Dr Ho shares insights on training the next generation of dermatologists, challenging misconceptions about the specialty, and bringing global perspectives to clinical practice.
We are delighted to welcome Dr Jonathan Ho to the Editorial Board of touchREVIEWS in Dermatology.
Based in Kingston, Jamaica, Dr Ho is a Lecturer in Dermatology and Dermatopathology at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona Campus, and a Voluntary Associate Professor of Dermatology at the University of Miami, USA. He is also Director of the Dermatology Residency Programme and Director of Dermatopathology at UWI. His areas of clinical expertise and research interest include dermatopathology, skin of colour, complex medical dermatology and inpatient dermatology.
Dr Ho has played an instrumental role in dermatology education in the Caribbean, including helping to establish the first dermatology residency program in the English-speaking Caribbean. As an educator and mentor, he is passionate about supporting the next generation of dermatologists and advancing clinicopathological collaboration.
He is the immediate past president of the Dermatology Association of Jamaica and represents the Association as a Skin of Color Society Global Council Member. In 2025, Dr Ho was recognized with the International League of Dermatological Societies (ILDS) Young Dermatologist Achievement Award and was named one of our touchDERMATOLOGY Future Leaders.
To officially welcome Dr Ho to the Editorial Board and get to know him a little better, we invited him to reflect on what drew him to his specialty, the importance of residency training in the Caribbean, the innovations he hopes will improve patient care, and, importantly, what he is most looking forward to in his new role with touchREVIEWS in Dermatology.
Don’t miss out on hearing about our latest peer-reviewed articles, expert opinions, conference news, podcasts, and more.
What drew you to your chosen specialty?
The visual nature of dermatology and dermatopathology has always appealed to me. It is a specialty where careful observation, pattern recognition, and clinicopathological correlation can have a direct and meaningful impact on patient care.
I am also drawn to the visible difference that effective treatment can make. In dermatology, improvement is often something patients can see and feel in their everyday lives, and that can have a profound effect on health, confidence, and quality of life.
Which parts of your career in medicine have you enjoyed most so far?
Teaching dermatology residents has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my career. Dermatology is a specialty with so many layers, and it is a privilege to help trainees develop their clinical eye, deepen their understanding, and grow in confidence.
Supporting residents as they begin to recognize patterns, manage complex cases, and develop their own professional identities has been especially fulfilling.
What experiences in your career have surprised you most?
Being instrumental in starting the first dermatology residency program in the English-speaking Caribbean has had an impact that has surprised and encouraged me.
It quickly became clear how necessary the training program was. Seeing how much it was needed, and how it has grown in less than a decade, has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my career. It has reinforced the importance of building sustainable local training pathways and supporting dermatology education within the region.
If you could bring one innovation instantly into everyday practice, what would it be and why?
I would bring in an effective and fast remedy for post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH).
PIH is extremely difficult to treat and can have a lasting impact on patients, particularly those with richly pigmented skin. Even when the underlying inflammatory skin disease has resolved, PIH can remain as a constant and visible reminder of that history. A reliable treatment would make an enormous difference to patients’ quality of life.
What is one misconception about your specialty that you would most like to change?
I would like to challenge the idea that dermatology is an easy or “superficial” specialty.
Dermatology involves complex diagnostic reasoning, systemic disease, immunology, oncology, pathology, and surgery, as well as a deep understanding of how visible disease affects quality of life. The skin may be visible, but the specialty itself is anything but superficial.
What are you most looking forward to about taking on this new role?
I am looking forward to having an early view of innovations in the field, as well as the opportunity to help bring attention to interesting cases, emerging ideas, and unique perspectives in dermatology from around the world.
Dermatology is a global specialty, and there is so much to learn from different settings, populations, and approaches to care. I am excited to contribute to that exchange of knowledge.
What is one small thing that always brightens a busy working day for you?
A patient who is happy with their care. Even on the busiest days, knowing that a patient feels heard, helped, and reassured makes the work worthwhile.
Cite: Shaping dermatology education in the Caribbean: Dr Jonathan Ho joins the touchDERMATOLOGY Editorial Board. touchDERMATOLOGY. 27 May 2026.
Disclosures: This content has been developed independently by Touch Medical Media for touchDERMATOLOGY in collaboration with Dr Ho. Views expressed are the speaker’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Touch Medical Media.
