Course Overview

The Advanced Certificate of Skin Cancer Medicine course will solidify and advance your competency in dermoscopy, surgical and non-surgical treatments.  You will gain hands-on experience in rarely covered areas of skin cancer medicine, including diathermy, curettage and cautery or suturing ‘paper-thin’ elderly skin. You will also receive an excellent introduction to advanced dermoscopy and acquire the essential knowledge to diagnose and manage most skin cancers in your practice.

This course is the second part of the three-part Professional Diploma of Skin Cancer Medicine. The education pathway is Professional Certificate of Skin Cancer Medicine, Advanced Certificate of Skin Cancer Medicine and Professional Diploma of Skin Cancer Medicine.

Professional Certificate of Skin Cancer Medicine Advanced Certificate of
Skin Cancer Medicine		 Professional Diploma of Skin Cancer Medicine

Entry Requirements and course requisites

The Advanced Certificate of Skin Cancer Medicine is suitable for medical professionals wishing to solidify and advance their competency in dermoscopy, surgical and non-surgical treatments. Participants can expect to gain hands-on experience in diathermy, curettage and cautery, advanced biopsy techniques and topical treatment options, equipping them with the practical knowledge to manage most skin cancers encountered in primary care and offering their skin cancer patients a wide range of treatment options. The course is suitable for general practitioners and International Medical Graduates. Participants must have completed the Professional Certificate of Skin Cancer Medicine (or a qualification deemed equivalent). 

Recognition of Prior Learning

Professionally accredited qualifications and prior studies may be recognised for entry into this course. Please send an email to credit@healthcert.com for an individual assessment of your prior qualifications and experience. This email should contain information about your educational history and work experience that specifically pertain to the content and procedures covered in the Professional Certificate of Skin Cancer Medicine. Please include any applicable certificates and course outlines from previous education. The relevant Course Chair will make a determination on your application within three working days. 

Course Contents

The course offers a solid foundation for various surgical techniques and provides an excellent introduction to advanced dermatoscopy. This program includes practical surgery sessions. Our team of surgical assistants will guide and support you as you practise the various surgical techniques.

The theory and practical sessions cover:

  • Advanced dermoscopy
  • Curettage and cautery
  • Diathermy
  • Advanced biopsy techniques
  • Topical treatment options
  • Local anaesthetics
  • Incisions / haemostasis
  • Large elliptical excisions
  • Lower leg grafts
  • Suturing, including "paper-thin" skin

Course participants will:

  • Observe experts performing Skin Cancer Medicine techniques on a large screen with close-up camera
  • Perform skin cancer medicine techniques in a simulated environment and receive feedback
  • Participate in online discussion of patient cases, evaluate and make decisions
  • Receive a comprehensive course folder and research/readings in the field
  • 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 skin cancer clinics

WHAT YOUR COLLEAGUES SAY

COURSE OUTLINE

Saturday

Time Session Topic
8:15am - 8:45am Registration  
8:45am - 10:45am Session 1 Suturing
10:45am - 11:15am Morning Tea  
11:15am - 12:15pm Session 2 Local anaesthetics
12:15pm - 1:15pm Lunch  
1:15pm - 2:45pm Session 3 Incision / Haemostasis
2:45pm - 3:15pm Afternoon Tea  
3:15pm - 4:45pm Session 4 Curettage / Cautery

Sunday

Time Session Topic
7:45am - 8:00am Registration  
8:00am - 10:00am Session 5 Ellipse planning
10:00am - 10:30am Morning Tea  
10:30am - 12:00pm Session 6 Chaos and clues
12:00pm - 1:00pm Lunch  
1:00pm - 2:00pm Session 7 The big three: BCC, SCC, Melanoma
2:00pm - 2:30pm Afternoon Tea  
2:30pm - 4:00pm Session 8 Case management

SESSIONS

DAY ONE

DAY TWO


Session 1: Suturing

Getting the basics right, this session includes clinical videos and student practicals covering a variety of suture types, including:
  • simple interrupted
  • buried dermal
  • sliding dermal
  • vertical horizontal mattress
  • Mirini
  • pulley dermal
  • half buried horizontal mattress
  • continous.
We also focus on closing dead space and paper-thin skin on elderly patients.

