Dermatologic Procedures Course Description

Course Credits: Earn up to 15.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ and AAFP Prescribed Credits

Course Price: $1,695

Dermatologic Procedures is a two-day course.


Patients expect primary care clinicians to care for skin problems. New techniques allow rapid assessment and treatment with less scarring. Although often neglected in residency training, various skin procedures can and should be performed daily in your practice. Why refer the patients out when you can diagnose and treat most of them? This dermatology CME course includes training for common skin procedures, including skin anesthesia, common nerve blocks, skin biopsy techniques, cryosurgery, electrosurgery, surgical excisions/repairs, dermoscopy, and coding. Over 1,000 actual clinical slides are used in addition to text to review the treatment of lipomas, cysts, warts, skin tags, chalazions, abscesses, actinics, seborrheics, basal cell cancer, squamous cell cancer, malignant melanoma, and much more. 

Patients expect primary care clinicians to care for skin problems. New techniques allow rapid assessment and treatment with more comfort and less scarring. Although often neglected in residency training and even after entering practice, various skin procedures can and should be performed daily in your practice. Why refer your patients when you can learn to diagnose and treat many of their skin lesions? This primary care skin procedures CME course provides an introduction to learning common skin procedures, including skin anesthesia, common nerve blocks, skin biopsy techniques, cryosurgery, electrosurgery, surgical excisions/repairs, dermoscopy, and procedural coding. Additional topics review the treatment of lipomas, cysts, warts, skin tags, chalazions, abscesses, actinics, seborrheics, basal cell cancer, squamous cell cancer, malignant melanoma, and other skin conditions. Various teaching techniques are utilized to give each participant the experience of didactic lectures, clinical photographs, procedural videos on actual patients, group discussions, and hands-on practice. Extensive citation of the current medical literature keeps the information evidence-based and applicable to all patients.

Day 1 starts with an introduction and orientation to the course that maintains a patient-centered focus. This is followed by understanding the approach to the patient with a skin lesion, including providing safe and effective local and nerve block anesthesia. During this course, participants will learn how to perform skin biopsies, including punch, tangential, and curette/cautery techniques. The cryosurgery section provides a review of the use of topical refrigerants, liquid nitrogen, and hand-held cryo units. This is followed by a review of the most common benign skin conditions. The day concludes with an introduction to electrosurgery of lesions using hyfrecators and cutting/coagulation machines, as most CME course participants say after seeing electrosurgery: “Amazing! Practical.” "Use this every day in the office." "These techniques enable treatment of common problems you never thought you would treat: nevi, tags, warts, pyogenic granulomas, basal cell skin cancers, and more."

After a good night’s sleep, Day 2 of the dermatologic procedures course begins with an extensive introduction to dermoscopy as used in a primary care setting with hands-on practice. Next is a discussion of sun-damaged skin lesions including seborrheic and actinic keratosis. We continue by learning the concepts and performing surgical excisions and repairs. We will conduct an in-depth review of cutaneous malignancies including basal cell, squamous cell, and malignant melanoma. The course concludes with an interactive session on procedural coding and how to develop a personalized implementation plan.


By the end of this activity, the participant should be better able to: 

  • Diagnose common important dermatologic conditions in your patient population.
  • Perform various dermatologic procedures, including skin anesthesia, skin lesion biopsy, cryosurgery, electrosurgery, and dermoscopy.
  • Identify skin lesions that should be biopsied and are surgically treatable in the office.
  • Describe the diagnosis and treatment of various benign and malignant skin lesions.
  • Discuss when to refer patients for subspecialty care, including Moh's surgery.
  • Explain proper coding and billing issues and pitfalls.
  • Develop a procedural implementation plan for your clinical practice.
2025 Course Accreditation

The Texas Academy of Family Physicians designates this live activity for a maximum of 15.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

The AAFP has reviewed Dermatologic Procedures and deemed it acceptable for AAFP credit. This session is approved for 15.5 Live AAFP Prescribed credits. Term of approval is from 05/01/2025 to 12/05/2025. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Learn more about our accreditation.

7:30 - 8 a.m.

  • Registration and breakfast

Day One

8 - 8:30 a.m. — 0.5 CME credits
Overview of Dermatologic Procedures

  • Review various dermatologic procedures primary care providers can perform in practice.
  • Describe the advantages and disadvantages of primary care providers performing skin procedures.

