PACES MRCP UK - Where MRCPians Meet Since 2006

MRCP is well establised as an entry exam for advanced specialist training in many countries including Malaysia. It consists of 3 paper i.e. Part1, Part2(written tests) and PACES. PACES in full means Practical Assessment of Clinical Examination Skills. It is the third part and the candidate is assessed by fellows of RCP. I passed my PACES in 2005. I am glad that many seniors had guided me throughout my preparation for PACES and I wish to share my experiences with PACES candidates via this blog.


Sunday, June 04, 2006

Basic Dermatology (1)

Many skin short case are "spot" diagnoses i.e. either you know or don't know. In PACES,we must learn to give a clear, accurate description of the lesion using dermatological terms in order to generate a reasonable differential diagnoses.

Some of the usual terms that we should be able to use accurately include:

1. Macules
** Well circumscribed change in colour of the skin. It is a discrete flat lesion.
** Examples: vitiligo, viral exanthems, cafe-au-lait spots.


2. Papules and Nodules
** Well circumscribed, solid elevated lesions.
** <1cm in diameter are papules, >1cm in diameter are nodules.
** Examples: xanthomas, molluscum contagiosum, amyloidosis.


3. Plaques
** A flat topped palpable disc shaped lesion.
** Classical examples are psoriasis, lupus erythematous.


4. Wheal
** Rounded, erythematous, flat elevation which is transient vascular response with dermal oedema.
** Examples: urticaria.

Wheal is compressible

To be continue.....

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1 Comments:

At 3/08/2010 05:22:00 PM, Anonymous amar salah said...

the case of vetiligo , i would extend my examination to look for excalmation marks , pallor , thyroid status and to check for postural hypotension and urine for sugar .

 

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