Joseph F. Sobanko, MD, MBA
Dermatology
Accepting new patients
Sees patients age 18 and up
Penn Dermatology Perelman
View 2 additional locations
Make an appointmentCall 215-662-2737
Headshot of Joseph F. Sobanko, MD, MBA
Penn Medicine Provider

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.

 

Education and training

  • Medical School: SUNY Stony Brook School of Medicine
  • Residency: MedStar Georgetown University Hospital
  • Fellowship: Oregon Health & Science University

What my patients think about me

Average Rating

495 reviews

Comments are submitted by patients and reflect their views and opinions. The comments are not endorsed by and do not necessarily reflect the views of Penn Medicine.

Anonymous
April 2026
he was interested in our problem for seeing him
Anonymous
April 2026
shared knowledge and understanding of my medical situation
Anonymous
April 2026
dr. sobanko is very professional and genuinely interested in his patient and how they are doing with the treatment.
Anonymous
March 2026
dr. sobanko explained each step of the mohs process and what to expect after the surgery. he was very thorough and made sure what to expect.

Insurance accepted

My Locations

Penn Dermatology Pennsylvania Hospital

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.
Dr. Sobanko is a Penn Medicine physician.

Qualifications and experience

Treatments and Conditions

My research

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

Shaikh UR, Valdes-Morales K, Raj LK, Richter CG, Shoshany C, Sheth C, Sheth N, Senthilnathan A, Haynes D, Miller CJ, Sobanko JF, Etzkorn JR, Walker J, Zhang J, Higgins HW II Ambient PM2.5 exposure above a threshold level is associated with increased aggressiveness of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in patients undergoing Mohs micrographic surgery , Climate Change and Environmental Issues Expert Resource Group Annual Meeting, AAD Annual Meeting, Denver, CO: 2026

Wang SY, Turner G, Valdes-Morales KL, Hunter ER, Kim M, Tran VA, Polen K, Haynes D, Miller CJ, Etzkorn JR, Sobanko JF, Walker JL, Zhang J, Brody RM, Cannady SB, Rajasekaran K, Farwell DG, Miura JT, Karakousis GC, Lukens JR, Amaravadi RK, Schuchter LM, Mitchell TC, Higgins HW 2nd, Carey RM Accuracy of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy to Predict Nodal Metastasis in Head and Neck Merkel Cell Carcinoma , JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg, 152(3): 2026,313-22

Lin SK, Deitermann AM, Miller CJ, Ricciardelli K, Sharma M, Haynes D, Cheng B, Daneshpajouhnejad P, Valdes-Morales K, Trifoi MD, Frankel D, Etzkorn JR, Modi M, Sobanko JF, Giordano CN, Walker JL, Zhang J, Nguyen HP, Lewis DJ, Higgins HW 2nd Mohs micrographic surgery of Merkel cell carcinoma lowers local recurrence risk and has similar metastasis and survival compared with conventional excision: A single-center retrospective cohort study , J Am Acad Dermatol, 94(2): 2026,675-78

Trifoi MD, Morales KV, Frankel D, Lin SK, Deitermann AM, Haynes D, Lubeck M, Etzkorn JR, Sobanko JF, Giordano CN, Walker JL, Zhang J, Lewis DJ, Higgins HW 2nd, Miura JT, Karakousis GC, Rajasekaran K, Cannady SB, Brody RM, Mitchell TC, Amaravadi RK, Lukens JN, Miller CJ Compliance with guidelines and timeliness of sentinel lymph node biopsy for Merkel cell carcinoma treated with Mohs micrographic surgery versus conventional excision at a tertiary academic center , J Am Acad Dermatol, 94(2): 2026,688-690

Wang SY, Hunter ER, Valdes Morales KL, Perry NJ, Feldman E, Freeman SC, Miller CJ, Etzkorn JR, Sobanko JF, Zhang J, Walker JL, Higgins HW 2nd Increased bleeding complications after nasolabial interpolation flap repair with only combined antiplatelet and anticoagulation use. A retrospective, single-center experience , J Am Acad Dermatol, 94(1): 2026,276-78

Freeman SC, Miller CJ, Shahwan KT, Aasi SZ, Bordeaux JS, Brewer JD, Brodland DG, Christensen SR, Demer AM, Etzkorn JR, Holmes TE, Kibbi N, Maher IA, Nijhawan RI, Saylor DK, Sobanko JF, Srivastava D, Zitelli JA, Latour E, Lucero OM, Yu W, Bar A, Carr DR, Leitenberger JJ Interrater and Intrarater Reliability of Mohs Surgeons in the Assessment of MART-1 Frozen Section Margins for Melanoma , Dermatol Surg: 2025

Veerabagu SA, Nugent ST, Geng Z, Yanes AF, Fischer JP, Kovell R, Kuntz AF, Rajasekaran K, VanderBeek BL, Miller CJ, Etzkorn JR, Sobanko JF, Higgins HW 2nd, Walker J, Zhang J, Giordano CN National opioid prescription decline across outpatient specialty surgeries: a claims database study , J Am Acad Dermatol , 93(3): 2025,733-41

Frankel D, Valdes-Morales K, Trifoi MD, Lin SK, Deitermann AM, Banala M, Zhang E, Easo N, Lubeck M, Haynes D, Lewis D, Nugent ST, Etzkorn JR, Jariwala NN, Zhang J, Walker JL, Higgins HW 2nd, Sobanko JF, Giordano CN, Daneshpajouhnejad P, Modi M, Lin IC, Chang B, Wink J, Karakousis G, Miura J, Miller CJ Mohs micrographic surgery reduces the risk of reconstruction with positive margins, repeat surgeries, and time to definitive reconstruction compared to conventional excision of hand and foot melanomas: A retrospective cohort study , J Am Acad Dermatol, 93(1): 2025,157-164