Phillip Frost is one of the nation’s leading philanthropists, a highly respected dermatologist, and a successful businessman. Frost is the third son of a shoe store owner from South Philadelphia. His family lived above his father’s store for a good part of his childhood. His first job, at age 13, was working in a local hardware shop after school. He earned a degree in French literature from the University of Pennsylvania in 1957 and received a medical degree from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine In 1961.
After completing his residency in Dermatology at the University of Miami, he became a clinical associate at the National Cancer institute. He returned to Miami in 1966 to become faculty at the University of Miami and left that position in 1972 to become chair of the Department of Dermatology at Mt. Sinai Medical Center. He left academics in 1990 to concentrate on his business interests.
His desire to make the punch biopsy disposable eventually led to the development of multiple large pharmaceutical companies. He holds 9 US patents.
Dr. Frost’s philanthropic efforts are immense. He and his wife Patricia are champions for the arts, science, and education. The Dr. Phillip Frost Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery at the University of Miami and the Frost Lectureship Series awarded by the AAD are examples of his generosity and vision.
Dr. Frost’s investments in education and dermatology have created a legacy that will continue to multiply as time passes.
