Is an Accredited Skin Cancer Doctor different from a regular GP who offers skin checks?

Yes. Any GP can offer a skin check, but not all have completed the additional formal training and external assessment required for accreditation, which is a distinct, separate qualification on top of standard GP training.

Do I need a referral to book a skin check at SkinGP?

No referral is required at either the Woodend or Glen Iris clinic.

What Does “Accredited Skin Cancer Doctor” Actually Mean?

Q: What does Accredited Skin Cancer Doctor actually mean?

It's a formal, externally assessed qualification from Skin Cancer College of Australasia, requiring additional dedicated study and assessment in dermoscopy, lesion assessment, biopsy technique and ongoing clinical case review, beyond standard GP training.

Q: Are patients at SkinGP Glen Iris seen by Accredited Skin Cancer Doctors?

Yes. Every patient at SkinGP, at both Woodend and Glen Iris, is seen by an Accredited Skin Cancer Doctor or a doctor actively completing that pathway.

Sep 24

1 min read

Almost any GP can offer to “check your skin.” Far fewer hold a formal accreditation in skin cancer medicine. As SkinGP opens its second clinic in Glen Iris, this is one of the clearest reasons patients across Malvern, Malvern East, Camberwell, Ashburton, Hawthorn East and Burwood might choose a dedicated skin cancer clinic over a general skin check at their regular GP.

What accreditation actually involves

Skin Cancer College of Australasia is a leading peak body in Australia and New Zealand offering formal accreditation and fellowship in skin cancer medicine. Becoming Accredited involves at least three years of additional dedicated study beyond standard GP training, with Fellowship, a further distinction held by a smaller group again, requiring at least five years. It covers dermoscopy, lesion assessment, biopsy technique and ongoing clinical case review, specifically for skin cancer.

Why it's not the same as a standard GP skin check

A general GP appointment for a “skin check” can be a valuable first step, but it isn't the same scope of training. Accredited Skin Cancer Doctors have chosen to specialise specifically in this area, and are assessed against a formal, external standard rather than general practice competency alone.

What this means at SkinGP Glen Iris

Every patient at SkinGP, at both Woodend and Glen Iris, is seen by an Accredited Skin Cancer Doctor or a doctor actively completing that pathway. It's not a marketing term, it's a specific, externally assessed qualification, and it's the standard held across our whole team.