COURSE OVERVIEW

Presented by noted dermatologists, this comprehensive course teaches how to manage common skin, hair and nail conditions in primary care. You will learn about modes of presentation, relevant investigations and management of all of the common skin conditions from acne, rosacea, eczema, psoriasis through to drug rashes, hair loss and common cosmetic complaints. 

The course is delivered online in eight modules which can be viewed and replayed at any time. Participants will receive valuable 12 months web-based support from the speakers and participate in regular online learning sessions with the opportunity to ask any questions you might have as you implement your learning.

This course is the first part of the three-part Professional Diploma of General Dermatology. The education pathway is Professional Certificate of General Dermatology, Advanced Certificate of General Dermatology and Professional Diploma of General Dermatology.

Professional Certificate of
General Dermatology

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ENTRY REQUIREMENTS AND COURSE REQUISITES

The Professional Certificate of General Dermatology is tailored for medical professionals seeking comprehensive knowledge on the diagnosis of various dermatological conditions in the early presentation stage. Participants will learn how to choose appropriate treatments for skin, hair and nail problems that commonly present in the primary care setting, with integrable knowledge that is immediately applicable in general practice. The course is suitable for medical doctors and the nurses and dermal therapists who work under their supervision, other degree-qualified health professionals with an interest in skin, as well as for International Medical Graduates. The course assumes no prior knowledge or training in the field. 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.

Professionally recognised qualifications and prior studies may be recognised for entry into this course if the learning outcomes match exactly. Please ask a HealthCert Education Advisor for an individual assessment of your prior qualifications and experience.

COURSE CONTENTS

The certificate course offers richly illustrated clinical examples and opportunities for interactive discussions on the cases provided and covers various dermatology conditions.

The theory sessions cover:

  • Common benign lesions
  • Pigmentary conditions
  • Skin infections
  • Facial rashes
  • Systemic diseases
  • Fungal skin infections
  • Psoriasis
  • Lichen planus
  • Pityriasis rosea
  • Acne
  • Dermatopathology
  • Pruritus
  • Contact dermatitis
  • Nail diseases
  • Hair loss
  • Paediatric dermatology
  • Follicular disorders
  • Blistering disorders


Course participants will:

  • Have the opportunity to replay video lectures from medical experts
  • Participate in discussion of patient cases, evaluate and make decisions
  • Receive a comprehensive course folder and research/readings in the field.
  • All presentation slides available for download.
  • Participate in course webinar prior to the examinations and ask questions
  • Receive unlimited and ongoing access to free alumni learning resources, video lectures, and discussion forums, as well as invite-only events and special offers after completion of the course
  • Receive ongoing support post-course through webinars and case review
  • Have the opportunity to participate in optional clinical attachments at dedicated dermatology clinics 

COURSE OUTLINE

Module 1:  Common benign lesions, pigmentary conditions and skin infections – Dr Christopher Ross

You will learn to recognise and manage common benign lesions including epidermal, melanocytic, vascular, soft tissue/neural, cysts, chondrodermatitis nodularis helicis, and sebaceous hyperplasia. The second section of this module teaches about pigmentary conditions including different forms of pityriasis, hypomelanosis, vitiligo and melasma. The final section of this module covers cutaneous infections where you will learn to recognise and manage infections including staphylococcal and streptococcal, malassizia, corynebaterium, viral warts and scabies.  

Module 2: Facial rashes, systemic diseases and fungal skin infections – Prof Richard Usatine

You will learn to recognise and treat common facial rashes including seborrhea and rosacea. You will learn how to collect cutaneous clues for diagnosis of systemic diseases, recognise skin findings and distinguish between types of neurocutaneous diseases. You will also learn to identify and distinguish cutaneous fungal infections from other diseases, and when to use oral antifungal medications rather than topical preparations.

Module 3: Psoriasis, lichen planus and pityriasis rosea – Prof Richard Usatine

You will learn to describe, diagnose and compare treatment options for psoriasis. The second section of this module teaches different variations of lichen planus and pityriasis rosea, the treatment options for these conditions, and when a biopsy is needed for their diagnosis.  

Module 4: Atopic dermatitis and acne – A/Prof Caterina Longo

You will learn to diagnose eczema and atopic dermatitis, and learn the pathogenesis and complications of these conditions. In the second section of this module, you will learn how to diagnose acne and understand its causes and latest treatments.

