Wilma Bergfeld, MD
Primary Location
Cleveland Clinic Main Campus
- Appointment:
- 216.444.5725
- Desk:
- 216.444.5729
- Fax:
- 216.231.5448
Additional Locations
Anatomic Pathology
Cleveland Clinic Main Campus
9500 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44195
Driving Directions
- Appointment:
- 216.444.5725
- Desk:
- 216.444.5729
- Fax:
- 216.231.5448
Treatment & Services
- Aging Skin
- Alopecia
- Autoimmune Hair and Skin Disease
- Cancer Center
- Cosmetic Dermatology
- Dermatopathology
- General Dermatology
- Genital Skin Problems
- Hair Disorders
- Mohs Surgery
- Pigmented Lesion
- Rashes and Eczema
- Skin Infections
- Skin Tumors
Specialty in Diseases & Conditions
- Alopecia Areata
- Melanoma
- Pigmented Lesions
- Skin Cancer
Insurance
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View All PlansAbout Wilma Bergfeld, MD
Wilma Fowler Bergfeld, MD, FACP is Emeritus Director, and past Director and Co-Director of Dermatopathology, Departments of Dermatology and Pathology and Senior Staff Dermatologist Dermatological Research in the Department of Dermatology, Cleveland Clinic. She also is the Director of the Cleveland Clinic’s Dermatopathology Fellowship and Professor of Dermatology and Pathology, Cleveland Clinic Educational Foundation and Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Dermatology, Case Western Reserve University. She has served as a consultant to the Department of Sports Medicine at The Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Bergfeld’s specialty interests include clinical dermatology (hair disorders, androgen excess, photo aging, and cosmetic dermatology) and dermatopathology.
Dr Bergfeld completed her undergraduate work at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA, and is a graduate of Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia. She did her dermatology residency at Cleveland Clinic and her Dermatopathology fellowship at Armed Forces of Pathology in Washington DC. She joined the Cleveland Clinic in 1969 as a Clinical Dermatologist, Department of Dermatology and later, after the AFIP Dermatopathology Fellowship in 1972, she was appointed as Head (1977-2007), Dermatopathology, Department of Pathology and in 2007 Co-Director of Dermatopathology, Departments of Dermatology and Pathology and in 2015 Emeritus Director . She has been the Director, Cleveland Clinic’s Dermatopathology fellowship since 1975.
Dr. Bergfeld is a former chair and currently consultant to the FDA Dermatology and Ophthalmology Advisory Committee (1972-current) and a consultant to the Devise advisory committee (2009-current). She is the President elect 2019 American Dermatologic Association, immediate past President of North American Hair Research Society (2011-2016) and Director, World Congress of Hair Research2015 Miami, Co-Director, American Hair Research Society Summit 2018, and past 2008-9 President of the American Society of Dermatopathology, 1992 President of The American Academy of Dermatology and past President of the Cleveland Academy of Medicine, the Cleveland Dermatology Society, the Ohio Dermatological Association, and the Women's Dermatological Society. She has served on the Cleveland Clinic’s Board of Governors and Board of Trustees (1992-97), and was the President of the Cleveland Clinic Staff (1990).
Since 1977, she has been a member and the Chair (1990-current) of the Cosmetic Ingredient Expert Panel, an expert panel that determines the safety of cosmetic ingredients. She holds an honorary membership in the American Academy of Dermatology, Women’s Dermatology Society, the Cleveland Dermatology Society, Ohio Dermatological Society, Pacific Dermatologic Association the Canadian Dermatology Society and the Italian Dermatology Society.
In 1996, she received the Women's Dermatological Association Rose Hirschler Award honoring an outstanding physician who has contributed to medicine and dermatology while enhancing the role of women in the Dermatology. She is also the recipient of the American Academy of Dermatology's prestigious Marion B. Sulzberger Award in 1997 and AAD Golden Triangle Award 2000 for Community Service. In 2000, she was the first recipient of the Wilma F Bergfeld MD Leadership Award, awarded by the Women’s Dermatology Society. In 2005, the Cleveland Academy of Medicine honored her the “John Budd, MD, Distinguished Member Award. The American Society Dermatopathology in 2007 awarded her the prestige’s “Founders Award” and she was elected 2009 President of the American Society of Dermatopathology. In 2008 she was awarded Maria Duran leadership award and medal by the International Society of Dermatology and in 2010; she received the Samuel J Zakon Dermatology History Award from the Dermatology History Society. The American Academy of Dermatology awarded her 2012 Master of Dermatology Award. In 2014, she received the Elston B. Helwig MD, Memorial Award and Lectureship from American Society of Dermatopathology.
