Frequently Asked Questions

Dermatologists are the only medical specialists qualified to diagnose and treat diseases of the skin, hair and nails. Although some other types of doctors may express an interest in skin or performing cosmetic procedures, they do not have the same training or qualifications as a dermatologist. In Canada, to attain the status of “Board-Certified Dermatologist”, one must complete 4 years of medical school, usually after completing a 4 year undergraduate degree. The doctor must then apply for a highly competitive 5-year residency in Dermatology. Of the over 2000 doctors graduating each year from medical school, only 25-30 are admitted to dermatology residency programs. Upon completion of residency, one must then pass the Royal College Examination. Upon passing the Royal College Exam, the resident is finally granted FRCPC status as a DERMATOLOGIST. 

You must be referred to see one of our specialists. The referral can be sent by your family physician, or another type of doctor. There are no exceptions to this requirement, and it is standard across Canada to require referral to see a specialist. Referral letters communicate information that is essential to your care, including the main issue or question your doctor would like answered/addressed, your medical history and medications, as well as any other contributing information deemed important by the referring doctor. Like most common or simple health issues, family physicians are often able to diagnose and treat minor skin problems effectively, which saves patients the waiting time to see a dermatologist. 

After your visit, your dermatologist will send a written letter to the referring doctor with a diagnosis and recommendations for treatment. Oftentimes, this treatment plan can be carried out without a follow-up visit with the dermatologist. However, if you have a more complex or serious issue or are put on certain types of medication (e.g. immunosuppressants) then your dermatologist will ask you to make a follow up appointment. 

We rely on our family physician colleagues to assess their patient’s skin concerns and determine whether dermatology input is required. Due to the long wait times to see dermatology this is essential. Your appointment time is allotted based on the concerns raised in your doctor’s referral letter, and there may not be time to address other concerns which you have not already reviewed with your family doctor. 

 We only excise (surgically remove) lesions or moles that are concerning for skin cancer. The excision of benign nevi (normal moles) is not covered by the ministry of health, and must be booked as a Cosmetic appointment.  

We value your time and recognize that you may have taken time off work or away from family to be here. We also recognize the efforts of those of you accompanying relatives or friends to their appointments today, and those of you travelling to the city for appointments. Thank you for your time and entrusting your care to our Dermatologists. 

We try to run our clinics on time as much as possible, however, we spend whatever time is necessary for every patient to understand their condition and treatments. We also occasionally need to perform emergency surgeries for skin cancers. Sometimes, this means our doctors are late. 

Your appointment time is scheduled for 10 minutes. Unfortunately, if you are more than a few minutes late for your appointment you may not be seen and will need to reschedule so that we have adequate time to address your issue and stay on time for other patients. We recommend arriving at least 5-10 minutes before your scheduled appointment time to allow time to register. 

We confirm all appointments with a letter to the referring physician, text reminders, and in many cases a phone call to each patient. If you do not confirm your appointment via text or phone call within 2 weeks of your visit, your appointment will be canceled and offered to another patient. If you miss your appointment once and wish to reschedule, we offer rescheduling for a $60 fee. We require 24 hours’ notice in advance of your appointment to reschedule. We understand that last minute cancellations are in some cases unavoidable in an emergency, however, we try to prioritize everyone’s time by avoiding last minute cancellations given the number of people waiting to see dermatology in our province.

In preparation for your appointment, please have a list of your medications and medication allergies ready. Consider important points in the story of your rash or moles such as when did it start, how has it changed, have you had treatment for this issue. Be prepared to have a full skin examination. This is often necessary to diagnose your dermatology issue or offered at Maritime Dermatology for preventative screening. Roughly half of the skin cancers we diagnose are not the lesion/spot for which the person was referred! Be prepared to address additional issues at another appointment. Your appointment has been scheduled to allow for assessment of the issue for which you were referred. In order to do our best see all patients at their scheduled time, address the queue of people triaged and waiting to see dermatology, and properly address your additional medical issue, you may require another referral and appointment.

In most cases these tests can be done in the community at your local blood collection lab (private for a fee or Nova Scotia Health Authority) or hospital, in the case of imaging. TB testing is done at Public Health sites.