Dermatology Subspecialty Highlights
Complete in 3 Part-time Semesters
The program consists of two 3-credit-hour didactic courses plus 3 credit hours of lab and immersion experiences.
Specialized Education Beyond Your Degree
The subspecialty program provides a concentrated educational experience that leads to a certificate of completion—enhancing professional preparation but not conferring a new degree.
Online Format
Perfect for working nurse practitioners, the 9-credit hour certificate program includes online didactic learning and lab and immersive experiences on site.
Robust Clinical Experience
Students benefit from procedural immersion and laboratory education, with dermatology specific clinical hours and skills in procedures such as biopsies, excision and dermoscopy.
For NPs Only
Applicants must be certified as family nurse practitioners, adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioners, adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioners or enrolled at Vanderbilt in FNP, AGACNP or AGPCNP programs. Those students may take the dermatology courses as electives to gain specialized expertise in addition to their core NP education.
Dermatology Subspecialty Curriculum
Coursework
We offer a rigorous and specific dermatology certificate curriculum that supplements—and doesn’t repeat—standard NP education.
New Expertise
You’ll learn to assess, diagnose, treat and manage dermatologic illnesses, as well as order and interpret tests, prescribe medication and therapies, and educate patients and their families.
Outcomes
Specialize and Broaden
Dermatology experience is in demand in private practice, hospital, telehealth and specialized dermatology clinic settings, with NPs in the field reporting very high job satisfaction.
Practice Readiness
Targeted didactic content, skills lab and clinical immersion experiences prepare you for one of the most in-demand areas in health care.
Application in Primary Care
As an NP, you know the high prevalence of dermatologic concerns in primary care. This certificate will profoundly enhance your clinical confidence, employability and career trajectory.
Work-Life Balance & Compensation
Dermatology positions usually provide a predictable schedule with little to no, or limited, on-call, weekend, or holiday responsibilities. Dermatology is one of the higher-paying subspecialties, with many NPs earning six-figure salaries.
Why a Dermatology Subspecialty Certificate?
Workforce Shortage
An aging population and retiring practitioners are creating long wait times for care. Projections estimate a 40% growth in dermatology NP roles by 2028. The certificate provides a perfect academic practice segway to a dermatology fellowship, residency or direct entry to practice.
Greatest Need
Graduates can address disparities in access, particularly in underserved areas where dermatologist shortages are greatest, improving outcomes for conditions like skin cancer, the most common cancer in the U.S.
Why choose Vanderbilt?
Drawing on its 100+ years of nursing expertise, Vanderbilt has designed the dermatology subspecialty certificate program to maximize academic rigor with practical mentorship to accelerate NP entry into dermatology. Coursework and skills labs address gaps in procedural depth while Vanderbilt’s well-known incorporation of interprofessional collaboration sets the program apart from more extended or clinically heavy models.
Admissions & Tuition
- Master's degree or higher in Adult Gerontology Primary Care, Adult Gerontology Acute Care, or Family Nurse Practitioner; or be a current VUSN student enrolled in one of these programs.
- Recommended GPA of at least 3.0 from an accredited program.
- Current registered nursing and advanced practice nursing license in good standing and ANCC or AANP certification.
- At least one year of APRN practice is preferred; subspecialty experience encouraged.
- A statement of purpose that reflects your understanding of the role and your interest in the subspecialty.
- Three letters of academic and/or professional recommendation. One recommender must hold a master's degree or higher.
- Official or unofficial transcripts from all colleges/universities attended
Tuition for 2025-2026 is $2,057 per credit hour; tuition cost for the dermatology subspecialty certificate is $18,513 over three semesters.
Subspecialty certificate students will be charged student service fees of $66 per semester, for a total of $198. Student service fees cannot be waived.
All subspecialty certificate students must pay a one-time university transcript fee of $100, which covers transcript charges for a lifetime. Vanderbilt alumni have already paid the university transcript fee.
f you have health insurance, please complete this online petition to waive insurance.
Take the Next Step
Request information about the program or contact your admissions counselor.