apply for credit from the Postgraduate Diploma to the Master of Science in the specialism awarded by the University of Plymouth

Certified Clinical Attachments Pathway

Upon completion of the Professional Certificate of General Dermatology, participants can complete a Dermatology Clinical Attachment to increase the safety and accuracy of their work. Clinical Attachments in Dermatology are currently available at the University of Vienna under the supervision of Professor Harald Kittler.

Course graduates may also join the International Society of Dermatology (ISD).