The Dermatology Specialist Certificate Examination (SCE) - British Dermatology Education Group (BDEG)

The Dermatology Specialist Certificate Examination (SCE) is one of 11 SCEs offered by the British Royal College of Physicians (RCP). Attaining this qualification demonstrates to prospective employers that you have achieved a standard of specialist knowledge equivalent to a doctor on the UK Specialist Register. It is a compulsory element of the Certificate of Core Training (CCT).

It shows that you :-

Have sufficient Dermatology knowledge
Can deliver safe clinical practice
Have established a level of public and patient confidence in your clinical abilities
Are able to practice independently at consultant level

The exam consists of 200 multiple choice questions taken as two 3-hour papers with a one hour gap in-between. It is computer based and sat at RCP designated venues in the UK and abroad. It is held once a year, every October, and can be sat a maximum of five times.

The exam follows and reflects the UK syllabus of the Specialist Training Curriculum for Dermatology published by the British Royal College of Physicians Training Board. The spread of questions are as follows:

Topic	Number of Questions
Cutaneous Allergy	10
Dermatopathology	10
Dressings & Wound care	10
Formulation & Systemic Therapy	10
General Dermatology & Dermatology in Primary Health Care	50
Genito-Urinary Disorders & Oral Medicine	10
Infectious Disease	10
Paediatrics & Genetics	30
Photo dermatology	10
Psycho dermatology	5
Skin Biology & Research	15
Skin Oncology	20
Skin surgery & Cosmetic dermatology	10
Total	200

The pass rate varies but generally speaking 50-60% of candidates sitting the exam pass each year. This exam requires several months of preparation and directed intelligent learning in order to pass. Failing this exam is not necessarily a reflection of your dermatology knowledge because the SCE exam is about more than just textbook knowledge.