It is important that you bring an internet capable device. When you arrive a slide will be showing with instructions on how to log on to the Wifi system and then how to log on to “Socrative” which you will be using throughout the symposium. See www.socrative.com for more details.

The symposium will start with a rapid fire quiz in which you will answer questions using Socrative. Later, you will get individualised anonymous feedback comparing your pre- and post-symposium quiz results and how you compare with your colleagues. In turn we will get feedback on how effective our teaching is. We will review the results and during our last hour on Sunday, we will address areas that participants appear to be struggling with.

The importance of using a dermatoscope in general practice is now well recognised. The dermatoscope is a more useful tool than any other tool that might adorn your metophorical white coat. This brief talk describes how to use your dermatoscope correctly, the usefulness of using both the polarised and non-polarised modes on the dermatoscope, as well the pros and cons of contact and non-contact dermatoscopy. Professor Cliff Rosendahl.

Whilst the perfect full and systematic skin check isn’t always  possible in the context of a GP appointment it will provide you with the gold standard which you can use for patients at high risk who agree to return for an appointment purely dedicated to a “skin check”. Professor Cliff Rosendahl.

Dermatoscopy has evolved from subjective and confusing metaphorical language into an objective “teachable” descriptive language (revised pattern analysis). Cliff is a pioneer in this area of dermatoscopy will discuss the fundamental building blocks of dermatoscopic language, and how these basic building blocks can combine into benign and malignant patterns and their biologic symmetry or asymmetry. Professor Cliff Rosendahl.

Professor Amanda Oakley a world expert in dermatoscopy will talk about how to identify common melanocytic naevi. This talk is aimed at teaching the key clinical and dermatoscopic features of neavi, in particular how dermatoscopic elements combine to form symmetrical patterns. She will discuss the concepts of Chaos of Pattern and Chaos of Colour in relation to naevi. Recognising benign lesions is a fundamental skill and will reduce  the number of unnecessay excisions or referrals you make. Professor Amanda Oakley.

Special quiz on the fundamental building blocks for Revised Pattern Analysis – deciding how many patterns or colours there are and their symmetry or asymmetry. Professor Amanda Oakley.

Healthy and delicious lunch is provided with time available for networking

Professor Amanda Oakley, who has been educating dermatologists and GPs in dermatoscopy in NZ and around the world for a decade or more, will present a fascinating summary. This talk is aimed at teaching the key clinical and dermatoscopic features of the solar lentigo, seborrhoeic keratosis, dermatofibroma, sebaceous hyperplasia  angioma and cyst. Recognising benign lesions is a fundamental skill and will reduce  the number of unnecessary excisions or referrals you make. Professor Amanda Oakley.

Chaos and Clues is an algorithm to help you diagnose what pigmented lesions need excising. The specific diagnosis isn’t required. Melanomas, SCCs and BCCs can all be pigmented or non-pigmented. Professor Cliff Rosendahl in another dynamic lecture will make all this abundantly clear and make you laugh as well! Cliff is a co-author of the Chaos and Clues algorithm. There will be quizzes throughout the presentation to reinforce key messages. You will have access to these quizzes after the symposium to act as a quick refresher course. Professor Cliff Rosendahl.

Cliff will build on his previous lecture and provide plenty of repetition with new and interesting examples of how to apply the Chaos and Clues algorithm. Professor Cliff Rosendahl.

Amanda will give you pragmatic guidelines on how (in daily practise) to manage a lesion that melanoma is in the potential differential diagnosis. Some of these lesions will require urgent attention and others can be monitored over months or even years sometimes. These decisions are often based on your clinical assessment (nodular or flat, rate of change etc). Amanda will also discuss surgical margins for excision of any lesion that a melanoma is a possibility (regardless of how remote). Also how to identify patients high risk of developing a melanoma and how to manage these patients (advise re self surveillance, and frequency of medical review). The role of sentinel node biopsies and the effectiveness of the latest treatment regimes for patients with metastatic melanoma is forever changing. Amanda will provide a brief update. Professor Amanda Oakley