title: Diagnostic competence of Swiss general practitioners in skin cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In Switzerland, skin cancer is one of the most prevalent neoplasms. General practitioners (GPs) are often faced with suspicious skin lesions in their patients. The aim of our study was to assess GPs' competence to diagnose skin cancer and to examine whether this can be improved by a one-day dermatologic education programme.
  
  
  METHODS
  
  
  
  METHODS
  Pre / post-intervention study.
  
  
  METHODS
  78 GPs in the Canton of Zurich.
  
  
  METHODS
  A one day dermatologic education programme provided by a dermatologist.
  
  
  METHODS
  Before (T0) and after (T1) the dermatologic education programme, GPs were asked to rate pictures (with a short history) of skin lesions on a visual analogue scale according to their likelihood of malignancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Non-parametric paired Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to compare the sum score of correctly classified skin lesions at T0 and T1.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At T0 GPs classified 63.9% lesions correctly (benign: 51.2%; malignant: 76.6%), while at T1 these figures increased to 75.1% (benign: 67.6%; malignant: 82.7%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A one-day dermatologic education programme led to improvements in GPs' diagnostic competence in skin cancer, but there remained room for further improvement.
authors.affiliation: Institute for General Practice, University of Zurich, Switzerland. nina.badertscher@usz.ch
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Badertscher
authors.forename: Ralph P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Braun
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Held
authors.forename: Reto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kofmehl
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Senn
authors.forename: Günther F L
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Hofbauer
authors.forename: Pascal O
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wensing
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rosemann
authors.forename: Ryan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tandjung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D058006:General Practice / Q000193:education / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013557:Switzerland