Welcome to this podcast series, Conversations with Professor David Wilkinson! In this episode, Prof David Wilkinson (Chief Medical Officer, National Skin Cancer Centres) speaks with Dr Scott Arnold (Skin Cancer Doctor, National Skin Cancer Centres) about the use of total body photography in primary care skin cancer medicine.
Listen to the full podcast now:
Dr Scott Arnold is a dedicated Skin Cancer Doctor with a lengthy background in general practice. He has practised exclusively in skin cancer medicine since 2008 and has worked at Gardens Skin Cancer Centre in Albury, NSW since 2017.
In the podcast, Dr Arnold speaks about how total body photography technology has become the "holy grail" of skin cancer care.
"To have something that can point me towards the [lesions] that really need my attention - that which is new or that which is growing or changing - is a dream."
Dr Arnold discusses some of the early challenges he faced when incorporating total body photography technology into his skin cancer practice, and some of the benefits it now brings to his day-to-day work.
Total body photography compares images of patients' skin over time and highlights tiny changes for further examination by the doctor, leading to earlier skin cancer diagnosis. The patient's entire skin surface still needs to be checked by the doctor - so the technology aids rather than replaces the doctor.
Total body photography is recommended for all high-risk patients, including those with multiple moles and those with a history of skin cancer.
Hear all this and much more in the full podcast above.
Professor David Wilkinson is a registered general practitioner and public health medicine specialist. Prior to taking up the role as Chief Medical Officer with National Skin Cancer Centres, he was Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the Macquarie University for eight years, and before that was Dean of Medicine at The University of Queensland (UQ) for nine years. Since 2004, David’s clinical work has focused on skin cancer medicine in primary care. He has published research papers on the topic, designed and led development of the only Master of Medicine degree in skin cancer, and helped develop and present a suite of skin cancer short courses delivered by HealthCert. He has taught almost 7,000 GPs the basics of skin cancer medicine in primary care.
Dr Scott Arnold has 15 years’ general practice experience and has devoted his time to skin cancer medicine since 2008, completing his Masters of Medicine in Skin Cancer at UQ in 2013. He is a senior lecturer at UQ in the field of skin cancer and the chairperson of the Standards Committee of the Australasian Skin Cancer College. He is also lecturer and demonstrator for HealthCert Education and a tutor for the Skin Cancer College of Australasia. He has been an examiner for the RACGP and a GP registrar supervisor.
