Course Overview

The Professional Diploma of Skin Cancer Medicine will extend your knowledge required to manage the majority of all skin cancer cases through the application of dermoscopy, advanced histopathology, topical treatments, and electro-surgery. You will also learn how to manage immune-suppressed patients and manage rare and aggressive skin cancers. The course is delivered online in 8 modules and presented by world’s leading skin cancer experts, including Professor Harald Kittler (Austria), Professor Richard Usatine (USA), Professor Iris Zalaudek (Austria), Professor Luc Thomas (France), and other thought leaders in this field.

This course is the third 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.

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Entry Requirements and course requisites

The Professional Diploma of Skin Cancer Medicine is ideal for medical professionals who wish to gain the optimum knowledge required to manage primary care patients with a multitude of skin cancer concerns, including rare and complex cases. Participants can expect to acquire advanced knowledge in dermoscopy, histopathology, topical treatments, and electro-surgery, making them a favourable referral option for their colleagues. The online course is suitable for medical doctors and International Medical Graduates who wish to subspecialise in the field. Participants must have completed the Advanced Certificate of Skin Cancer Medicine (or a qualification deemed equivalent). 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.

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 and Advanced 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 two to three weeks.

Doctors who have completed The University of Queensland certificate courses in skin cancer medicine and therapeutics will gain credit into the professional diploma program, providing the relevant HealthCert assessment has been completed.

Doctors who have completed the Certificate in Primary Care Dermatology with the RACGP (modules 1-5) may complete the relevant HealthCert assessment for the Advanced Certificate in Skin Cancer Medicine and then progress to the Professional Diploma of Skin Cancer Medicine (please ask a HealthCert Education Advisor for the process). 

Other professionally recognised qualifications and prior studies may be recognised for entry into this course. Please ask a HealthCert Education Advisor for an individual assessment of your prior qualifications and experience.

Course Contents

This course will focus on lesion and field directed treatments as well as skin imaging, drug therapy, special situations, treatment of rare/aggressive skin cancers and studies of both melanoma and non-melanoma treatments. 

The theory sessions cover:

  • Merkel cell carcinoma and rare/aggressive skin cancers
  • Cutaneous cryosurgery and electrosurgery
  • Lesion- and field-directed treatments
  • Chemoprevention
  • Advanced histopathology
  • Dermal imaging
  • Factors influencing the choice of treatment
  • Managing special cases and complications, including immuno-supressed patients

Course participants will:

  • Receive unlimited and ongoing access to research/readings in the field, 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

course OUTLINE

Module 1: Topical treatments and lesion-directed treatments
Module 2: Field treatments including PDT, Diclofenac, IngenolMebutate, 5-FU and Imiquimod
Module 3: Management of special cases including immunosuppressed patients
Module 4: Chemoprevention in skin cancer medicine
Module 5: Factors influencing the choice of treatment
Module 6: Cryo and electrosurgery
Module 7: Merkel Cell carcinoma and rare/aggressive melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers
Module 8: Skin imaging techniques for melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer
Expert conclusion: Treatment of metastatic melanoma including recent advances in melanoma treatment
Examination preparation: This exam preparation webinar will summarise the course content and provide the opportunity for course participants to submit questions that will be answered during the webinar. The focus will be on preparing for the final examinations.

Patient cases with problem solving analysis and decision making will be included throughout.

Meet Your Instructors

Your instructors are widely regarded as some of the world’s foremost specialists in skin cancer medicine, including:
Prof Harald Kittler

Prof Harald Kittler

MD

Professor at the Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Austria

Professor Harald Kittler has a special clinical interest in dermoscopy of pigmented skin lesions. His main research interest is digital dermoscopy, follow-up of pigmented skin lesions, and computer assisted digital dermoscopy. Harald has been working for 10 years in the field of dermoscopy and has published a number of scientific articles especially in the field of digital dermoscopy and dermoscopic follow-up of melanocytic nevi.
Prof Richard Usatine

Prof Richard 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.

Dr Luc Thomas

Prof Luc Thomas

MD, PhD

Professor and Chairman Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Lyon, France

Professor Luc Thomas was Board-certified in dermatology in 1989 at Lyon 1 University. He was trained as a post-doctoral fellow at Harvard Medical School in 1990 and 1991, and obtained his PhD degree at Lyon 1 University in 1993. He became full professor of dermatology in 1996, first class professor in dermatology in 2009, and Chairman of the Department of Dermatology of Lyon 1 University - Centre Hospitalier Lyon Sud in 2003. He obtained his Board certification in Clinical Oncology in 2013.

Luc’s main research fields include skin oncology, early diagnosis of melanoma, dermoscopy, skin surgery and nail diseases. He has published more than 400 peer-reviewed scientific articles in international journals, is the co-editor of four books published in several languages and co-author of more than 25 books. He has lectured at many international meetings, is an associate editor of Dermatology, a member of the board of the International Dermoscopy Society, a past member of the board and treasurer of the French Society of Dermatology from 2000 to 2003, and treasurer of the World Congress of Dermatology in Paris in 2002.