 


Session 5: Ellipse Planning

In this session, students will break up into small groups and work around torso models marked with specific lesions. Students will work together to design the most appropriate ellipses to treat these lesions, using knowledge gained in earlier sessions and with reference to NHMRC guidelines. Groups will also learn to mark out major nerves at risk including the temporal and marginal branches of facial nerves, Erb's point, and common peroneal nerves using surface anatomy.

 
Session 1b: Perfecting the Ellipse

Students will learn how to mark out a lesion using a dermatoscope with appropriate margins for both non-melanoma and melanoma skin cancers. This session includes marking a standard ellipse and S-plasty, designing your ellipse for optimal scar results, working with ellipses around joints, and facial skin tension lines.  We also cover tips for optimum wound apposition and undermining. The session includes video and clinical images of ellipses on a variety of anatomical areas.


Session 6: Chaos and Clues

Using a dermatoscope improves diagnostic accuracy for all types of skin malignancy, but only if the operator is trained. Chaos and Clues is a method designed for use in routine practice on multiple lesions without mathematical calculations.


Session 2: Local Anaesthetics

We will go into detail on local anaesthetics with both theory and practical components. We will cover pharmacology, toxicity, buffering, needles, nerve blocks, injection techniques, and risk areas and specific sites for injection. We will demonstrate how to prepare buffered lignocaine, practice use of Luer Lock and Luer Slip syringes with injection and infiltration on pig skin, and demonstrate injection sites with clinical video clips. We will also cover surface anatomy of trigeminal nerve branches and blocking these nerves.


Session 6b: Topical Treatments

Topical treatments are becoming more and more effective for certain lesions. In this session, we look at what works and what doesn't. We will review Fluorouracil, Imiquimod and Ingenol Mebutate, and look at the indications, application, contraindications and tips for use. We will also cover field versus specific lesion treatment. Clinical case studies will make up a key part of this session.


Session 3: Incision/Haemostasis

In this practical hands-on session, we will be covering punch and shave biopsies and use clinical videos to demonstrate proper techniques. As part of the practicals, we will cover mono and bipolar cautery with hands-on practicals and video demonstrations for effective cautery. We will cover the fire risk of cautery with alcohol and the safety aspects of pacemakers and other implanted electrical devices. We will also extend the proper shave technique to the HALO graft including marking out, dressing and aftercare.


Session 7: The Big Three

In this session, we look at the big three: BCC, SCC and melanoma. We look at the main types of BCC, their dermatoscopic features, margins, perineural invasion, radiotherapy treatment and other treatment modalities available. With SCC, we cover IEC differentiation, biopsy, aggressive and tame types, and the treatment modalities available. We also cover the various types of melanoma and look at margins, Breslow thickness, various biopsy methods, and when and what to refer.


Session 4:  Curettage/Cautery

Continuing from session 3, we will cover curettage and cautery with theory, clinical video and student practicals. We will look at appropriate sites, and discuss keloid and hypertrophic scar risks and appropriate lesions for this modality. Practicals for this session will be done on pig skin models. We will also cover dressings and aftercare for curettage and cautery, and cover the Medicare item numbers used. The cryotherapy segment will include safe handling of liquid nitrogen, clinical video, and consideration of appropriate sites for this modality.


Session 8: Case Management

In the final session, we summarise the learning outcomes with a series of case studies. Each case study includes clinical images from different locations and types of lesions. This session includes group discussion on the appropriate modality such as topical treatments, cautery, curettage, type of biopsy to be used, and excision.

