Understanding Dermatopathology

Dermatopathology is the study and interpretation of skin disease under a microscope by a highly trained physician (dermatopathologist).

Often your dermatologist may see a growth or rash on your skin that they are unable to identify.  If this is the case, they would perform a skin biopsy (take a sample) and send it to a dermatopathology lab. 

The lab receives this tissue, processes it, and makes slides that can be examined under a microscope.

The dermatopathologist is a highly trained physician who looks into the microscopes and makes a diagnosis.  Is this is skin cancer?  What type of rash does the patient have?  These are the questions that can be answered by the dermatopathologist

A dermatopathologist is a medical doctor or doctor of osteopathic medicine (MD or DO) who has finished a residency training in either the general fields of Dermatology or Pathology. 

They then go on to do an additional year or two of training in the subspecialty field of Dermatopathology.  This additional specialized training is called and Fellowship. 

After completing this Fellowship they are eligible to take a board exam, which certifies them to practice in this field if they pass the test.

Yes.  A Dermatologist who is also a Dermatopathologist has the unique ability to correlate what is being seen on the person’s skin with what they are seeing under the microscope if a biopsy is taken.  This is called ‘clinical-pathologic correlation’ and it can help increase the diagnostic accuracy of the biopsy test.  A dermatologist who is a dermatopathologist can truly be the ‘Sherlock Holmes of Skin.