- Mohs surgery
Joseph F. Sobanko, MD, MBA
About me
- Director of Cosmetic Dermatology & Laser Surgery
- Professor of Dermatology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
In 2023, Dr. Sobanko was elected to the Academy of Master Clinicians, Penn Medicine’s highest clinical honor.
My education and training
- Medical School: SUNY Stony Brook School of Medicine
- Residency: MedStar Georgetown University Hospital
- Fellowship: Oregon Health & Science University
Spoken languages
Reviews
Insurance accepted
- Aetna Advantra Cares D-SNP
- Aetna Advantra Credit Value
- Aetna Advantra Eagle HMO
- Aetna Advantra Eagle POS
- Aetna Advantra Premier Plus PPO
- Aetna Advantra Value
- Aetna Advantra Value Plus
- Aetna APCN Plus (Multi-Tier)
- Aetna Better Health Kids (CHIP) - DH Only
- Aetna Flexible Five
- Aetna Freedom Core
- Aetna Gold
- Aetna HMO
- Aetna Philly Prime
- Aetna POS
- Aetna PPO APCN
- Aetna Premier
- Aetna Premier Plus
- Aetna Savings Plus
- Aetna Signature Administrators
- Aetna Student Health Plan PPO
- Aetna Upfront Advantage
- First Health HMO
- First Health POS
- First Health PPO
- Meritain - Aramark (Other)
- Meritain - Aramark (Pennsylvania Premier Medical Plan)
- Americhealth Caritas of PA VIP - LGH Only
- Amerihealth Caritas (Transplant patients only)
- Amerihealth Caritas of PA - LGH Only
- Centivo EPO
- Cigna Healthcare EPO
- Cigna Healthcare HMO
- Cigna Healthcare POS
- Cigna Healthcare PPO
- Claim Watcher (Homestead/ INDECs) Open Access
- Clover Health Choice
- Clover Health Choice Value PPO
- Clover Health Classic HMO
- Clover Health Value
Locations
Penn Medicine hospital privileges
- Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania: Has privileges to treat patients in the hospital.
- Pennsylvania Hospital: Has privileges to treat patients in the hospital.
- Penn Presbyterian Medical Center: On the medical staff, but does not have privileges to treat patients in the hospital.
Qualifications and experience
- Dermatology
- American Academy of Dermatology, National
- American College of Mohs Surgery, National
- American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, National
- American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, National
- Association of Professors in Dermatology, National
- Blade & Light International Volunteer Society, International
- Dermatology Medical Missions, International
- International Society for Dermatologic Surgery, International
- Pennsylvania Academy of Dermatology & Dermatologic Surgery, Local
- Penn Melanoma and Cutaneous Malignancies Program
- Recognized annually in Philadelphia Magazine's Top Docs issue from 2018 through 2025
- Bernett L. Johnson Attending Teaching Award
Treatments and conditions
Research
Publications
Lin SK, Deitermann AM, Hunter ER, Wang SY, Valdes Morales KL, Lubeck M, Miller CJ, Etzkorn JR, Sobanko JF, Higgins HW 2nd, Walker JL, Zhang J, Cannady SB, Rajasekaran K, Brody RM, Kovach SJ 3rd, Chang B, Lin IC, Fischer JP, Lukens JN, Cohen JV, Mitchell TC, Amaravadi RK, Mehta S, Briceño CA, McMurray SL Mohs-facilitated excision: A case series of a multidisciplinary approach to reduce local recurrence of advanced keratinocyte carcinomas. , J Am Acad Dermatol, 95(2): 2026,511-13
Lin SK, Deitermann AM, Hunter ER, Wang SY, Valdes Morales KL, Lubeck M, Miller CJ, Etzkorn JR, Sobanko SF, Higgins HW II, Walker JL, Zhang J, Cannady SB, Rajasekaran K, Brody RM, Kovach SJ III, Chang B, Lin IC, Fischer JP, Lukens JN, Cohen JV, Mitchell TC Amaravadi RK, Mehta S, Briceño CA, McMurray SL Mohs-facilitated excision: A case series of a multidisciplinary approach to reduce local recurrence of advanced keratinocyte carcinomas , J Am Acad Dermatology, 95(2): 2026,511-513