Her American Academy of Dermatology volunteer activities have included: Chair, Council of Communications and longtime member of the communications committee, original member and long term member of “Dialogues in Dermatology,” Chair of the Scientific Council (annual meeting committee), Chair of the Volunteer Circle: “Members Making a Difference.” She has also served on several AAD and Women’s Dermatology Society Visionary Committees. Dr Bergfeld has received many AAD Presidential citations that have included Leadership in AAD Communications and The Volunteer Circle. Since 1995, she has been cited in “Best Doctors in America,” “Top Doctors,” “Top Pathologist,” and in numerous Who’s Who publications.
Dr Bergfeld is the author of over 632 publications, 4 books and 82 book chapters. She has served on many editorial journal boards and has been a reviewer in the both her professional fields of clinical dermatology and dermatopathology. Other activities include consultant/scientific adviser to many pharmaceutical companies.
On a personal note, Dr Bergfeld is married to John A Bergfeld MD, an internationally known Sports Medicine Orthopedic Surgeon at Cleveland Clinic. She is the mother of two daughters, Onee Bergfeld Lowe (deceased) and Sigrid Bergfeld Grieco and grandmother to five granddaughters.
Wilma F Bergfeld MD Professor of Dermatology and Pathology, Senior Dermatologist, Emeritus Director, Dermatopathology, Director-Dermatopathology Fellowship, Departments of Dermatology & Pathology, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid, Cleveland, Ohio 44195E-mail: bergfew@ccf.org: Phone: 216-444-5722: Fax: 216-231-5448
Education & Professional Highlights
Appointed
1969
Education & Fellowships
Fellowship - Walter Reed Army Medical Center
Dermatopathology
Washington,
DC USA
1972
Residency - Cleveland Clinic
Dermatology
Cleveland,
OH USA
1968
Internship - Cleveland Clinic
Medical
Cleveland,
OH USA
1965
Medical Education - Temple University School of Medicine
M.D.
Philadelphia,
PA USA
1964
Undergraduate - College of William & Mary
Williamsburg,
VA USA
1960
Professional Highlights
- AAD President, 1992
- Ohio Dermatology Society/Ohio Dermatology Foundation, President
- American Society of Dermatopathology, President 2008
- Academy of Medicine of Cleveland, John Budd, MD Distinguished Membership Award 2005
- Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrances Association; Cosmetic Ingredient Review, CIR Panel - Chairman, CIR Committee, 1991- Current
Certifications
- Dermatology
- Dermatology - Dermatopathology
Specialty Interests
alopecia, Cosmetic Dermatology, Dermatopathology, General Dermatology, pigmented lesions and melanoma, skin tumors
Awards & Honors
- 2008: Marian Druan, MD Award, International Society of Dermatology (Highest Award)
- 2007 – 2008: America's top Doctor
- 2007 – 2008: Best Doctors in America
- 2007 – 2008: Best Doctors?Cleveland Magazine
- 2007 – 2008: Great Women in the 21st Century, american Biographical Institute
- 2007 – 2008: Empire Who's Who among Executive and Professional Women (Highest Award)
- 2007 – 2008: Northern Ohio Live Magazine Issue "Top Doctors 2005" (cited yearly since 1990)
- 2007 – 2008: National Registry of Who's Who (Life Member)
- 2007 – 2008: Manchester/Cambridge Who's Who Among Executive and Professional Women (Honor's Edition)
- 2007 – 2008: Woman of the Year, American Biographical Institute
- 2007 – 2008: Guide to American's Top Physician, Research Council of America
- 2007 – 2008: America's Cosmetic Doctors and Dentist, Castle Connelly Medical LTD
- 2007 – 2008: Who's Who (Global Directory)
- 2007 – 2008: Guide to American's Top Pathologist (cited as Dermatopathologist)
- 2007: Golden Achievement Award of Cleveland (Physician)
- 2007: Nominee, Master of Dermatology Award - AAD
- 2007: American Academy of Dermatology, Honorary Member
- 2007: Gold Metal AAD Award, Volunteer Services, Leadership Circle-Voluntarism
- 2007: Founders's Award, American Society of Dermatopathology (Highest Award)
- 2007: President Elect, American Society of Dermatopathology (President 2008)
Memberships
- American Academy of Dermatology
- American Society of Dermatopathology
- Ohio Dermatology Society/ Ohio Dermatology Foundation
- Cleveland Dermatological Society
- American Dermatologic Association - Honorary Derm Society
Research & Publications
See publications for Wilma Bergfeld, MD.
(Disclaimer: This search is powered by PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. PubMed is a third-party website with no affiliation with Cleveland Clinic.)
