Abbreviation | ACD |
---|---|
Formation | 1967 |
Legal status | Non-profit |
Purpose | Education, training, standards and advocacy of dermatologists |
Headquarters | Sydney |
Location |
|
Region served | Australia and New Zealand |
Membership | Doctors |
President | Adj A/Prof David Francis |
Staff | 22 |
Website | www.dermcoll.edu.au |
The Australasian College of Dermatologists (ACD) is an accredited specialist medical college comprising medical practitioners with specialist training in dermatology.
The Australasian College of Dermatologists was founded in 1967. There are currently over 550 Fellows of the College [1] and over 100 registrars (doctors in training).[ citation needed ]
The ACD is the only recognised body for training as a dermatologist in Australia. [2] [3] [4] [5] It is a member of the Council of Presidents of Medical Colleges. [6]
Australia and New Zealand have relatively high rates of both melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer, thought to be due to combinations of fair-skinned population, temperate to subtropical locations and outdoor lifestyle with high sun exposure. [7]
Traditionally dermatology training was undertaken as part of General Physician training. In the 1960s, dermatologists in NSW and Victoria thought that a separate College was warranted.[ citation needed ]
The College was inaugurated as the Australian College of Dermatologists on 1 May 1967. [8]
Candidates complete a four-year fellowship to be admitted as a Fellow of the ACD.[ citation needed ]
Dermatologists are medical specialists and should be differentiated from primary-care doctors who work at "skin screening" clinics. All specialist dermatologists have a very high level of training and practice experience in their field. There is less regulation of primary-care skin clinics where quality and experience may therefore vary.[ citation needed ]
In New Zealand, advanced training in dermatology can be done through the Royal Australasian College of Physicians. [9]
The ACD publishes The Australasian Journal of Dermatology [10] and position statements (e.g. "Sun Protection and Sunscreen"). [11]
A melanocytic nevus is usually a noncancerous condition of pigment-producing skin cells. It is a type of melanocytic tumor that contains nevus cells. Some sources equate the term mole with "melanocytic nevus", but there are also sources that equate the term mole with any nevus form.
Dermatology is the branch of medicine dealing with the skin. It is a speciality with both medical and surgical aspects. A dermatologist is a specialist medical doctor who manages diseases related to skin, hair, nails, and some cosmetic problems.
Podiatry, or podiatric medicine, also known as chiropody, is a branch of medicine devoted to the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disorders of the foot, and ankle. The healthcare professional is known as a podiatrist. The US podiatric medical school curriculum includes lower extremity anatomy, general human anatomy, physiology, general medicine, physical assessment, biochemistry, neurobiology, pathophysiology, genetics and embryology, microbiology, histology, pharmacology, women's health, physical rehabilitation, sports medicine, research, ethics and jurisprudence, biomechanics, general principles of orthopedic surgery, and foot and ankle surgery.
A dysplastic nevus or atypical mole is a nevus (mole) whose appearance is different from that of common moles. In 1992, the NIH recommended that the term "dysplastic nevus" be avoided in favor of the term "atypical mole". An atypical mole may also be referred to as an atypical melanocytic nevus, atypical nevus, B-K mole, Clark's nevus, dysplastic melanocytic nevus, or nevus with architectural disorder.
A medical specialty is a branch of medical practice that is focused on a defined group of patients, diseases, skills, or philosophy. Examples include those branches of medicine that deal exclusively with children (paediatrics), cancer (oncology), laboratory medicine (pathology), or primary care. After completing medical school or other basic training, physicians or surgeons and other clinicians usually further their medical education in a specific specialty of medicine by completing a multiple-year residency to become a specialist.
Fordyce spots are harmless and painless visible sebaceous glands typically appearing as white/yellow small bumps or spots on the inside of lips or cheeks, gums, or genitalia. They are common, and are present in around 80% of adults. Treatment is generally not required and attempts to remove them typically result in pain and scarring.
