ABSTRACT
DERMATOLOGY You are a PRHO in general practice. Mrs Lewis is a 40-year-old lady who is complaining of a rash she has had for some time. Please take a short history from her and examine her skin.
Introduces self and seeks permission to take a history and examine Confirms patient’s name and age
History
Enquires about onset and duration of rash, establishing whether it has changed over time Establishes site of rash Establishes symptoms – itchiness, discharge and pain/tenderness Enquires about precipitating/relieving factors including previous treatment Establishes impact of rash on patient and lifestyle Enquires about allergies Enquires about any problems with joints Establishes patient’s past medical and drug history Asks if patient is currently in any pain
Examination
Inspects skin, nails and joints appropriately Describes any nail/joint pathology Palpates rash Describes distribution and morphology of rash
Cleans hands by washing or using alcohol gel
Fluency of examination Competence in presenting findings, summarizing and forming differential diagnoses
KEY A major part of this station is correctly describing the rash you see and you will need to be familiar with some basic dermatological terms. You should describe any rash in terms of its site, colour, size, shape and surface. Some useful terms are listed below.
