The top dermatology programs within medical schools have traditionally been ranked based on the amount of funding the schools have received from the National Institutes of Health, plus the number of times the schools are cited in academic journals. Several professors from four different dermatology schools developed a weighted ranking system that took into account not only the above two criteria but also added Dermatology Foundation grants, number of full-time faculty sitting on the editorial boards of the top dermatology journals in the U.S. and lectures delivered by faculty at national conferences. The resulting Top 10 lists differed by only three schools.
The University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine dermatology school appears as No. 2 on the NIH funding list and No. 1 on the weighted list. The oldest dermatology school in the country, its research focuses on basic biology of skin and hair, pathophysiology of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, dermatoepidemiology and clinical care of autoimmune blistering and rheumatological skin diseases.
University of California, San Francisco
The University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine dermatology school appears as No.1 on the NIH funding list and No. 2 on the weighted list. It offers training and services in medical, surgical, pediatric and cosmetic dermatology.
New York University
The New York University School of Medicine Ronald O. Perlman Department of Dermatology appears as No. 4 on both the NIH funding and weighted lists. Its Center of Excellence in Cancers of the Skin focuses on the biology and management of skin cancer.
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan Medical School Department of Dermatology appears as No. 5 on both the NIH funding and weighted lists, and treats over 41,000 patients per year.
Emory University
The Emory University School of Medicine Department of Dermatology appears as No. 9 on the NIH funding list and No. 6 on the weighted list. It focuses on creative research and education, as well as on patient care within Atlanta.
Columbia University
The Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons Herbert Irving Center for Dermatology and Skin Cancer appears as No. 6 on the NIH funding list and No.10 on the weighted list. It focuses on managing all aspects of skin disease and also hair disorders.
Thomas Jefferson University
The Jefferson Medical College of the Thomas Jefferson University Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology appears as No. 8 on the NIH funding list and No. 7 on the weighted list. It studies skin cancer and genetic skin diseases, as well as connective-tissue disorders.
Other Top-Rated Dermatology Schools
Other dermatology schools appearing on the NIH funding top ten list but not on the weighted list include: Stanford University (No. 3), University of Pittsburgh (No. 7) and Case Western University (No. 10). Those schools appearing on the weighted list but not on the NIH funding list are: Yale-New Haven Medical Center (No. 3), the Mayo Clinic (No. 8) and Harvard University (No. 9).