Anand Rajpara, MD, FAAD

Anand Rajpara, MD, FAAD, is a board-certified dermatologist, Professor of Dermatology and founding chair of the University of Missouri-Kansas City department of dermatology at University Health. He is nationally recognized for his expertise in complex medical dermatology and for expanding access to advanced dermatologic care for patients with severe, chronic and difficult-to-treat skin diseases. His honors include being selected as one of 16 physicians in Ingram's 2024 Top Doctors class, recognition as a Castle Connolly and Kansas City Magazine Top Doctor, the Kansas City Star's 2023 Gold Best Doctor award and The University of Kansas Health System's Attending Physician of the Year Award for Community/Global Engagement.

Dr. Rajpara joined University Health as the health system's only dermatologist in 2022 and was charged with establishing a comprehensive academic dermatology department. During his first four years, the department grew from one dermatologist to a faculty of 9 full- and 4 part-time providers. Under his leadership, University Health developed specialized programs in pediatric dermatology, hidradenitis suppurativa, hair disorders and Mohs micrographic surgery, including advanced treatment of melanoma. He also led the development of a dermatology clinical trials program, an integrated biologic medication-access program, and UMKC's newly accredited dermatology residency program.

Today, the department provides expertise in complex medical dermatology, pediatric dermatology, skin of color dermatology, dermatopathology, clinical pharmacology, Mohs surgery and cosmetic and laser dermatology. It is one of the few comprehensive academic dermatology departments in the country based within an essential safety-net health system - an environment that closely reflects Dr. Rajpara's commitment to providing academic dermatologic care to every patient, regardless of income or insurance status.

That commitment extends beyond University Health. For more than a decade, Dr. Rajpara has volunteered as director of the dermatology bi-monthly free clinic at KC CARE Health Center, providing specialty care to uninsured and underinsured patients. He has also served on the KC CARE Board of Directors and has held leadership positions in state dermatologic societies.

Dr. Rajpara has published more than 130 peer-reviewed articles, authored numerous dermatology textbook chapters and presented his work at national medical conferences. He is a section editor of Elsevier's Review of Dermatology, a widely used dermatology board-review textbook.

Dr. Rajpara earned a bachelor's degree in neuroscience from Emory University, where he was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. He received his medical degree magna cum laude from the University of Maryland School of Medicine and was inducted into Alpha Omega Alpha. After completing an internal medicine internship at the University of Maryland, he completed his dermatology residency at the University of Kansas Medical Center, where he served as chief resident. Before joining UMKC and University Health, he held multiple educational and clinical leadership positions, including dermatology residency program director and medical director of dermatology.