Dr Philipp Tschandl

Prof Philipp Tschandl

Executive board member of the International Dermoscopy Society, Secretary of the National Dermatopathology Society in Austria, and member of the Fostering Trainee Education Committee of the EADV.

Professor Philipp Tschandl graduated from the Medical University of Vienna where he also obtained his PhD degree. His main research field is skin cancer, especially its early diagnosis through dermatoscopy, and the teaching of that method. He is an executive board member of the International Dermoscopy Society, secretary of the National Dermatopathology Society in Austria, and member of the Fostering Trainee Education Committee of the EADV.

Philipp is teaching dermatology in the core curricula of Human and Dental Medicine, lectures continuously on dermatoscopy at national and international meetings and workshops, and co-organised the 4th World Congress of Dermoscopy 2015 in Vienna. He has published more than 30 peer-reviewed scientific articles and is co-author of a major dermatoscopy textbook which has been translated into multiple languages.

A/Prof John Pyne

A/Prof John Pyne

MBBS (Syd) BOptom (Hons 1) MMed PhD FSCCA

Associate Professor Skin Cancer Medicine, The University of NSW

Associate Professor John Pyne was conferred with a Master of Medicine at The University of Queensland, then held a position of Program Director for The University of Queensland Skin Cancer Masters from 2007 until 2013. The thesis for John’s PhD was on the correlations between dermatoscopy and histopathology for BCC and SCC. He is also a past President and Fellow of the Skin Cancer College of Australasia.

John has a main interest in the optical imaging of early primary non-lymphoid cutaneous malignancy and correlations with histopathology. He is currently investigating surgical margins in management of these cancers. John has teaching appointments at The Universities of Queensland, New South Wales and Western Sydney.

Dr Iris Zalaudek

A/Prof Iris Zalaudek

MD PhD

Head of the Dermatology Clinic of the University of Trieste, Italy

Associate Professor Iris Zalaudek is a board-certified dermatologist and Head of the Dermatology Clinic of the University of Trieste, Italy. Since 2016, she has been President of the International Dermoscopy Society, and was previously the Research Director of the Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Unit at the Medical University of Graz, Austria.

Her main research fields are related to dermato-oncology and include non-invasive skin imaging techniques, as well as topical and systemic treatment of skin cancer. Moreover, she is engaged in the development of modern teaching methods such as online distant courses and tele-dermatologic services. She is Director of the Master of Science program entitled "Dermoscopy and Preventive Dermato-Oncology" of the Medical University of Graz, Austria.

Iris has published more than 450 articles, of which 358 (267 full papers) have been cited in PubMed. Her combined publications have received an impact factor of 1003 and a h-index value of 36 (by April 2017). In 2003 her work was awarded by the Hans-Weitgasser Price from the Styrian Association of Dermatologists and in 2008 she was awarded the Best Researcher of the Medical University of Graz, Austria.

Dr Simon Clark

Dr Simon Clark

MBChB FRCPA Specialist

Honorary Lecturer in Pathology, The University of Queensland

Dr Simon Clark runs the pathology component of the postgraduate certificate courses in skin cancer medicine at The University of Queensland and lectures in the Masters of Medicine course. He has been involved in dermatopathology education for more than 20 years, training registrars in dermatology, pathology and plastic surgery. More recently he has been active in GP education. One of the best known dermatopathologists in Australia, Simon was recently appointed a visiting professor in dermatology at the Tehran University of Medical Sciences.MBChB FRCPA Specialist

Dr Aimilios Lallas

Dr Aimilios Lallas

MD PhD MSc

Dermatologist-Venereologist, Aristotle University, Greece

Dr Aimilios Lallas is a Board-Certified Dermatologist-Venereologist. He is currently occupied at the First Department of Dermatology of the Faculty of Medicine of Aristotle University in Thessaloniki, Greece. Aimilios specialises in skin cancer diagnosis with non-invasive techniques, as well as in the management of skin cancer patients. He possesses a PhD diploma on skin cancer prevention.

Aimilios’ main fields of research interests are in the dermoscopy of skin tumours, the application of the method in general dermatology, and the improvement of the management of oncologic patients. He is co-author of approximately 190 scientific papers, editor of four books and author of several chapters on dermoscopy.

Aimilios is currently the General Secretary of the International Dermoscopy Society and the General Secretary of the 5th World Congress of Dermoscopy, which will be held in Thessaloniki, Greece on 14-16 June 2018.

Dr Elvira Moscarela

Dr Elvira Moscaarella

MD

Dermatologist, Santa Maria Nuova Hospital, Reggio Emilia, Italy

Dr Elvira Moscarella is a dermatologist at the Santa Maria Nuova Hospital in Reggio Emilia, Italy. She acquired her medical degree in 2005 at the Second University of Naples before completing her residency in dermatology and venereology at the University’s Department of Dermatology. In 2008, Elvira undertook further education in dermoscopy and confocal microscopy. She is a member of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology and the International Dermoscopy Society, and is Editor in Chief of the latter’s newsletter and case of the month. Elvira’s main interests are in dermoscopy and reflectance confocal microscopy, and their use in skin cancer medicine.
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.

