COURSE OVERVIEW
Surgery is still considered the most effective and definitive skin cancer treatment. The Professional Certificate of Skin Cancer Surgery is ideal for acquiring and honing various surgical techniques, including how to perform large elliptical excisions and different types of flaps and grafts. This will allow you to manage more complex skin cancer cases in your practice.
This course is the first part of the three-part Professional Diploma of Skin Cancer Surgery. The education pathway is Professional Certificate of Skin Cancer Surgery, Advanced Certificate of Skin Cancer Surgery and Professional Diploma of Skin Cancer Surgery.
If you choose to attend the optional practical workshop and there is cause for postponement or you cannot travel due to Covid-19 restrictions, full workshop refund, transfer or alternative learning opportunities will be available for you. View full refunds and cancellation policy here.
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GAIN A SNEAK PEEK INTO THE COURSE

COURSE CONTENTS
The course provides advanced learning in skin cancer surgery and teaches various techniques allowing GPs to treat more complex cases in the primary care setting. Course participants can choose to complete the course entirely online or with an optional practical workshop.
- Surgical anatomy and skin lines
- Local
anaesthetic blocks - Large elliptical excisions*
- Advanced suturing techniques*
- Rotation flaps*
- Advancement flaps*
- Full-thickness grafts*
- Dog ear repairs*
- Wound care and various dressings
All topics are covered online and during the web live tutorials. *These topics are also covered during the hands-on practical sessions in the optional skills workshop. Course graduates also receive ongoing post-course support through regular alumni webinars.
Course Delivery
The Professional Certificate of Skin Cancer Surgery comprises of three parts, featuring 1) flexible online learning at your own pace, 2) interactive live web tutorials with additional content and demonstrations of procedures as well as 3) an optional small group practical workshop.
ONLINE LECTURES Start your online studies anytime and complete the eight modules at your own pace. The video lectures cover clinical theory, demonstrations of procedures and case study discussions and are set up in such a way that you are not required to be online at specific times but can view and replay the video lectures at your convenience. Exam extensions available to suit your busy schedule. |
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LIVE WEB TUTORIALS Reinforce your learning and ask any questions you might have in four interactive webinars with the presenters, covering real patient case discussions and additional video demonstrations of procedures that you can follow along in your office or home. The tutorials offer the opportunity to join and interact with the presenters online in real-time and can also be reviewed later. |
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OPTIONAL WORKSHOP To cement your knowledge, attend an optional practical workshop available at select locations across Australia. The workshops offer the ideal opportunity to apply theory in practice and are delivered in a small group setting with demonstrations and hands-on skills practice of various procedures on pork parts and simulated models under expert supervision and guidance. |
Entry Requirements and course requisites
The Professional Certificate of Skin Cancer Surgery is ideal for Medical Doctors and International Medical Graduates wishing to learn important surgical techniques in the management of skin cancer to provide effective treatments to patients in the primary care setting, without the need for referral to specialists. Participants can expect an interactive, hands-on program with immediate applicability and the confidence to surgically treat skin lesions in their practice.
The course is suitable for Medical Doctors and International Medical Graduates. HealthCert recommends that participants have some exposure to or previous training in skin cancer management before enrolling in this course.
Participants do not have to pass an IELTS test but, as the courses are delivered in English, proficiency in listening, reading and writing in English is assumed.