Mohs surgery, developed in 1938 by a general surgeon, Frederic E. Mohs, is microscopically controlled surgery used to treat both common and rare types of skin cancer. During the surgery, after each removal of tissue and while the patient waits, the tissue is examined for cancer cells. That examination dictates the decision for additional tissue removal. Mohs surgery is the gold standard method for obtaining complete margin control during removal of a skin cancer using frozen section histology. CCPDMA or Mohs surgery allows for the removal of a skin cancer with very narrow surgical margin and a high cure rate.
The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) is a not-for-profit professional organisation responsible for training and educating physicians and paediatricians across Australia and New Zealand.
Teledermatology is a subspecialty in the medical field of dermatology and probably one of the most common applications of telemedicine and e-health. In teledermatology, telecommunication technologies are used to exchange medical information over a distance using audio, visual, and data communication. Applications comprise health care management such as diagnoses, consultation, and treatment as well as (continuous) education.
Albert Bernard Ackerman, M.D. was an American dermatologist and pathologist who was "a founding figure in the field of dermatopathology."
Thomas B. Fitzpatrick was an American dermatologist. He was Chairman of the Department of Dermatology at Harvard Medical School and Chief of the Massachusetts General Hospital Dermatology Service from 1959 to 1987. He has been described as "the father of modern academic dermatology" and as "the most influential dermatologist of the last 100 years", in part because he trained so many of the leaders in the field.
TheSkin Cancer Foundation (SCF), founded in 1979, aims to "empower people to take a proactive approach to daily sun protection and the early detection and treatment of skin cancer." The organization has developed a mix of programs and resources that serve the needs of a diverse audience. SCF disseminates information via its digital resources, public service campaigns and community programs, including Destination: Healthy Skin. The foundation's professional membership includes dermatologists, Mohs surgeons, plastic surgeons and other medical professionals working to fight skin cancer. Headquartered in New York City, the foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity.
Skin cancer in Australia kills over 2,000 each year, with more than 750,000 diagnosed and treated. Tanning became embedded in Australian culture and proved to be a controversial issue because of its popularity among teens and solarium users, despite correlations between tanning and an increased risk of developing melanoma. Australia experienced relative success through skin cancer prevention campaigns started in the 1980s and continued to invest and promote awareness through government-funded mass media strategies. Although Australia has one of the highest national rates of skin cancer, mortality trends in melanoma stabilized.
Clay J. Cockerell is an American physician who works in the field of dermatology and dermatopathology. He is the founder and medical director of Cockerell Dermatopathology, a medical laboratory he operates in Dallas, Texas. He is also a clinical professor of dermatology and dermatopathology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center where he also serves as the director of the dermatopathology division.
Rona McLeod, Lady Black, CBE FRSE FMedSci FRCP FRCPath, known professionally as Rona MacKie, is a Scottish dermatologist.
Irene May Leigh CBE FRSE FMedSci is a British dermatologist. A former professor of Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, she is now a professor emeritus at the University of Dundee School of Medicine. Her research has focused on keratinocytes, non-melanoma skin cancers and genetic skin diseases. She was elected to the Academy of Medical Sciences in 1999 and appointed CBE in 2012.
Lucius Duncan Bulkley was an American dermatologist and alternative cancer treatment advocate.
June K. Robinson is an American dermatologist, academic and researcher. She is a Research Professor of Dermatology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine.
Perry Robins is Professor Emeritus of Dermatology at New York University, dermatologist, physician, Mohs surgeon, and author. Robins founded the Skin Cancer Foundation, the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, Journal of Dermatologic Surgery & Oncology, International Society for Dermatologic Surgery, and trained in and taught the Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) technique.
Emily Banks is an epidemiologist and public health physician, working mainly on chronic disease. She is a Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health and Head of the Centre for Public Health Data and Policy at the Australian National University, and a visiting professor at the University of Oxford.