8:30 - 10:15 a.m. — 1.75 CME credits
Skin Anesthesia

  • Describe how to provide a near-pain-free experience for skin procedures.
  • Explain the three primary methods of providing skin anesthesia.
  • Perform direct local injections and field block injections on natural models.
  • Describe how to perform nerve blocks of the digits and facial nerves

10:15 - 10: 30 a.m. — Break

10:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. — 1.75 CME credits
Skin Biopsies – Hands-on Session

  • Identify the indications for skin biopsies.
  • Recognize the pitfalls and complications of skin biopsies.
  • Perform punch, tangential (shave), and curette biopsies on natural models and oranges.
  • Develop a plan for treatment and follow-up for skin biopsies.

12:15 - 1 p.m. — Lunch

1 - 2:15 p.m. — 1.25 CME credits
Cryosurgery – Hands-on Session

  • Identify the indications and contraindications for cryosurgery procedures.
  • Recognize the pitfalls and complications of cryosurgery.
  • Select the proper method of liquid nitrogen application (dipstick vs. open spray).
  • Perform open spray techniques on gelatin plate models.

2:15 - 3:15 p.m. — 1 CME credit
Benign Skin Lesions

  • Review and discuss the diagnosis and procedural interventions of various types of benign skin lesions, including warts, skin tags, cysts, ganglions, lipomas, prurigo nodularis, fibromas, granulomas, eyelid lesions, and oral lesions.

3:15 - 3:30 p.m. — Break

3:30 - 5 p.m. — 1.5 CME credits
Electrosurgery – Hands-on Session

  • Identify the indications and contraindications for electrosurgery procedures.
  • Recognize the pitfalls and complications of electrosurgery.
  • Select the proper method of electrosurgery.
  • Practice using hyfrecators and surgical cutting machines on beefsteak and bananas.

Day Two

8 - 10 a.m. — 2 CME credits
Dermoscopy

  • Define dermoscopy and compare and contrast the two different types of scopes.
  • List the colors and structures seen with a Dermatoscope.
  • Describe the 3-point check and the 2-step algorithm.
  • Recognize the importance of this procedure to detect cancer, especially melanoma.

10 - 10:15 a.m. — Break

10:15 - 10:45 a.m. — 0.5 CME credits
Sun-damaged Skin Lesions

  • Describe and then discuss procedures to address sun-damaged skin lesions, including seborrheic keratosis, dermatosis papulose nigra, stucco keratosis, actinic keratosis, actinic cheilitis, cutaneous horns, and keratoacanthoma.

10:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. — 1.5 CME credits
Skin Excisions and Repairs – Hands-on Session

  • List the instruments and supplies needed for surgical skin excisions and repairs.
  • Discuss the methods used to reduce skin tension on a surgical wound.
  • Perform surgical excisions and repairs on a natural model.

12:15 - 1 p.m. — Lunch

1 - 2:15 p.m. — 1.25 CME credits
Non-melanoma Skin Cancers

  • Identify the various types of non-melanoma cutaneous cancers, including basal, squamous, basosquamous, and Merkel cells.
  • Define the clinical features of each cutaneous malignancy.
  • Explain the current treatment options for each non-melanoma skin cancer.

2:15 - 3:15 p.m. — 1 CME credit
Early Malignant Melanoma – A Family Physician’s Perspective

  • Define the incidence and death rates of malignant melanoma.
  • List the clinical and historical features of melanoma.
  • Perform accurate staging of melanoma.
  • Review the treatment options for melanoma.

3:15 - 3:30 p.m. — Break

3:30 - 4:30 p.m. — 1 CME credit
Medical Procedures Coding of Skin Procedures – 2025

  • Explain why it is the provider's responsibility, not the staff's, to code skin procedures appropriately.
  • Properly code to reflect the actual procedure performed and services provided.
  • Use the matrix provided to code the different scenarios accurately.

4:30 - 5 p.m. — 0.5 CME credits
Putting it all Together

  • Decide which dermatologic procedures to offer patients by accurately assessing your needs and those of your patients.
  • Describe the elements of a successful procedures program in your medical practice.
  • Use the concepts and documents provided in this course to integrate cognitive and dermatologic procedural skills for your patient’s benefit.

TOTAL CME CREDITS: 15.5