COURSE OUTLINE
Saturday
Time | Session | Topic |
7:45am - 8:15am | Registration | |
8:15am - 9:45am | Session 1 |
Theory, anatomy and principles of surgery |
9:45am - 10:15am | Morning Tea | |
10:15am - 12:15pm | Session 2 | Suturing and perfecting the ellipse plus local anaesthetic Theory and practical |
12:15pm - 1:15pm | Lunch | |
1:15pm - 2:45pm | Session 3 | Skin grafting and principles of flaps Theory and practical |
2:45pm - 3:15pm | Afternoon Tea | |
3:15pm - 4:45pm | Session 4 | Pivotal flaps Theory and practical |
Sunday
Time | Session | Topic |
7:45am - 8:00am | Arrival | |
8:00am - 10:00am | Session 5 | Rhombus flaps, a tissue conserving flap Theory and practical |
10:00am - 10.30am | Morning Tea | |
10:30am - 12:30pm | Session 6 | Advancement flaps Theory and practical |
12:30pm - 1:30pm | Lunch | |
1:30pm - 2:45pm | Session 7 | Wound care and managing complications |
2:45pm - 3:15pm | Afternoon Tea | |
3:15pm - 4:15pm | Session 8 | Introduction to MOHS surgery Case studies / Conclusion |
Course Inclusions
For your one-off investment, you will receive unlimited access to all course content, additional learning materials, ongoing post-course support and more.
- Online pre-course activity to be completed in your own time.
- Eight online video modules to be viewed, replayed and completed at your convenience.
- All presentation slides and further learning materials available for permanent access and download.
- Instruments and consumables for practical sessions in the optional practical workshop.
- Post-course online assessment to be completed in your own time within six months of the course start date.
- Ongoing post-course support in monthly webinars with the opportunity to discuss cases with course presenters.
- Access to the HealthCert Community with additional free learning opportunities, special offers and other benefits.
If you choose to attend the optional practical workshop and there is cause for postponement or you cannot travel due to Covid-19 restrictions, full workshop refund, transfer or alternative learning opportunities will be available for you. View full refunds and cancellation policy here.
SPECIAL RATES AND PAYMENT OPTIONS
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Dr Francis Tan
MBBS, MMed (Skin Cancer)
Certificate in Advanced Dermoscopy & Digital Imaging, The University of Queensland
Skin Cancer Doctor at Coorparoo Skin Cancer Centre
Dr Francis Tan graduated from The University of New South Wales in 1986. He worked in a variety of general practice surgeries throughout Australia, including clinics in Sydney, Tweed Heads, the Gold Coast, Brisbane and Cairns. He now practises at the Coorparoo Skin Cancer Centre in Brisbane.
Francis obtained a Masters of Medicine from The University of Queensland in 2014 and holds an impressive portfolio of university-certified Professional Diplomas in Skin Cancer Medicine and related fields. He is particularly interested in using dermatoscopy to detect melanoma in situ and performing skin cancer surgery to the best of his ability for the benefit of his patients.
Dr Tony Dicker
MBBS PhD
Senior lecturer (Skin Cancer) & Course Coordinator MMed (Skin Cancer), The University of Queensland
ASSESSMENT
In order to meet the requirements of professional and academic learning, the course assessment includes a professional requirement and two online examinations. There are no face-to-face requirements for exams which can be conveniently completed online within six months of the course start date.
- 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
- 11 per module
- 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.
CERTIFICATION AND ACCREDITATION
Upon successful completion of the course requirements, course participants will receive the Professional Certificate of Skin Cancer Surgery 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 Points
- 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 recognised 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 Skin Cancer Surgery Clinical Attachment in France at the University of Lyon.
- Qualifies for a Skin Cancer Surgery 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 first stage of the Professional Diploma pathway. The full pathway is Professional Certificate of Skin Cancer Surgery, Advanced Certificate of Skin Cancer Surgery and Professional Diploma of Skin Cancer Surgery.
It is recommended that this qualification be used as part of an application for Membership or Fellowship with the Skin Cancer Institute.
Postgraduate Pathway
Postgraduate Diploma in Minor Surgery 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 Surgery, Advanced Certificate of Skin Cancer Surgery and Professional Diploma of Skin Cancer Surgery 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, doctors 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
Clinical attachments are optional and available on a 1:1 or small group basis. These provide the opportunity to observe skin cancer surgery and ask questions of the expert performing the procedures. 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 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 2,630 faculty, 700 are also medical practitioners at local teaching hospitals.
The Medical University of Vienna is the largest medical







