Daily tasks/Routine activities

1. Counsel patients on topics such as the need for annual dermatologic screenings, sun protection, skin cancer awareness, or skin and lymph node self-examinations.

2. Record patients' health histories.

3. Diagnose and treat skin conditions such as acne, dandruff, athlete's foot, moles, psoriasis, and skin cancer.

4. Perform incisional biopsies to diagnose melanoma.

5. Perform skin surgery to improve appearance, make early diagnoses, or control diseases such as skin cancer.

6. Prescribe hormonal agents or topical treatments such as contraceptives, spironolactone, antiandrogens, oral corticosteroids, retinoids, benzoyl peroxide, and antibiotics.

7. Recommend diagnostic tests based on patients' histories and physical examination findings.

8. Provide dermatologic consultation to other health professionals.

9. Read current literature, talk with colleagues, and participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in dermatology.

10. Refer patients to other specialists, as needed.

11.Conduct or order diagnostic tests such as chest radiographs (x-rays), microbiologic tests, and endocrinologic tests.

12. Provide therapies such as intralesional steroids, chemical peels, and comodo removal to treat age spots, sun damage, rough skin, discolored skin, or oily 

Key knowledge areas

The following key knowledge areas help  a  dermatologist execute his duties  better.

Medicine and Dentistry — Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

Customer and Personal Service — Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

English Language — Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Biology — Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

Psychology — Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

Skills

The following skills aid a dermatologist . carry out his/her duties with ease ;.

Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Reading Comprehension — Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Service Orientation — Actively looking for ways to help people.

Active Learning — Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Abilities

Problem Sensitivity — The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

Inductive Reasoning — The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Oral Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Deductive Reasoning — The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.