Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners

How to become a Dermatologist

Official title: Dermatologists

Also called: Board Certified Dermatologist, Dermatologist MD (Dermatologist Medical Doctor), Dermatologist Physician, Dermatopathologist, Doctor, MD (Medical Doctor), Mohs Micrographic Surgeon, Mohs Surgeon, Pediatric Dermatologist, Practicing Dermatologist

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

Main tasks

Conduct complete skin examinations.
Diagnose and treat pigmented lesions such as common acquired nevi, congenital nevi, dysplastic nevi, Spitz nevi, blue nevi, or melanoma.
Perform incisional biopsies to diagnose melanoma.
Perform skin surgery to improve appearance, make early diagnoses, or control diseases such as skin cancer.
Counsel patients on topics such as the need for annual dermatologic screenings, sun protection, skin cancer awareness, or skin and lymph node self-examinations.
Diagnose and treat skin conditions such as acne, dandruff, athlete's foot, moles, psoriasis, or skin cancer.
Record patients' health histories.
Recommend diagnostic tests based on patients' histories and physical examination findings.

How to become one

Physicians and surgeons typically need a bachelor's degree as well as a medical degree, which takes an additional 4 years to complete. Depending on their specialty, they also need 3 to 9 years in internship and residency programs. Subspecialization includes additional training in a fellowship of 1 to 3 years.

Typical education to start: Doctoral or professional degree

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

College: Medicine & Dentistry degrees, Offered by 23 universities in the US
Licence: A licence is required in 48 states.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $328,730 a year The middle half earn $139,990 to $452,450.
About 12,200 people work in this job now, and about 13,000 are projected by 2035. (+6.8%)
People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Dermatologist?

How much does a Dermatologist earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $328,730 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $139,990 to $452,450.

Is a Dermatologist a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 7% by 2035, from about 12,200 to about 13,000 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Dermatologist?

Usually. 100% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Dermatologist?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.