Dermatology

Dermatology is one of the most varied of the physician specialities allowing options for seeing all age groups of patients with inflammatory, inherited, environmental, occupational or malignant skin disorders.  At present skin disease is one of commonest reasons for patients to consult a doctor and given the current observed increases in skin cancer and inflammatory conditions like eczema there is no doubt that dermatology will expand in the future.  There will be an ongoing need to have secondary care based dermatology clinics and services nationally though in some parts of the UK a component of out patient work may be carried out in other settings e.g. community hospitals.   Specialist dermatology involves predominantly out patient work for diagnosis, investigation and treatment supported by appropriately staffed in patient facilities for severe inflammatory disorders.

Within the hospital setting dermatologists are often consulted about patients under the care of other specialists and indeed not infrequently jointly manage patients e.g. those with connective tissue disorders. Due to a high volume of skin cancer work there are close liaisons with plastic, ENT and maxillo facial surgery colleagues and also with clinical and medical oncology.

Dermatology is a career option worth considering in terms of sheer variety of case mix from milder to severe, life limiting inflammatory disorders in all age’s groups from “cradle to grave”. There are  options , through sub specialty training, to have a more surgically oriented post , one involved with investigation and treatment of allergic disorders, paediatrics based jobs or one involving phototherapy /photobiology Specialist dermatology training allows exposure to all these potential subspecialties in addition to dermatopathology, infectious conditions and the use of lasers  .

There are also ample opportunities to become involved in research and to participate in national and local clinical / research meetings. Generic training in teaching, research, management and presentational skills are part of the training program.

Trainees entering the 4 year dermatology program will do so from Core Medical Training. The rising use of systemic treatments for inflammatory conditions means that a sound knowledge of general medicine will remain a pre requisite for future dermatologists.

For those in training, competency based assessments exist in the form of mini CEX, DOPs and MSF. Dermatology was also one of the specialties involved in pilot knowledge based assessment in 2006 and it is likely this will be fully developed for use in the near future.

Updated March 07

Due to regular revisions, arising from changes in the training environment and the requirements of the PMETB, the JRCPTB are currently running various curricula for trainees in each specialty.  All relevant curricula are listed at the bottom of this page under Documents.  Use the filter option on the right-hand side, together with the guidance notes below,  to help you select the correct document.  In summary:

• If you enrolled prior to 01/01/03, you will be following the original curricula which are no longer available for download, see note below

 
Competence Based Curricula & Assessment – StRs

PMETB has received the assessment system (blueprint and RITA/ARCP grid) for Dermatology and this has been approved.  

The assessment blueprints show the possible methods that can be used to assess each of the competences in the curriculum. Trainees and trainers should refer to the blueprints for guidance on the appropriate assessment methods for each aspect of the curriculum, and so plan the training programme according to the criteria set by the RITA Decision Aid. It is not expected that all competences will be assessed by all methods, rather that there will be a sampling of competences within a variety of settings, both within formal and workplace-based assessment, from which overall competence acquisition has to be determined.

 Acute care common stem (Medicine) trainees will also follow the ACCS training manual.

Competence Based Curricula – SpR (for trainees enrolling after 1 Jan 2003)

The JCHMT introduced revised curricula for all the medical specialties together with a generic curriculum that applied to all trainees back in 2003. These are competence-based and set out the knowledge, skills and attitudes to be acquired by trainees before they may be awarded a CCT. 

Curricula (for trainees enrolling before 1 Jan 2003)