Can a GP do a skin check? Clinic vs dermatologist
Yes, a GP can do a skin check, and for most Australians that is exactly how skin cancer gets found. Here is how the options fit together.
The three doors
In Australia there are broadly three places your skin can get checked: a general practice, a skin cancer clinic staffed by GPs with additional training and a special interest in skin cancer medicine, and a dermatologist. They are not competitors so much as different steps on the same ladder.
What a GP with skin cancer training does
GPs who focus on skin cancer medicine do full body checks with a dermatoscope, take biopsies, cut out skin cancers, and manage follow up. In practice, the large majority of Australian skin cancers are found and treated in general practice and GP led skin cancer clinics. The advantages are practical ones:
That is the model at Bulimba Skin Cancer Clinic: doctors who do skin checks and skin procedures every week, inside a full general practice.
When a dermatologist is the right call
Dermatologists are medical specialists in skin, and some situations genuinely belong with them: rare or complicated skin cancers, difficult sites, complex medical histories, and skin conditions beyond cancer. Seeing one requires a GP referral, usually involves a wait, and specialist fees are higher. None of that is a criticism. It is what specialists are for.
How the ladder actually works
The system is designed so these levels hand off to each other. Your GP or skin cancer doctor examines everything, deals with what can be dealt with on site, and refers upward when a case needs specialist hands. You do not need to guess which level your spot requires. You just need to get in front of a doctor who will look at it properly, and the referral logic takes care of itself. Our treatments page explains what happens on site and when we refer on.
The wrong answer is nobody
The worst outcome is not choosing the wrong door. It is standing in the hallway for two years while a spot changes. If you can get a dermatology appointment easily, great. If not, do not let the wait be a reason to delay. A skin check with a trained GP this month beats a specialist appointment you never got around to booking.
This article is general information, not medical advice. If you are worried about a spot on your skin, book an appointment with a doctor.
No referral, no waiting list
Full body skin checks in Bulimba, 15 to 30 minutes. Choose a male or female doctor when you book.