 

  

Meet Your Instructors

Your instructors are widely regarded as some of the world’s foremost specialists in skin cancer medicine and business management, including:
A/Prof Cliff Rosendahl

Prof Cliff Rosendahl

MBBS PhD FSCCA

Professor and Course Coordinator MMed (Skin Cancer) Program School of Medicine, The University of Queensland

Professor Cliff Rosendahl currently works in Brisbane as a primary care practitioner with a special interest in skin cancer.  He also has an interest in research as the clinical developer and Director of the Skin Cancer Audit Research Database (SCARD). His other main area of research has been in evaluating dermatoscopic clues for the diagnosis of both pigmented and non-pigmented skin malignancy in collaboration with colleagues at The University of Queensland, Australia and the Medical University of Vienna, Austria.

Dr Colin Armstrong

Dr Colin Armstrong

BSc, BMBS, MMed (Skin Cancer), FRACGP

Skin Cancer Doctor, National Skin Cancer Centres, Redcliffe

Dr Colin Armstrong is a general practitioner and part-time clinical trials investigator at the Wesley Research Institute, Brisbane. He completed all HealthCert certificate courses and The University of Queensland Master of Medicine (Skin Cancer) in 2011. Working primarily in skin cancer since 2010, Colin is passionate about building GPs’ confidence in their management of skin cancer and has an ongoing commitment to GP education in all facets of skin cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Dr Hamilton Ayres

Dr Hamilton Ayres

BA, BSc, BMBS, FRACGP

Skin Cancer Doctor, National Skin Cancer Centres, Monash

Dr Hamilton Ayres worked in Adelaide as a Plastic Surgery Registrar at Flinders, Repatriation General Hospital and the Royal Adelaide Hospital where his main role was the management of trauma, hand injuries and difficult skin cancers. Hamilton has obtained a Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and Certificates in Skin Cancer Medicine, Dermatoscopy and Histopathology from HealthCert and The University of Queensland School of Medicine.

Dates AND Locations

Melbourne

23 - 24 February 2019

Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre

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Adelaide

6 - 7 April 2019

Adelaide Convention Centre

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Gold Coast

15 - 16 June 2019

Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre

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Brisbane

12 - 13 October 2019

Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre

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Perth

9 - 10 November 2019

Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre

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SYDNEY

30 Nov - 1 Dec 2019

International Convention Centre Sydney

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PROGRAM FEES AND PAYMENT OPTIONS

REGULAR TUITION FEE

Advanced Certificate

$3,195

Two-Course Bundle*

$6,390

Three-Course Bundle*

$8,685

Different payments options available.
EARLY BIRD RATE

Advanced Certificate

$2,995

Two-Course Bundle*

$5,690 

Three-Course Bundle*

$7,365
Register 30 days prior to the course commencement date.
DEFERRED PAYMENT

Advanced Certificate

$845 x 4

Two-Course Bundle*

$860 x 7 

Three-Course Bundle*

$865 x 9 
 Defer your payments over several months.

 

GP REGISTRARS: Doctors in training who are on a recognised pathway to General Practice Registration through a recognised training provider receive a HealthCert Scholarship.

*Two- and Three-Course Bundles including the Professional Certificate of Skin Cancer Medicine (face-to-face).

PROGRAM FEES AND PAYMENT OPTIONS 

REGULAR TUITION FEE

Advanced Certificate 

$3,195

Two-Course Bundle*

$5,490

Three-Course Bundle*

$7,785

Different payments options available.
EARLY BIRD RATE

Advanced Certificate 

$2,995

Two-Course Bundle*

$4,930 

Three-Course Bundle*

$6,725
Register 30 days prior to the course commencement date.
DEFERRED PAYMENT

Advanced Certificate

$845 x 4

Two-Course Bundle*

$760 x 7 

Three-Course Bundle*

$790 x 9 
 Defer your payments over several months.

 

GP REGISTRARS: Doctors in training who are on a recognised pathway to General Practice Registration through a recognised training provider receive a HealthCert Scholarship.

*Two- and Three-Course Bundles including the Professional Certificate of Skin Cancer Medicine (online).