Zullo SW, Nugent ST, Bruzas M, Lukowiak TM, Fix WC, Miller CJ, Etzkorn JR, Shin TM, Sobanko JF Buddy Relationships in Dermatologic Excisions for Skin Cancer: A feasibility study of one-to-one peer mentorship in patients with facial skin cancers treated with Mohs micrographic surgery. , J Am Acad Dermatol, 95(1): 2026,281-3
Shaikh UR, Richter CG, Raj LK, Kapoor D, Valdes-Morales K, Trifoi M, Alomary SA, Baker N, Senthilnathan A, Haynes D, Taylor SC, Miller CJ, Etzkorn JR, Sobanko J, Zhang J, Walker J, Higgins HW 2nd Perioperative racial disparities in patients with acral lentiginous melanoma undergoing Mohs micrographic surgery: A single-institution retrospective cohort study. , J Am Acad Dermatol, 95(1): 2026,287-90
Dirr MA, Ahmed A, Schlessinger DI, Lazaro-Camp V, Smith S, Gullapalli T, Dragovic D, Chang J, Zhang E, Alam M; Facial Aging Core Outcome Domain Set Study Group; Anvery N, Christensen RE, Ibrahim SA, Kang BY, Wong C, Iyengar S, Yanes AF, Cotseones J, Ashchyan HJ, Patel PM, Sheikh UA, Franklin MJ, Hanna CC, Chiren SG, Schmitt J, Furlan KC, Alexiades M, Alhusayen R, Alster TS, Beer K, Bertucci V, Bloom JD, Briceño CA, Bucay V, Butterwick KJ, Hugues C, Casabona G, Connolly KL, Cotofana S, Council ML, Cox SE, Darmanescu M, De Boulle K, Desai S, Donofrio LM, Dover JS, Draelos Z, Eisen DB, El-Domyati M, El-Garem Y, Fischer J, Fitzgerald R, Friedmann DP, Galadari H, Gladstone HB, Goldman MP, Goodman GJ, Green JB, Halachmi S, Hanke CW, Humphrey S, Ibrahim SF, Jagdeo J, Jiang SIB, Karen JK, Kauvar A, Kibbi AG, Kim JVS, Kim J, de Lacerda D, Lask G, Lopez GM, Lupo MP, Mariwalla K, Matarasso S, Mekokishvili L, Narins RS, Ogilvie P, Orringer JS, Osaki TH, Ozog D, Pacheco T, Polder K, Rossi AM, Sadick N, Saedi N, Schlessinger J, Sharad J, Shenoy MM, Sinclair R, Solish N, Piansay-Soriano ME, Sulyman O, Szeimies RM, Tanzi EL, Taub AF, Taylor MB, Thomas JR, Torezan L, Tosti A, Touma D, Trindade de … Development of a Core Outcome Domain Set for Facial Aging , JAMMA Dermatol: 2026
Tran VA, Myrdal CN, Wang S, Morales KV, Hunter E, Sheikh U, Raj L, Richter C, Lu C, Chinniah G, Cocchella GA, Manaois A, Walker JL, Zhang J, Etzkorn JR, Sobanko JF, Miller CJ, Higgins HW 2nd Complication outcomes in retroauricular interpolated flaps after Mohs surgery: A single-center retrospective study , J Am Acad Dermatol: 2026
Wang SY, Hunter ER, Valdes Morales KL, Perry NJ, Feldman E, Sobanko JF, Etzkorn JR, Higgins HW 2nd, Zhang J, Walker JL, Miller CJ Cartilage grafts for alar reconstruction in nasolabial interpolation flap surgery may negatively affect breathing function and cosmesis: A retrospective study. , J Am Acad Dermatol, 94(6): 2026,1747-53
Raj LK, Tarawneh H, Murphy T, Richter C, Shaikh U, Mitchell TC, Miller CJ, Walker JL, Zhang J, Etzkorn JR, Sobanko JF, Higgins HW II Post-Operative Imaging Surveillance After Mohs Micrographic Surgery for Merkel Cell Carcinoma: An Institutional Analysis , Society for Investigative Dermatology Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL: 2026
Wang S, Hunter E, Valdes-Morales K, Tran V, Manaois A, Easo N, Walker JL, Zhang J, Higgins HW II, Etzkorn JR, Miller CJ, Sobanko JF Cosmetic Outcomes of Nasolabial and Forehead Interpolation Flaps Reconstructing the Nasal Ala , Australasian College of Dermatology Annual Scientific Meeting, Brisbane, Australia: 2026
Dirr MA, Ahmed A, Schlessinger DI, Smith SS, Christensen RE, Gullapalli T, Chang J, Dragovic D, Lazaro-Camp VJ, Tang JC, Anvery N, Schmitt J, Kirkham JJ, Maher IA, Sobanko JF, Cartee TV, Cahn BA, Poon E, Zhang E, Alam M; Melasma Core Outcome Set Working Group (Melasma COS Working Group) Development of a core outcome set for clinical trials in melasma , J Am Acad Dermatol: 2026