Meet the ABD Executive Director
Randall K. Roenigk, MD
Randall Roenigk, M.D., is a consultant to the Department of Dermatology and Division of Dermatologic Surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. He also is a professor of dermatology at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science and holds the Robert H. Kieckhefer Professorship in Dermatology at the Mayo Foundation.
Before becoming ABD Executive Director on July 1, 2021, he served as ABD Assistant Executive Director (2013-2021). He also serves as a member of the board of directors and of the executive committee of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), the umbrella organization for 24 medical specialty boards.
Born in Chicago, Dr. Roenigk grew up in Cleveland. He earned his bachelor’s degree in biology, psychology, and economics from Northwestern University and earned his M.D. from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. He completed his internship at St. Paul Ramsey County Hospital and his residency at University of Minnesota Hospital and Clinics (chief resident his third year). He completed a fellowship in dermatologic surgery and oncology at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation.
He served as chair of the Department of Dermatology at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science in Scottsdale Arizona from 1998-1999 before moving to Rochester to chair the Department of Dermatology at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science there.
He is the author of more than 130 peer-reviewed journal articles and more than 50 book chapters. Additionally, he has written four books on dermatologic surgery with his father, Henry H. Roenigk, M.D., of Phoenix, AZ.
Among his many honors and awards, Dr. Roenigk has received: the Presidential Citation from the American Society for Dermatology (2003); the Presidential Citation from the Academy of Dermatology (2015); the Fredrick E. Mohs, M.D., Lifetime Achievement Award from the American College of Mohs Surgery (2011); the Medical Education/Public Policy Award from the American Skin Association (2007); and the Distinguished Service Award from the American Board of Dermatology (2009).
Fun Facts about Dr. Roenigk
His father, renowned dermatologist, Henry H. Roenigk, Jr., was chair of the departments of dermatology at Northwestern University and at the Cleveland Clinic for 25 years before joining a private practice in Scottsdale, AZ.
Believing the heyday of medicine had passed, the elder Dr. Roenigk tried to talk his son into choosing a career in business instead of medicine. Randy Roenigk didn’t listen, and the two went on to co-author four books on dermatologic surgery.
He met Julie, now his wife of 40 years, on a kidney unit at Evanston Hospital. The other nurses on the unit assigned Julie to put the cocky medical student “in his place.” She is still doing her best…
Their son, Ross, is a musician – drums, guitar, piano, vocals. While traveling with a band, he adopted an alley cat, Goji. When Goji got tired of life on the road, he went to live with Ross’ parents, who already had two dogs (Bonnie and Clyde). Goji has been pack leader for 14 years. Ross now works for a restaurant group in Rochester. Goji did not move back in with him.
Their daughter, Katie (35), is a reporter for a Wyoming newspaper. She and her husband, Cooper, have a 3-year-old daughter, Leigh Sage, who is frequently spoiled by her grandfather.
Says Dr. Roenigk: "I can tell you without hesitation that being a grandparent is the only job that’s not overrated.”
