The tradition of Dermatology at MetroHealth dates back to the time when the main campus was called Cleveland City Hospital. From the early 1920s through 1930s, there was a strong Professor of Dermatology at Western Reserve University, Harold Cole, Sr., MD  One of Dr. Cole's associates, John E. Rauschkolb, MD, was affiliated with the Cleveland City Hospital. Residents who trained with Dr. Cole also spent time at this institution.

Cleveland City Hospital had more than 150 beds devoted to Dermatology, primarily for the treatment of patients with various forms of syphilis. With the arrival of the antibiotic era, the need for inpatient beds decreased dramatically. After Dr. Rauschkolb passed away, Benjamin Persky, MD, served as interim head of the division for approximately six months. Dr. Persky was succeeded by Ruth Rauschkolb, MD, wife of Dr. John Rauschkolb.  Dr. Ruth Rauschkolb developed an approved residency program as an appendage of the residency training program at University Hospital under Richard Stoughton, MD  

When Dr. Ruth Rauschkolb retired in 1965, Jerome Pomeranz, MD, became the Director of Dermatology at Cleveland Metropolitan General Hospital, the next incarnation of what is now know as MetroHealth Medical Center. Over the next several years, through negotiations with the American Board, the Dermatology residency program became an independent, separate entity. Western Reserve University was the only university with two separately approved Dermatology Residency Training Programs. Western Reserve University finally merged with Case Institute of Technology, forming what we know today as Case Western Reserve University.

At the time that Dr. Pomeranz arrived in 1965, the Dermatology unit consisted of himself and three residents. Over the succeeding years, the department grew to seven faculty members and eight residents. Dr. Pomeranz retired in 1996. Later that year, the residency program merged with its sister program at the University Hospitals campus of Case Western Reserve School of Medicine.

In October 2009, the two programs split, and MetroHealth has its own Dermatology residency program once again.