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Background: UK medical graduates are required to reach standards defined by the General Medical Council (in Tomorrows Doctors) in all specialties, including dermatology., Aims: We assessed the self-reported competence of Foundation Year 1 (FY1) doctors in the diagnosis and management of skin disease correlated against their undergraduate dermatology experience., Methods: The FY1 doctors attending a teaching programme were surveyed at six hospital sites throughout the North Western Deanery. Questionnaires were completed on self-reported competence in learning outcomes defined by the British Association of Dermatologists (BAD). Information recorded previous undergraduate teaching (duration and delivery), and whether they felt sufficiently prepared to diagnose and manage patients with skin disease in their clinical practice., Results: Of 174 FY1 doctors, 118 attended the teaching sessions. All of the attendees completed a questionnaire. Trainees who undertook longitudinal placements in dermatology (defined as 10 or more half days of clinical experience) regarded themselves significantly more prepared to practise for their stage of training: 61 per cent compared with 8.9 per cent (χ(2) = 32.8, df = 1, p < 0.05). Furthermore, these trainees rated their abilities in basic history taking, clinical examination, management of dermatological emergencies and diagnosis of skin malignancy as being greater than those who had not experienced longitudinal placements in the specialty., Conclusions: Longitudinal placements in dermatology offer undergraduates experience in the diagnosis and management of skin disease that develops confidence for foundation practice., (© Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2012.)