Board-Certified Dermatologist | Physician–Scientist

Dr. Vida Chitsazzadeh is a distinguished board-certified dermatologist and physician–scientist whose career seamlessly bridges clinical practice, academic research, and expert analysis. With a foundation in both medicine and molecular science, Dr. Chitsazzadeh offers a unique perspective that is particularly well-suited to complex medical-legal cases requiring dermatologic expertise.

She currently practices dermatology at Kaiser Permanente Southern California Medical Group, following her role as a dermatologist at the Kelsey-Seybold Clinic in Houston, Texas (2022–2024). Her clinical interests span general medical dermatology, skin cancer, dermatological surgery, rheumatological skin disorders, and cosmetic procedures, underscoring her comprehensive approach to patient care.

Dr. Chitsazzadeh graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of California, Los Angeles, earning a 4.0 GPA in her major. She then pursued dual medical (MD) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees through the highly competitive Medical Scientist Training Program at McGovern Medical School and The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and MD Anderson Cancer Center. She earned her MD/ PhD degree in 2016, completing her doctoral research in Genes and Development under the mentorship of Dr. Kenneth Y. Tsai in the Departments of Dermatology and Translational Molecular Pathology.

Her postgraduate training included an internal medicine internship (2017) followed by dermatology residency at McGovern Medical School (2018-2020), where she served as Chief Resident. She received her dermatology board certification in 2020, scoring in the 91st percentile nationally. Her academic excellence is further evidenced by top-percentile scores on the United States Medical Licensing Examinations, including a 271 (99th percentile) and a 260 (99th percentile) on USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK, respectively.

Throughout her career, Dr. Chitsazzadeh has been recognized with numerous honors, including election to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. She has been named Andrew Sowell-Wade Huggins Scholar in Cancer Research and an NIH Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences fellow. Her research has earned accolades from national institutions, including MD Anderson Cancer Center, the Society for Investigative Dermatology, and the Translational Science National Society.

A prolific scholar, Dr. Chitsazzadeh has published in high-impact, peer-reviewed journals such as Nature Communications, eLife, Journal of Investigative Dermatology, Brain & Development, AIDS, and Annals of Neurology. She has presented her work nationally at numerus scientific meetings including the Society for Investigative Dermatology and the American Physician Scientists Association.

In addition to her research and clinical work, Dr. Chitsazzadeh is deeply committed to medical education. She has served as a teaching assistant in anatomy and clinical medicine and has mentored undergraduate and graduate trainees.

With her deep clinical knowledge, rigorous scientific training, and history of academic distinction, Dr. Chitsazzadeh brings a high level of analytical precision to her role as a medical expert in the field of dermatology.