Industry Relationships
Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists may collaborate with the pharmaceutical or medical device industries to help develop medical breakthroughs or provide medical expertise or education. Cleveland Clinic strives to make scientific advances that will benefit patient care and support outside relationships that promise public benefit. In order for the discoveries of Cleveland Clinic physicians' and scientists' laboratories and investigations to benefit the public, these discoveries must be commercialized in partnership with industry. As experts in their fields, Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists are often sought after by industry to consult, provide expertise and education.
To assure professional and commercial integrity in such matters, Cleveland Clinic maintains a program that reviews these collaborations and, when appropriate, puts measures in place to minimize bias that may result from ties to industry. Cleveland Clinic publicly discloses the names of companies when (i) its physicians/scientists receive $5,000 or more per year (or, in rare cases, equity or stock options) for speaking and consulting, (ii) its physicians/scientists serve as a fiduciary, (iii) its physicians/scientists receive or have the right to receive royalties or (iv) its physicians/ scientists hold any equity interest for the physician's/scientist's role as inventor, discoverer, developer, founder or consultant.* In publicly disclosing this information, Cleveland Clinic tries to provide information as accurately as possible about its physicians' and scientists' connections with industry.
As of 1/9/2020, Dr. Bergfeld has reported no financial relationship with industry that is applicable to this listing. In general, patients should feel free to contact their doctor about any of the relationships and how the relationships are overseen by Cleveland Clinic. To learn more about Cleveland Clinic's policies on collaborations with industry and innovation management, go to our Integrity in Innovation page.
Public Health Service-Reportable Financial Conflicts of Interest. Cleveland Clinic scientists and physicians engage in basic, translational and clinical research activities, working to solve health problems, enhance patient care and improve quality of life for patients. Interactions with industry are essential to bringing the researchers' discoveries to the public, but can present the potential for conflicts of interest related to their research activities. Click here to view a listing of instances where Cleveland Clinic has identified a Public Health Service (PHS)-Reportable Financial Conflict of Interest and has put measures in place to ensure that, to the extent possible, the design, conduct and reporting of the research is free from bias.
* Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists subscribe to the guidance presented in the PhRMA Code on Interactions with Healthcare Professionals and the AdvaMed Code of Ethics on Interactions with Health Care Professionals. As such, gifts of substantial value are generally prohibited.
149 Patient Satisfaction Reviews
The Patient Satisfaction Rating is an average of all responses to the care provider related questions shown below from our nationally-recognized Press Ganey Patient Satisfaction Survey. Patients that are treated in outpatient or hospital environments may receive different surveys, and the volume of responses will vary by question.
Responses are measured on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the best score.
The comments are submitted by patients and reflect their views and opinions. The comments are not endorsed by and do not necessarily reflect the views of Cleveland Clinic.
| Overall | Star Ratings | |
|---|---|---|
| Explains | 4.9 | |
| Courtesy, Respect & Concern | 4.9 | |
| Patient Rating of Doctor | 4.9 |
40 Patient Comments
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Reviewed on Jan 27, 2020
Very impressed with Angie, Nadine, AND Dr. Bergfeld. Wish I could see Dr. Bergfeld regularly for my skin cancer checks.
Reviewed on Jan 17, 2020
a good experience every one was interested in my problem. Doctor is trying to solve my problem (blisters) I have been having for 18 months.
Reviewed on Jan 17, 2020
Everything always runs smoothly in Dr. Bergfeld's dept.. Dr. Bergfeld and staff are prepared, clear, direct, informative and kind. My husband and I along with many others in our family have been in her capable hands for years
Reviewed on Jan 17, 2020
I couldn't imagine anyone being a better doctor or professional than Dr. Bergfeld. She exceeds above everyone with her abilities, compassion and thoroughness. Over decades of Doctor treating myself and my family and friends many have been referred specifically to Dr. Bergfeld.
Reviewed on Dec 20, 2019
I have been seeing Dr. Bergfeld for 30+ years shes the best the clinic has, no problems.
Reviewed on Nov 27, 2019
Dr. Bergfeld is very caring doctor!!!
Reviewed on Oct 31, 2019
Dr Bergfeld and her staff are always wonderful and compassionate.
Reviewed on Oct 31, 2019
I speak of Dr Bergfeld's incredible care and kindness to all that have been a part of my health journey. She is the best.
Reviewed on Oct 31, 2019
Dr. Bergfeld has been very helpful and the staff has been pleasant and efficient.
Reviewed on Oct 28, 2019
Good experience! *Dr. Bergfeld always answers my questions and relates to me as a person not just a patient. I feel very comfortable with her decisions, recommendations & treatments.
Reviewed on Oct 21, 2019
I have been seeing Dr. Wilma Bergfeld for years. I saw her for the first time when I was 35 , and I am now 77. This tells you that she has to be very good, right!
Reviewed on Sep 18, 2019
Dr. Wilma is the most outstanding, knowledgeable and caring physician who has ever treated me.