Module 5: Dermatopathology, pruritus and contact dermatitis – Dr Christopher Ross

You will learn the role of dermatopathology as a diagnostic tool. You will understand that pruritus often arises from a primary cutaneous disorder or underlying systemic disease and you will learn more about treatments for pruritus. You will also learn about the causes and manifestations of contact dermatisis and the management of these conditions.

Module 6: Nail diseases and hair loss – Dr Zoe Apalla

You will learn about predisposing factors contributing to onychomycosis and nail dystrophies. You will learn about the classification of alopecia, differential diagnoses, and factors affecting hair growth phases.  

Module 7: Paediatric dermatology, follicular disorders and blistering disorders – Dr Jonathan Karnes

In the first section of this module, you will learn more about paediatric dermatology conditions including atopic dermatitis, psoriasis and melanocytic naevi. In the second section of this module, you will learn about superficial folliculitis, keratin disorders and deep folliculitis. In the final section of this module, you will learn to recognise vesicobullous diseases that cause vesicles and bullae eruptions on the skin and mucosal surfaces and the underlying causes of these rare disorders.

Module 8: General dermatology cases - Dr Christopher Ross

You will review various dermatology cases, recognise the causal factors and learn how to diagnose and manage various dermatological conditions.

WHAT YOUR COLLEAGUES SAY

Professional Certificate of General Dermatology - Kathleen O'Hanlon

MEET YOUR INSTRUCTORS

Your instructors are widely regarded as some of the world’s foremost specialists in skin cancer medicine and business management, including:
Prof Richard P. Usatine

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 skin cancer presenter in the USA. Since 2000, he has been chosen yearly by his peers to be included in The Best Doctors in America. He is also the national chair of the yearly Skin Course put on 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

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 Ross

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 Jonathan B. Karnes

Dr Jonathan B. Karnes

MD

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

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.

IMPORTANT DATES

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COHORT 3

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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.

LEARN MORE ABOUT AVAILABLE PAYMENT OPTIONS

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

This is a fully online course. We offer a ‘start anytime online’ course structure, which gives flexible start and completion times for studies, as well as exam extensions, to fit in with busy schedules. Participants can enjoy the flexibility to study at their own pace, in their own time, within their home or office, and on their favourite mobile device. The modules are set up in such a way that participants are not required to be online at specific times but can view and replay the video lectures at their convenience. The webinars offer the opportunity to join and interact with the presenters online in real-time but can also be viewed later. There are no face-to-face requirements for exams which can be conveniently completed online within six months of the start of a cohort. With no travel, accommodation or out-of-office expenses incurred, participants can build critical skills and tailor their career while working in a busy practice or raising a family.

There are eight units in a HealthCert professional diploma program. The course is delivered over 15 weeks with 12 weeks of teaching followed by three weeks for revision and final examinations. The course includes online presentations from experts in the field followed by patient case discussions and decision-making. There is a final webinar prior to examinations. You will also receive valuable 12 months web-based support from the speakers and participate in regular online learning sessions with the opportunity to ask any questions you might have as you implement your learning. Upon course completion, HealthCert graduates may join the International Society of Dermatology (ISD).

The course includes: 

  • Digital workbook including all presentation slides.
  • 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.
  • 12 months' web-based support with the opportunity to ask the instructors questions while you implement your learning.

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

  • Develop a one-page report/explanation of how you will use the learning from this course in your professional work.

Online assessment

  • 88 knowledge questions based on a scenario of a medical practitioner undertaking special interest training.
    • 11 per module
      Example: The medical practitioner believes that 10% of the population … Is he correct?  Yes/No
  • 88 authentic scenario based questions based on cases of patient care at a clinic
    • 11 per module
      Example: A patient arrives at your clinic with this problem … What should you do?  Multiple choice images based on patient cases.

The knowledge-based examination is worth 50 per cent and the application-based examination is worth 50 per cent. The overall pass mark 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.

HealthCert recommends completion of the assessment at your convenience within six months of the start of a cohort.

CERTIFICATION AND ACCREDITATION

Professional Certificate of General Dermatology

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

RACGP - CPD Accredited Activity: 40 CPD Program points
ACRRM - PDP units: 36 Educational activity, 16 Performance review

 

This professional certificate:
  • 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 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).
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