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Pacific Dermatology Training Centre (Pacific Island Nations)

Pacific Dermatology Training Centre

serving the Pacific Island Nations

Founded by Pacific Dermatology Ltd, an Australian non-profit organisation and FNU, the PDTC opened in 2019 to address the critical shortage of dermatology services for the Pacific Island Nations. Since its inception, eleven doctors from the region have earned FNU’s one-year postgraduate Diploma in Dermatology, and seven are currently pursuing its Master’s programme. The centre’s patient reach has grown significantly, from treating 800 patients per month in 2018 to more than 2,000 per month in 2024.

In 2024 the first three Master of Medicine in Dermatology students graduated, doubling the number of dermatologists working in the Pacific. The support from stakeholders, including the ILDS, helps strengthen local expertise, improve healthcare infrastructure, and ensure long-term outcomes for Pacific people.

PDTC2025_IFD visit

To achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030, we must expand skin health provision, so the ILDS is delighted to support PDTC in training dermatologists to provide care for those living with skin diseases in the Pacific Island Nations. Dr Claire Fuller, IFD Chair

The training programmes are designed not only to improve the diagnosis and treatment of tropical skin diseases but also to enhance data collection on both communicable and non-communicable diseases, and to provide greater expertise in managing health emergencies. Graduates of the Diploma programme are equipped to diagnose and treat tropical skin conditions in their communities, thereby significantly increasing access to dermatological care across the region.

The three-year Master’s in Dermatology programme, available to those with a medical degree and the Diploma, further qualifies doctors as specialists in dermatology. With more doctors trained to this level, PDTC expects to expand access to treatment for those in the region living with a variety of skin diseases, including psoriasis, vitiligo, diabetic ulcers, impetigo, and neglected tropical diseases such as leprosy.

Trainees on both programmes gain hands-on experience by working at the Fiji National Skin Clinic, providing essential dermatology-related services. The clinic now treats 21,000 patients per year.

The ILDS funding will support the expansion of both the Diploma and Master’s programmes, enabling PDTC to continue to train healthcare professionals and extend its reach within the region. The grant will be paid in instalments over the next four years.

Find out more about the PDTC

Read more about the partnership between the ILDS and the PDTC and explore the work of the PDTC further

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