Reviewed on Sep 18, 2019
I have always, for 33 years, highly recommended Dr. Wilma Bergfeld to everyone. Thank you, Cleveland Clinic!
Reviewed on Sep 18, 2019
Dr Bergfeld has always provided me with excellent care...She answers all of my questions and offers suggestions that are reasonable as well as informative...she spends time with me and I always feel I am leaving on a positive note...
Reviewed on Aug 26, 2019
Dr. Bergfeld is by far the most compassionate, considerate and wonderful doctor I have ever interacted with...
Reviewed on Aug 23, 2019
Dr. Bergfeld was extremely thorough and could not have been more pleased with her expertise. Cery pleased.
Reviewed on Aug 6, 2019
Everyone on this visit from Dr Bergfeld to the people at the desk to the nurse who gave me my injections to the photographer, etc treated me with friendliness and the utmost respect
Reviewed on Aug 5, 2019
*Dr. Bergfeld has always been very caring and takes time to truly listen to my concerns. I hope she never retires!! I live about 2 hours away from the Cleveland Clinic but worth the drive to see *Dr. Bergfeld.
Reviewed on Jul 12, 2019
Dr. Bergfeld and her office staff were polite and respectful. Dr. Bergfeld offered options not available to me back in Michigan. Only down side, its hard to make an appointment with Dr. Bergfeld, because her calendar seems to only be open two months at a time.
Reviewed on Jun 28, 2019
I appreciate the way Dr. Bergfeld listens to my concerns, and her explanations of things. Everyone from her office that I see are helpful. I've recommended her to others who have the same hair issues.
Reviewed on Jun 28, 2019
As I stated before, I have recommended, and will continue to recommend Dr. Bergfeld.
Reviewed on Jun 28, 2019
I can tell the nurse listens to me because Dr. Bergfeld will come in and reiterate what I've told the nurse.
Reviewed on Jun 28, 2019
*Dr. Bergfeld is an excellent doctor. She is concerned about your overall health as well as what she is treating you for.
Reviewed on Jun 27, 2019
I love Dr. Bergfeld!
Reviewed on May 31, 2019
Dr Bergfeld is very caring, and I feel very fortunate to have her as my dermatologist!
Reviewed on May 31, 2019
dr Bergfeld is the best there is. she is thorough, kind, smart, and painless when she does procedure. she explains what the problem is and what she will do. she is wonderful.
Reviewed on May 30, 2019
The Doctor and nursing staff were excellent!!!
Reviewed on May 29, 2019
Dr. Bergfeld was compassionate, caring and genuinely caring. it is one of the most positive experiences I have had with a health care provider of Dr. Bergfeld's caliber.
Reviewed on May 29, 2019
I appreciated the time that Dr. Bergfeld spent alone with me to discuss my progress, concerns and the importance of health screenings.
Reviewed on May 29, 2019
very impressed with doctor's knowledge and manner
Reviewed on May 22, 2019
Dr. Bergfeld is the best of the best! She is reassuring, knowledgeable, friendly, non-judgmental, and always looks out for my best interest. I am so lucky to have her as my dermatologist!!
Reviewed on May 9, 2019
Dr. Bergfeld is available only a few days a month and those fill up quickly. Had to wait a couple of months to see her.
Reviewed on May 1, 2019
Dr. Bergfeld listens, spends as much time with me as needed, treats the whole person.
Reviewed on May 1, 2019
Dr Bergfeld has been my dr for 30 years. She is the most compassionate and knowledgeable doc I have had attend to my health.
Reviewed on Apr 30, 2019
Dr. Wilma Bergfeld is always empathetic, communicates well, and provides courteous patient care.
Reviewed on Apr 16, 2019
Dr Bergfeld makes it easier when dealing with my conditions. I am comfortable with her knowledge and recommendations. I travel for these appointments, and am confident i am in good hands. So with problems that make me a little nervous talking about them it is nice to actually have a pleasant doctor that doesn't make things harder to deal with.
Reviewed on Apr 15, 2019
Each time I have an appointment with Dr. Bergfeld I am thankful for getting her world class medical care. She always takes time to ensure that I get quality care I need.
Reviewed on Apr 10, 2019
I have been suffering with skin and hair issues for most of my life. This is the only physician who bothered to biopsy, ask questions, and who did not write me off, but valued my thoughts.
Reviewed on Mar 7, 2019
Dr. Bergfeld took my concerns seriously and never made me feel insignificant. She is proactive with my care.
Reviewed on Mar 6, 2019
I always recommend Dr. Wilma Bergfeld to others. I've never heard a negative comment about her from patients or staff. she is beloved!! Thank you, Cleveland Clinic.