Dr Teresa Troiani

Dr Teresa Troiani

PhD

Second University of Naples, Italy

Dr Teresa Troiani is an oncologist committed to clinical and translational research. After completing her medical school studies, she was awarded a Fellowship in Oncology at the Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II. Teresa has worked there since 1998, studying the role of growth factors and their receptors in neoplastic transformation and the novel therapeutic strategies targeting growth factor receptor signalling.

Teresa’s long-term interest is translational oncology, developing new therapeutic strategies and initiating clinical trials. She worked with Dr Gail Eckhardt for two years, publishing several papers in international journals. Teresa then returned to Naples. She has run a series of translational research projects, with both clinical and basic science investigational arms, at an academic medical centre. During her career, she has learnt that to fight cancer is a big challenge and only by connecting the preclinical with the clinical work is it possible to make one piece of the wider puzzle.

Important Dates

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PROGRAM FEES AND PAYMENT OPTIONS

Single Course price: you must be enrolled or have completed the prior course to purchase this course on it’s own

FULL PRICE

Professional Diploma

$2,295*
DEFERRED PAYMENT

Professional Diploma

$795 x 3
*GP registrars save $300.

 

Pathway Bundle Price

BUNDLE

Professional Certificate +
Advanced Certificate +
Professional Diploma
BUNDLE DISCOUNT PRICE

Three-Course Bundle

$6,100
DEFERRED PAYMENT

Three-Course Bundle

$720 x 9

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.

PROGRAM FEES AND PAYMENT OPTIONS 

REGULAR TUITION FEE

Professional Diploma

$2,295

Two-Course Bundle*

$5,490

Three-Course Bundle*

$7,785

Different payments options available.
EARLY BIRD RATE

Professional Diploma

$2,195

Two-Course Bundle*

$4,930 

Three-Course Bundle*

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

Professional Diploma

$795 x 3

Two-Course Bundle*

$760 x 7 

Three-Course Bundle*

$790 x 9 
 Defer your payments over several months.

LEARN MORE ABOUT AVAILABLE PAYMENT OPTIONS

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

This final stage of the Professional Diploma of Skin Cancer Medicine is designed as 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 two webinars scheduled half way through the course and prior to the exam period offer the opportunity to join, ask questions 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 12 months from the start of the course. 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 the opening of the final examinations. The course includes online presentations from experts in the field followed by patient case discussions and decision-making.

A clinical audit is a feature of this professional diploma. The audit will guide you to reflect on your patient management prior to and after increasing your knowledge and clinical management of suspicious skin lesions. You will need to submit your own patient cases with images as part of the audit. The clinical audit is separately accredited.

The course includes: 

  • 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.
  • 12 month 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 professional requirements and two online examinations.

  • Develop a report/explanation of how the learning from this course will help you with your professional development.
  • Complete a literature review of three articles nominated by the course chair.
  • Complete a clinical audit (separately accredited) to demonstrate application of learning.

Online assessment

  • 120 knowledge multiple choice questions based on a scenario of a medical practitioner undertaking special interest training.
  • 120 authentic scenario based questions based on cases of patient care at a clinic
    • Example: A patient arrives at your clinic with this problem … What should you do?  Multiple choice images based on patient cases.

The pass mark for each exam 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 all requirements at your convenience within 12 months of the commencement of the course. Exam extensions are available on a case by case basis.

CERTIFICATION AND ACCREDITATION

SCDIP_Certificate

Upon successful completion of the course requirements, course participants will receive the Professional Diploma of Skin Cancer Medicine 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 certificate course:

  • 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 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.

Australia-based course participants, please note that HealthCert certificates are not accredited by TEQSA or ASQA and do not fall within the Australian Qualification Framework. All HealthCert certificates are professional development awards, accredited by RACGP, ACRRM and RNZCGP.

EDUCATION PATHWAYS

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

Postgraduate Pathways  

RPL with The University of Queensland

The Professional Diploma of Skin Cancer Medicine is guaranteed for RPL for the unit IMED7010, part of the Graduate Certificate of Medicine (Skin Cancer) which is the first step in the Master of Medicine (Skin Cancer) at The University of Queensland. There are no further requirements for this RPL, it is automatic and guaranteed and provides a saving on fees.

View The University of Queensland, Master of Medicine (Skin Cancer) program here.

 

RPL with Torrens University

This postgraduate pathway is for General Practitioners and degree-qualified medical practitioners who have successfully completed any HealthCert Professional Diploma (all three levels). The following postgraduate course is offered entirely online through Torrens University: Master of Business Administration (MBA). Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is available for two general electives for any HealthCert Professional Diploma. In cases where a HealthCert alumni has completed two Professional Diplomas, they will be able to apply for four general electives towards the MBA. More information here. This will be helpful to further develop business, management and leadership capabilities.

Please apply directly to Torrens University through this link https://apply.torrens.edu.au/

 

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.

 

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 medicine 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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