Dermatology Board study materials
Dermatology Board study resources

Dermatology Board study guide

Dermatology Board · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.

The American Board of Dermatology (ABD) is one of the 24 medical specialty boards that make up the American Board of Medical Specialties; through ABMS the boards work together to set common standards for physicians to achieve and maintain board certification. The ABD describes itself as an independent, non-profit organization founded in 1932, headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts, and states its mission as serving the public and the profession by setting high standards for dermatologists to earn and maintain board certification, certifying that diplomates have the knowledge and skills to provide high-quality, safe, and effective dermatologic care. Candidates are physicians in dermatology training and practice: the ABD's calendar lists a BASIC examination for first-year residents, CORE examinations across several annual administrations, an APPLIED examination, and subspecialty certification examinations in dermatopathology, pediatric dermatology, and MDS. Maintenance of certification runs through the ABD's Continuing Certification Program, built around CertLink, which the board describes as supporting physician learning and having a positive impact on patient care. The Dermatology Board study guide has 5 sections and about 1,462 words.

01

Medical Dermatology: Morphology, Patterns, and Systemic Clues

Medical dermatology questions reward a disciplined descriptive vocabulary: primary lesion, arrangement, distribution, and evolution. Learn to separate papulosquamous from spongiotic disease.

281 words, about 1 min
02

Dermatopathology: Pattern Analysis and Diagnostic Pitfalls

Dermatopathology is pattern-based. At scanning magnification, classify the biopsy: spongiotic, psoriasiform, lichenoid/interface, vesiculobullous, granulomatous, vasculopathic, or panniculitic.

280 words, about 1 min
03

Surgical and Procedural Dermatology: Margins, Anesthesia, and Technique

Surgical questions test anatomy, margin logic, and complication prevention. Know the danger zones: temporal region (frontal branch of the facial nerve), glabella and nasolabial fold (vascular supply), and postauricular sulcus.

314 words, about 2 min
04

Pediatric Dermatology: Developmental Rashes and Vascular Anomalies

Pediatric dermatology emphasizes developmental change. Newborn rashes are usually benign: erythema toxicum neonatorum (blotchy erythema with eosinophilic pustules), transient neonatal pustular melanosis (pustules with collarette scale), and milia.

295 words, about 1 min
05

Immunology, Allergy, and Systemic Associations: Timing and Mechanisms

This domain links immunology to clinical medicine. Learn the four Gell-Coombs types: immediate IgE (urticaria, anaphylaxis), antibody-mediated (pemphigus, bullous pemphigoid), immune complex (vasculitis, serum sickness), and delayed T-cell (contact dermatitis, morbilliform drug eruptions).

292 words, about 1 min