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Dermatologist

Healthcare

Diagnose and treat diseases relating to the skin, hair, and nails. May perform both medical and dermatological surgery functions.

ScienceAllied Health

In Malaysia

Malaysia has relatively few dermatologists, and they are concentrated in major KKM hospitals and private hospitals in cities. Doctors in aesthetic clinics are not dermatologists unless they are on the MMC Specialist Register, a distinction the Medical Act makes because only registered specialists may practise as specialists.

How people get into it here
SPM (science stream) → Asasi, Matrikulasi, STPM or A-Level → 5-year medical degree → 2-year housemanship and full MMC registration → medical officer → specialist training in dermatology (typically after internal-medicine training) → supervised work experience → MMC Specialist Register.
Demand
MyCOL 2024/2025 lists Specialist Medical Practitioners as a critical occupation, and employers specifically nominated Dermatologist. TalentCorp MyCOL 2024/2025

Sources:spa.gov.mymmc.gov.myecentral.my

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Conduct complete skin examinations.
  2. 2Diagnose and treat pigmented lesions such as common acquired nevi, congenital nevi, dysplastic nevi, Spitz nevi, blue nevi, or melanoma.
  3. 3Perform incisional biopsies to diagnose melanoma.
  4. 4Perform skin surgery to improve appearance, make early diagnoses, or control diseases such as skin cancer.
  5. 5Counsel patients on topics such as the need for annual dermatologic screenings, sun protection, skin cancer awareness, or skin and lymph node self-examinations.
  6. 6Diagnose and treat skin conditions such as acne, dandruff, athlete's foot, moles, psoriasis, or skin cancer.
  7. 7Record patients' health histories.
  8. 8Recommend diagnostic tests based on patients' histories and physical examination findings.
  9. 9Conduct or order diagnostic tests such as chest radiographs (x-rays), microbiologic tests, or endocrinologic tests.
  10. 10Prescribe hormonal agents or topical treatments such as contraceptives, spironolactone, antiandrogens, oral corticosteroids, retinoids, benzoyl peroxide, or antibiotics.
  11. 11Read current literature, talk with colleagues, and participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in dermatology.
  12. 12Provide dermatologic consultation to other health professionals.
  13. 13Refer patients to other specialists, as needed.
  14. 14Instruct interns or residents in diagnosis and treatment of dermatological diseases.
  15. 15Provide therapies such as intralesional steroids, chemical peels, or comodo removal to treat age spots, sun damage, rough skin, discolored skin, or oily skin.
  16. 16Conduct clinical or basic research.
  17. 17Provide dermabrasion or laser abrasion to treat atrophic scars, elevated scars, or other skin conditions.
  18. 18Evaluate patients to determine eligibility for cosmetic procedures such as liposuction, laser resurfacing, or microdermabrasion.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • MD
  • Doctor
  • DO Physician
  • Mohs Surgeon
  • Dermatologist
  • Dermatologists
  • Dermatologist MD
  • Dermatopathologist
  • MD (Medical Doctor)
  • Dermatology Physician

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. 3

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. 4

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. Typical entry

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationDoctoral degree

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

BiologyDraws directly on Medicine and Dentistry — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
ChemistryDraws directly on Medicine and Dentistry — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
EnglishDraws directly on English Language — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
BusinessDraws directly on Administration and Management — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
EconomicsDraws directly on Administration and Management — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Medicine and Dentistry96%

    BiologyChemistry

  • Customer and Personal Service92%
  • English Language81%

    English

  • Administration and Management77%

    BusinessEconomics

  • Education and Training75%
  • Biology74%

    BiologyAdditional Science

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleConstant contact
  • Dealing with customers or the publicVery high
  • Leading or coordinating othersHigh
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
  • Noisy environmentAlmost never
  • Time spent sittingA little

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

18%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

Growing role in the US

US Bureau of Labor Statistics data, not Malaysian. Shown because it's the only forward-looking demand estimate we have for this job.

On Malaysia's official shortage list

TalentCorp and ILMIA's Critical Occupations List — evidence of a real hiring shortage in Malaysia right now.

Specialist Medical Practitioners · Shortage indicators met: INSUFFICIENT DATA

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Matriculation

One or two years, heavily subsidised with allowance. Competitive, quota-based entry.

12–24 months

Asasi / Foundation

One-year runway into a specific university: public via UPU or private direct entry.

12 months

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About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Dermatologists

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org