Justin M. Ko MD, MBA

Dr Ko joined Stanford Medicine in 2012 and serves as Director and Chief of Medical Dermatology for Stanford Health Care (SHC) while also spearheading the dermatology department's efforts around network development, telehealth and quality/safety/performance improvement. He is active in a number of leadership roles within the organization including co-chairing the Clinic Advisory Council, a forum of medical and executive leaders of Stanford Health Care’s Ambulatory clinics, and as a Service Medical Director. His passion for melanoma, early cancer detection, and improving care delivery drives his efforts and research around leveraging advances in machine learning and artificial intelligence to increase the breadth of populations that can be reached. He developed and runs a virtual teledermatology care delivery program at SHC, providing virtual visits for patients and remote consultations for providers within the network. He is currently working on collaborations and interventions that layer advances in deep learning on remote care capabilities to enhance access, quality and value of dermatologic care.

Dr Ko has also been driven to find new treatments for alopecia areata, an immune-mediated condition that can progress to total hair loss through various clinical trials and translational research efforts. He sits on the clinical research advisory board of the National Alopecia Areata Foundation. This work in alopecia areata has also led to his role in helping to form a team centred around clinical research efforts for eczema. He graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University and worked in investment banking; mergers and acquisitions at JP Morgan before going on to earn a combined medical and business degree at Tufts University. During medical school, he was a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha honour society. Dr Ko then performed his residency at the Harvard Dermatology Residency Training Program where he served as chief resident.