Education

The purpose of the Society’s overall CME program includes the following:

• To provide physicians performing dermatologic surgery with a forum for the exchange of ideas and methodologies in dermatologic surgery and related medical and basic sciences
• To increase the body of knowledge existing in the field of dermatologic surgery
• To provide educational opportunities to members in all aspects of dermatologic surgery and its practices
• To promote the highest possible standards in clinical dermatologic surgery practice that foster increased physician competence, optimal procedural performance, and/or patient outcomes

The scope of the Society’s educational program includes consideration of both the medical / surgical aspects of the specialty, as well as basic science principles related to dermatologic surgery including, but not limited to: Mohs micrographic surgery, cancer treatments, dermatopathology, tumor oncology and research; lasers and energy-based technologies; fillers, injectables and neuromodulators; facial and body rejuvenation; body sculpting and hair transplantation; reconstructive surgery; flap surgery; scar and vein treatments; and general dermatologic surgery. The Society also includes selected socioeconomic, legal and ethical content within the overall scope of the program.

The primary target audience of the ASDS CME program includes the Society’s more than 6,400 members. Secondary audiences include members of the American Academy of Dermatology and other membership organizations who are dermatologists but not ASDS members. The ASDS CME program is designed for physicians; however, some activities include subject matter (e.g., general dermatologic surgery, practice management) that may provide learning opportunities for other members of the medical practice team.

The following live learning activities are sponsored by the Society for CME credit:

• The Annual Scientific and Clinical Meeting
• Periodic live in-person educational activities conducted by the Society
• Periodic live on-line educational activities in ASDS Learn online learning system
• Enduring material educational activities in ASDS Learn online learning system

Other collateral learning resources not designated for CME include:

• Consensus documents
• On-demand content and recordings in ASDS Learn online learning system  
• ASDS Connect virtual community
• The Society’s journal, Dermatologic Surgery
• Research funded to promote the goals of the Society and the interests of the specialty
• Educational exchange/preceptorship programs

The expected results of the Society’s CME program will:

1. Achieve the following changes in dermatologic surgeons:

a. Enhanced competence – measured through self-report – of increased ability to identify, define and apply the latest dermatologic surgery developments from pre-activity to post-activity.

b. Performance of dermatologic procedures – measured through self-report – by comparison of immediate post-activity commitment to change responses to six- to eight-month post-activity change responses.

c. Improved health outcomes – measured by learner – through surveyed anecdotal responses in areas including, but not limited to, lower complication / recurrence rates, faster-acting or longer-acting results and higher patient satisfaction.

2. Achieve the following on the Annual CME Program Survey:

a. At least a mean score of 4.0 representing learner’s aggregate perceptions of the program’s educational value and impact on practice.

In accordance with the ACCME Standards for Commercial Support of CME, ASDS has implemented mechanisms, prior to the planning and implementation of this CME activity, to identify and mitigate conflicts of interest for all individuals in a position to control the content of this CME activity.