Continuing medical education (CME) credits are required for licensed medical professionals, including dermatologists, in every state. Although the requirements and deadlines differ by state, these ongoing education requirements must be kept up regardless of specialty.
Sometimes, getting those last few CME credits can be tough — especially with looming deadlines. Here are two ways you can easily earn free dermatology CME credits online.
Sign up for Figure 1 to earn free dermatology CME on-demand, on any device.
Free Dermatology CME Option 1: Medical Case Review
One option is to review medical cases on the Figure 1 app. By signing up for free access to Figure 1, it’s easy to earn CME credits:
- Review any of our 100,000 real patient cases
- Answer three simple questions
- Claim your AMA PRA Category 1 Credit
This new program has been developed in collaboration with MedChi, the Maryland State Medical Society. Physicians can earn 0.25 CME credits for each case reviewed on Figure 1 by simply clicking the Get CME Credits button above each case and answering three questions to claim your credit — there is no limit on how many cases can be reviewed.
By earning free dermatology CME through this program, physicians have an opportunity to truly expand on their education with a custom experience — whether they’re interested in learning more specifics within dermatology or expanding their breadth of knowledge to other specialties.
With over 100,000 cases available on the Figure 1 app, physicians have 25,000 potential CME credits available to earn on-demand.
Medical Case CME Example
For example, in the case below:
“42-year-old male (had varicella as child) with 1 week of worsening rash. Started after being in the sun and getting a small scratch on the neck. Was seen by another provider with a few small lesions on the neck. Started on Bactrim. Here 6 days later for worsening rash. Only in sun exposed areas of head, neck, arms and thighs (note sharp demarcation on neck). Thoughts on Dx and Tx? Bad case of polymorphic light eruption? The arm lesions look almost like varicella?”
Want to earn CME for this case and others?
Free Dermatology CME Option 2: Online Activities
In addition to medical case reviews, Figure 1 also has a library of free dermatology CME activities. These activities have been designed with a team of medical advisors in accordance with accreditation requirements and are based on relevant and unusual cases taken directly from the Figure 1 app.
Figure 1 has a constantly growing library of CME activities that are regularly updated and based on the latest trends in medicine.
Activity CME Example
For example, in the following dermatology CME activity, you would review the images and information, then answer a few post-test questions.
“A previously well 55-year-old female from New Zealand presents with a one-year history of a progressively darkening mole on her R lateral calf. She is unsure whether she has had a mole there since childhood. Her social history is significant for 15 pack-years smoking and has a history of tanning bed use. Family history is significant only for melanoma in-situ in her mother at age 84. She does not endorse constitutional symptoms. On exam, there is a 2 x 4 cm heterogeneously brown, tan, and black asymmetric patch with irregular borders on her L lateral calf. There is no regional lymphadenopathy.”
“A 38-year-old previously healthy male is referred to your office for a history of “many irregular changing moles.” He has had four biopsies to date showing dysplastic nevi. Notably, his family history is significant for melanoma occurring in his father and his father’s brother. The same paternal uncle was also recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The patient was born in Canada and his social risk factors are unremarkable. On physical examination, there is a 1 x 1.5 cm brown and black asymmetric patch with irregular borders.
What are the clinical (morphologic) features of concern in both lesions? What concerning dermoscopic features are present in the latter?”
“Both cases demonstrate morphologic asymmetry with border irregularity, color variegation and a size >5mm, as well as a history of evolution. The former case displays the gross morphological features of melanoma, which can also be appreciated in the latter dermatoscopic image (using polarized light magnification).
Stratifying a patient’s risk of melanoma improves pre-test probability in the evaluation of a lesion and decision to proceed with a biopsy, which may result in scarring and heightened patient anxiety A thorough history including exposure risk factors such as Fitzpatrick phototype (always burn [I] vs. sometimes burn, mostly tan [III]) artificial tanning, endemic UV, sunscreen use, smoking, immunosuppression, and family history of cancers. Notably, familial atypical multiple mole melanoma (FAMMM) syndromes caused by mutations in the tumor suppressor gene CDK2A (p16/p14-ARF) also carry a considerably high burden of pancreatic cancer (20%), in addition to melanoma. A clinical diagnosis is made based on the presence of >50 atypical nevi, a history of severely dysplastic nevi and/or a history of melanoma in one or more first- or second-degree relatives.
In patients presenting with numerous epithelioid or spitz-type atypical nevi and familial history of uveal melanoma. A prudent history would include family history of lung (mesothelioma) and/or renal cancers as part of screening for potential BAP1 melanoma syndrome. Clinically, these melanomas often present with little-to-no pigment and are characteristically identified by evolution alone.
When evaluating a pigmented lesion by dermoscopy, there are several algorithms to improve diagnostic accuracy. The seven-point checklist describes seven criteria in major (two points each) and minor (one point each) categories, with a total score of >3 suggesting biopsy. Major criteria include presence of a blue-white veil, irregular vascular pattern and/or atypical pigment network; minor criteria consist of streaks/streaming/pseudopods, irregular dots and globules, regression, and irregular blotches.
Patient education is of critical importance for self-surveillance and discussion of the clinical ABCDEs of melanoma (asymmetry, border, colour, diameter, evolution) should be discussed with all patients. In high-risk patients (previous melanoma), family history or syndromic, three to six-month physician surveillance is recommended.”
Want to take a quick post-test and claim your free dermatology CME credit?
Ready to Get Started?
These are just two examples of thousands of available cases and activities on Figure 1 that you can review to earn your dermatology CME credits. Signing up is free and not only provides CME opportunities, but instantly connects you to a global community of healthcare professionals. You can share your dermatology expertise, tackle extraordinary cases, and help to improve patient outcomes worldwide.
Published November 14, 2022
