Arturo Saavedra, MD, PhD, MBA

Nationally recognized expertise in complex medical dermatology

Physician. Researcher. Educator. Administrator.

Arturo P. Saavedra, M.D., Ph.D., embodies the modern “triple mission” of academic medicine — while still making time to care for some of the nation’s most complex dermatology patients.

Saavedra is a dermatologist at VCU Health specializing in complex medical dermatology, with particular expertise in caring for patients whose immune systems are compromised by disease or transplantation. Widely regarded as a national expert in graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), Saavedra is often consulted for cases that require advanced diagnostic insight.

“I see patients with problems of the immune system that manifest in the skin, particularly after having had transplants or severe reactions from medications,” Saavedra says. These conditions may include infections, cancer or GVHD following bone marrow transplantation, severe drug reactions and dermatologic complications related to HIV.

Because of the medical complexity involved, collaboration is central to Saavedra’s practice. “My team sees patients that are generally also seeing other specialists in rheumatology, infectious disease and oncology as a result of complicated medical histories,” he says. He works closely with multidisciplinary care teams to ensure that skin-directed therapies align with a patient’s overall treatment plan and long-term health goals.

Saavedra approaches patient care as a shared, reciprocal endeavor. “Medical care is a partnership. Be as involved as you can!” he urges patients. That philosophy reflects his broader commitment to health care as an act of scholarship: “I enjoy seeing patients, educating medical students and participating in research — to inspire others in the triple mission of academic medicine.”

After enrolling in Harvard College at age 16, Saavedra graduated magna cum laude with a degree in biological sciences, then earned a combined medical and doctoral degree from the University of Pennsylvania, with specialized training in pharmacology. He completed residency training in internal medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital — where he also served as chief resident — before completing the Harvard Combined Dermatology Residency Training Program and a fellowship in dermatopathology. He also holds an M.B.A. in entrepreneurial finance from Babson College.

Over his career, Saavedra has held senior clinical and academic leadership roles at some of the nation’s top academic health systems, including Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the University of Virginia. He joined VCU in 2023 as dean of the School of Medicine and executive vice president for medical affairs for VCU Health, and he currently serves as the university’s interim executive vice president and provost — while continuing to see patients.

Saavedra is an editor of Fitzpatrick’s Color Atlas and Synopsis of Clinical Dermatology, one of the world’s leading dermatology references. His scholarly interests include severe rashes in post-transplant patients and the difficult clinical courses that follow. He has earned teaching awards throughout his career and has been named one of the commonwealth’s top doctors by Virginia Business magazine.

Looking ahead, Saavedra would like to see innovations enhance, rather than replace, the human side of medicine. “I hope technology such as AI will help us decrease the tedious, non-patient-facing work that clinicians do so that we can focus on human interactions and give patients our undivided attention,” he says.

Outside of work, Saavedra is a dog lover who enjoys reading, traveling and visiting music festivals. Prior to an injury he competed as a triathlete, though he still maintains an active lifestyle.