Course Delivery and Assessment

The Advanced Certificate of Skin Cancer Medicine is designed as a face-to-face course that is supported by online materials. There are eight units in a HealthCert Advanced Certificate program. Course learning materials will be available for 15 weeks. There will be pre-reading activities, an intensive weekend program with expert demonstrations and practical hands-on activities, online materials and further readings, individual assessment tasks and finally two online examinations.

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

  • Develop a one-page report/explanation of how you will use the learning from this course in your professional work.
  • Compile a report listing the resource materials that you have collected to advance and apply your knowledge.

Online assessment

  • 104 knowledge questions based on a scenario of a medical practitioner undertaking special interest training.
    • 13 per module
      Example: The medical practitioner believes that 10% of the population … Is he correct?  Yes/No
  • 104 authentic scenario based questions based on cases of patient care at a clinic
    • 13 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 three months of the completion of the course.

What you get for your one-off investment: 

  • Online pre-course activity (to be completed in your own time prior to the program component).
  • Two-day weekend practical course including catering.
  • All materials including surgical instruments and consumables for practical sessions.
  • Digital workbook including all presentation slides.
  • Additional online training and assessment including dermatoscopy training.
  • Post-course online assessment (to be completed in your own time within three months of attending the program).
  • Category 1 accredited CPD points (see below for details).
  • Post-course support in monthly webinars with the opportunity to discuss cases with course presenters. 

 

Certification and ACCREDITATION

Upon successful completion of the course requirements, you will receive the Advanced Certificate of Skin Cancer Medicine. This course has been approved for two days of the Training Grant for Rural and Remote Procedural GPs Program (Procedural Grant Program).

RACGP: 40 Category 1 QI&CPD points
ACRRM: 30 PRPD + 30 Surgery MOPS points

This certificate course:

  • Provides CPD points from the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP).
  • Provides PRPD points from the Australian Council of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM).
  • Is recognised by the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (RNZCGP).
  • Is accredited by the Skin Cancer Institute (SCI) and may be used as part of an application for Membership or Fellowship.
  • Has been collaboratively designed with, and is annually reviewed by, Professor David Wilkinson, Deputy Vice Chancellor at Macquarie University.
  • Qualifies for a clinical attachment in France at the University of Lyon.
  • Qualifies for a clinical attachment in Austria at the University of Vienna.
  • 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 second stage of the Professional Diploma pathway. The full pathway is Professional Certificate of Skin Cancer Medicine, Advanced Certificate of Skin Cancer Medicine, Professional Diploma of Skin Cancer Medicine.

It is recommended that this qualification be used as part of an application for Membership or Fellowship with the Skin Cancer Institute.

Postgraduate Diploma in Dermatology

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 Skin Cancer Medicine, Advanced Certificate of Skin Cancer Medicine and Professional Diploma of Skin Cancer Medicine will be eligible to apply for Accreditation of Prior Certified Learning (APCL) for module 3.

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.

Upcoming intake dates are 6 February 2019 and 24 September 2019. For more information, please click here.
 

Certified Clinical Attachments Pathway

Clinical Attachments are optional and available on a 1:1 or small group basis. These provide the opportunity to observe skin cancer treatments and ask questions of the expert performing the treatments. In addition to clinical attachments in Australia, university teaching hospitals at the University of Lyon and the University of Vienna are available for clinical attachments. HealthCert certificates and university statements are awarded for participating in clinical attachments.

The Medical University of Vienna is the largest medical organisation in Austria, as well as one of the top-level research institutions in Europe and provides Europe's largest hospital, the Vienna General Hospital, with all of its medical staff. The Vienna General Hospital has about 100,000 patients treated as inpatients and 605,000 treated as outpatients each year.

The dominant areas of study covered by The Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 are science and medicine. Attached to the university are the "Hospices civils de Lyon" including the "Centre Hospitalier Lyon Sud", which is the largest teaching hospital in the Rhône-Alpes region and second largest in France. Out of the 2630 faculty 700 are also medical practitioners at local teaching hospitals.
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