Expand your skills in diagnosing and treating dermatological conditions in your practice
The Certificate of Primary Care Dermatology has been developed to help GPs and GPs in training increase their expertise and confidence when presented with dermatological cases in their practice.
As a participant, you will learn to better understand and treat a broader range of common skin conditions (including skin cancer), as well as recognise the conditions that need urgent referral.
The certificate consists of:
• 25 online courses delivered through gplearning
• a two day dermatological surgery workshop
• three full days or six half days of clinical experience
RACGP's Certificate of Primary Care Dermatology is proudly supported by Sonic Healthcare.
Save 20% on RACGP’s popular 2-day dermatological surgery workshop and pre-requisite online course
The dermatological surgery workshops enable participants to perform a range of dermatological surgical techniques used in general practice. This includes determining when to use non-surgical treatments for skin cancer, complications and risk, as well as introducing you to more advanced surgical techniques.
The two-day workshops will take place in Melbourne (19-20 July 2025) and Sydney (1-2 November 2025).
Workshop prerequisite is DermCert4, Practical procedures in dermatology. The course covers 15 common procedures such as steroid injections, local anaesthesia, biopsy techniques, curettage, flap repairs, closures and wound care. Register now for the course and workshop bundle: was $3890, now $2990.
Introduction to dermoscopy half day workshop
Expand your knowledge in the use of dermoscopy in the diagnosis and monitoring of skin lesions.
This 4-hour workshop provides an introduction and overview of dermoscopy, and how it can help you as a busy GP. It will provide a firm foundation as you develop your dermoscopy skills, by introducing you to the ways of identifying structures and types of skin lesions using dermoscopy, and the language used in describing skin lesions as seen using dermoscopy.
Friday 18 July 2025 – 12.30pm – 5pm – Melbourne
Friday 31 October 2025 – 12.30pm – 5pm – Sydney
Half-day workshop cost: $400
2025 workshop dates
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Introduction to dermoscopy
(not part of the Certificate)
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2 day dermatological surgery workshop
(part of the Certificate)
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| Find out more |
Introduction to dermoscopy - $400
Friday 18 July 2025 – 12.30pm – 5pm – Melbourne
Friday 31 October 2025 – 12.30pm – 5pm – Sydney |
2 day dermatological surgery workshop
Saturday 19 July and Sunday 20 July 2025 – Melbourne
Saturday 1 November and Sunday 2 November 2025 – Sydney
Workshop only cost: $2640
Workshop and module 4: ‘Practical Procedures in Dermatology’ cost: $2990 |
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Register now
How long does it take to complete?
You can complete the certificate at your own pace – sign up per course or register for the whole certificate. Once you’ve registered, you’ll have three years to complete all components.
Each course differs in how many hours it takes to complete it – some only require one hour of core education, while others can extend to 25 hours once you include the recommended reading and any predisposing/reflective activities.
For a more detailed breakdown of how many hours it takes to complete each course, please refer to the syllabus.
Browse the syllabus
How much does it cost?
See the fee schedule
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Component
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Description
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Cost (incl GST)
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| Online courses |
There are 25 online courses included in the certificate and the cost per course differs. |
Please refer to the fee schedule for pricing details for
each course. |
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Workshops
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The two-day dermatological surgery workshop is delivered at various locations across Australia.
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The workshop on its own costs $2640, but a discount is available if you bundle it with pre-requisite course DermCert 4. Rural and remote GPs may also be eligible to receive assistance under the Rural Procedural Grants Program |
| The half day workshop, ‘Introduction to dermoscopy – all you wanted to know but were afraid to ask’ is delivered at various locations around Australia. Please note that this workshop is not a compulsory requirement to complete the Certificate of Primary Care Dermatology. |
The workshop on its own costs $400, but a discount is available if you bundle it with pre-requisite course DermCert 4 & 2 day dermatological surgery workshop. |
| Clinical experience |
Clinical experience is offered to those who have completed all online courses and attended a face-to-face workshop. |
The three full days or six half days of hosted attachment cost $1210. |
| Full certificate |
Bundle all elements of the course and pay for the full certificate in advance and receive;
- 25 online courses, over 143 hours of CPD
- 2-day dermatological surgery workshop (eligible for CPD hours)
- 3-day clinical experience (eligible for CPD hours)
- 3 major course references/ textbooks
Participants have three (3) years to complete the full certificate. |
This will cost $13,500, which is a saving of $1418. |
How do I sign up?
You can start the certificate whenever you like. To register, you will need to complete an online registration form. As soon as your registration is processed and you’ve paid for the relevant components, the content will be available for you in gplearning.
Register now
Testimonials
“As a rural GP every day, several times a day, I am asked about skin complaints. The RACGP Certificate in Primary Care Dermatology has been a wonderful resource in improving my proficiency in skin cancer management and confidence with a wide range of other skin conditions.”
“Thank you for organising a fabulous workshop and giving up your weekend to run it. The quality of the teaching given was outstanding. It is a great privilege to learn from many years of experience. I'd certainly recommend it to others.”
“Very useful course for practical application in daily general practice.”
“I have been able to confidently treat a lot more skin conditions in primary care whilst referring complex cases appropriately. It has also made me more aware of urgent skin conditions such as scarring alopecia requiring early treatment, and spotting melanomas during non-dermatologically related consults. I feel patients presenting with dermatological issues are getting better care from me.”
“I have increased confidence and clinical skills to successfully manage a wider range of skin conditions.”
“The course covers a comprehensive range of dermatological topics as well as surgical skills relevant to primary care. GPs can complete the course at their own pace. There is an opportunity to reinforce learning with a placement with a specialist dermatologist towards the end of the course, which is an invaluable experience.”
“The course offers a broad understanding of multiple common as well as infrequent skin presentations. A better understanding for these helps provide improved patient care.”
FAQs
View our FAQs page for the answers to some frequently asked questions.
View FAQs
Further information
Find out more about the Certificate of Primary Care Dermatology via the links below:
Any further enquiries can be sent to dermcert@racgp.org.au or call our Member Services Centre on 1800 472 247.
RACGP's Certificate of Primary Care Dermatology is proudly supported by Sonic Healthcare.
Sonic Healthcare recognises that medical education is a key part of our role and responsibility as a major provider of diagnostic medical services. The rate of change in medicine, and the need for medical practitioners to be ahead of these changes, means that education is a vital component to good medical practice and, indeed, a prerequisite to it.
As scientific and technological breakthroughs expand the boundaries of our medical knowledge, so too do the educational needs of the current and future generations of doctors. From seminars and conferences, through to surgical audits and online education, Sonic’s medical experts are continually looking for ways to share their knowledge with other medical professionals.
Find out more