ABPS Dermatology (BCD) study guide
ABPS Dermatology (BCD) · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
This page is an independent study guide, not an official ABPS publication. The Board of Certification in Dermatology (BCD) offers a dermatology board certification exam through the American Board of Physician Specialties (ABPS). ABPS states that passing the exam allows successful candidates to present themselves to the public as qualified medical specialists in dermatology and indicates mastery of dermatology skills and knowledge, plus a professional commitment to the ABPS Medical Code of Ethics. The credential is intended for physicians who have completed an ACGME- or AOA-accredited dermatology residency, or a residency accredited by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, and who meet ABPS general requirements, including graduation from a recognized U.S., Canadian, or international allopathic or osteopathic college of medicine and a valid unrestricted license in the U.S., its territories, or Canada. The ABPS Dermatology (BCD) study guide has 5 sections and about 1,397 words.
01Medical Dermatology: Morphology, Timeline, and Systemic Clues
Medical dermatology questions reward a disciplined morphology-first approach. Describe the primary lesion (macule, papule, plaque, vesicle, pustule, nodule), its arrangement (linear, annular, grouped, dermatomal), and distribution (acral, flexural, photoexposed, mucosal).
288 words, about 1 min02Dermatopathology: Pattern Recognition and Diagnostic Pitfalls
Dermatopathology is pattern recognition before cytology. At low power, ask whether the process is epidermal, dermal, or subcutaneous; whether inflammation is interface, spongiotic, psoriasiform, lichenoid, vacuolar, granulomatous, or nodular; and whether there is alopecia, panniculitis, or a proliferation.
278 words, about 1 min03Dermatologic Surgery: Closure Design, Margins, and Safety
Dermatologic surgery questions test preoperative planning as much as technique. Mark the clinical margin from the visible lesion edge, orient the ellipse along relaxed skin tension lines, and design a fusiform ellipse with a length-to-width ratio near 3:1 so the ends close without standing cones.
311 words, about 2 min04Pediatric Dermatology: Age-Specific Patterns and Vascular Anomalies
Pediatric dermatology questions often hinge on age at onset. Transient neonatal eruptions include erythema toxicum, milia, and neonatal sebaceous hyperplasia; neonatal acne appears in the first weeks, while cephalic pustulosis is a related papulopustular eruption.
259 words, about 1 min05Cosmetic Dermatology: Device Selection, Injectables, and Complication Safety
Cosmetic dermatology questions test patient selection, chromophore matching, and complication recognition. Assess Fitzpatrick skin type and the risk of postinflammatory hyperpigmentation.
261 words, about 1 min