A dermoscopy course is easier to choose when you can describe your starting point. You might have a dermatoscope in a drawer, use one occasionally, or already review skin lesions regularly and want help with difficult patterns. A course title cannot tell the whole story about which teaching will help.
The Primary Care Dermatology Society offers beginner, intermediate and advanced teaching. Its programme provides a useful example of how to compare course levels while checking the practical experience and follow-up support you need.
Start with the question you need teaching to answer
Write one sentence before browsing dates: “I want to learn how to use the instrument”, “I need a structured approach to interpretation”, or “I want to discuss more difficult cases”.
Then think about how you will use the learning. Who can review your images? Will there be time to discuss uncertainty? Does your clinical role give you an appropriate opportunity to practise? These questions are useful even when the immediate plan is simply to understand the equipment better.
The PCDS dermoscopy programme lists separate levels. Treat them as starting points for checking the syllabus, rather than assuming that moving to a higher level is always the next priority.
What the different levels offer
| Level | What the provider describes | A useful question for the organiser |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | Basic instrument use and recognition of common lesion features | Will this address my experience with the device and images? |
| Intermediate | More detailed interpretation for people familiar with the basics | Which knowledge should I have before attending? |
| Advanced | Difficult lesions discussed through lectures, cases and quizzes | Does the case mix match the work I do? |
The beginner event information includes new or infrequent users. The intermediate syllabus assumes some familiarity and introduces more detailed lesion analysis. The advanced programme includes complex patterns and clinical case discussion.
For example, a GP who owns a scope but struggles to obtain a usable image may need different support from someone who obtains clear images but cannot explain their interpretation. Be specific about that difference when asking for advice.
Check what “practical” means
This is an important booking detail. The PCDS beginner course describes interactive large-group teaching and equipment troubleshooting, but explicitly says there is no formal practical session. It also states that the course is not intended to establish competence in diagnosing early melanoma or difficult atypical naevi. See the course description.
An opportunity to try an instrument, an image quiz and supervised examination of patients are different learning experiences. Ask which is provided. If you need feedback on how you hold the device, capture an image or examine a lesion, establish where that feedback will happen.
Take a learning question to the course and return with a plan for further practice. Avoid including patient-identifiable material in teaching discussions or personal learning notes.
Prices depend on the event and booking category
These examples were checked on 9 November 2026. They are event-specific prices, not a permanent national tariff.
| Event | GP member | HCP member | Nonmember |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner, 25 February 2027, Stratford-upon-Avon | £199 | £174 | GP £224; HCP £199 |
| Intermediate, 26 November 2026, London | £150 | £125 | GP £175; HCP £150 |
| Advanced, 30 September 2027, Manchester | £250 | £225 | £300 |
Check the provider’s definition of your ticket category, availability, cancellation terms and any membership cost. Different dates and course formats can have different fees; a cheaper example does not establish better value for your learning need.
Separate the event day from CPD hours
The organiser lists the February 2027 beginner event as 08:30–16:30 and awards five PCDS CPD hours. The official event directory shows different allocations for other events.
Do not count registration, lunch and breaks as educational time merely because they sit within the advertised day. Confirm the chosen event’s certificate arrangements and retain the evidence relevant to what you attended.
Decide what happens after the course
Before paying, identify a colleague or service that can help you review your learning. Plan how you will revisit difficult images, seek feedback and recognise when a question exceeds your current capability.
iatroX’s CPD tools can support related question-based follow-up learning and a record of that activity, reviewed and personalised by you. Use the reflection template to structure notes on the external course. Record further supervised practice separately where it forms part of your development.
Frequently asked questions
Should I start with an intermediate course if I already own a dermatoscope?
Ownership is a poor guide to learning level. Compare the syllabus with your experience interpreting images and using the instrument.
Does a course certificate establish competence to provide a new service?
Check the actual assessment and the local requirements for that service. Attendance evidence alone should not be treated as a competency decision.
Is the lowest advertised price the best choice?
Compare the content, format, travel and opportunity for feedback as well as the booking fee.