Dr. Mona Mofid, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist specializing in melanoma, skin cancer, and medical dermatology, has been named one of San Diego's Top Doctors for 2026. This marks her ninth recognition by the San Diego County Medical Society and San Diego Magazine, a distinction that carries weight beyond a single award cycle: it reflects sustained confidence from fellow physicians over nearly a decade.
The Physicians of Exceptional Excellence designation recognizes approximately the top 5% of San Diego physicians, selected by doctors based on whom they would trust to care for their own family and friends. That peer-driven criterion matters because it signals clinical judgment and outcomes that colleagues observe firsthand, rather than popularity or marketing reach. For patients, such recognition can serve as a credible signal when choosing a specialist for serious conditions like melanoma.
In addition to the peer honor, Dr. Mofid received the 2026 Top Specialist Award from Sharp Community Medical Group (SCMG) for outstanding patient satisfaction, while maintaining a perfect 5.0-star patient rating on Sharp HealthCare's official physician website. She was also recognized among the Three Best Rated Dermatologists in San Diego for 2026 by ThreeBestRated, which evaluates physicians based on reputation, patient reviews, experience, and other quality measures. Together, these honors bridge two often-separate perspectives—physician assessment and patient experience—suggesting that her practice performs well on both technical and interpersonal dimensions.
The patient perspective illustrates why such recognition can matter in practical terms. One patient, who endured more than 15 years of complications following cancer treatment despite consulting numerous physicians, described her on Healthgrades as "The embodiment of the medical trifecta: heart, soul and smarts." The patient credited Dr. Mofid's compassion and creative treatment approach with dramatically improving their quality of life. That account points to a broader implication: for patients with complex dermatologic histories, the ability to rethink prior assumptions and persist through diagnostic uncertainty can be as important as technical expertise.
The honors extend to Dr. Mofid's physician assistants, Juan Kojima, PA-C, and Natalie Lennon, PA-C, both of whom received Sharp Community Medical Group's 2026 Top Advanced Care Practitioner Awards for outstanding patient care. This team-level recognition is significant because it suggests that the quality of care is not dependent on a single clinician but is embedded in the practice's workflow and culture—an important consideration for patients who may see a physician assistant for follow-ups or screenings.
Dr. Mofid is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and completed her medical training at Johns Hopkins Hospital, where she subsequently served as Clinic Director of Dermatology and Co-Director of the Melanoma and Pigmented Lesion Clinic. For more than 20 years, she has served as Medical Director of the American Melanoma Foundation, promoting melanoma prevention, early detection, and public education. Her San Diego practice focuses exclusively on medical dermatology, particularly melanoma, skin cancer screening, prevention and treatment, and managing complex dermatologic conditions. The convergence of peer recognition, patient satisfaction metrics, and long-term leadership in melanoma prevention suggests that the announcement is less about a single award and more about sustained trust across the medical community and the patients it serves. More information is available at www.drmonamofid.com.
