Dr. Divya Singh-Behl recalls sensing the desire to become a physician when she was only ten years old. She often heard stories while growing up from cousins who attended medical school. Their positive experiences fascinated and undoubtedly inspired young Divya to head in a similar direction.
Fast forward to the mid-90s. Soon-to-be-doctor Divya was enrolled as a medical student at Northeastern Ohio Medical School (NEOMED), where she took on leadership roles such as:
- Class representative for the American Women’s Medical Association from 1994 to 1996.
- Class representative for Women in Medicine from 1994 to 1997.
- President of the American Women’s Medical Association from 1996 to 1997.
She was a dedicated student and it was clear that her desire to serve and care for others would always be at the forefront of her career in medicine.
It was around this time during rotations in medical school that Dr. Singh-Behl says, “I recognized that I wanted to be a specialist. I wanted to concentrate on a specific field, become highly skilled in one area of medicine and practice it well.”
She also recognized that she was drawn to outpatient-focused disciplines that would allow her to care for a variety of patients with cases ranging from common to very complex conditions. When she discovered that dermatology checked all of those boxes, she knew it was everything she hoped to find in a healthcare career.
“Dermatology is a very broad field with several subspecialties within itself. Yet, by specializing in dermatology, I would be able to perform both medical and surgical procedures. And I could treat both males and females and see patients ranging from children to elderly populations. Plus, I am a very visual person, and most conditions in dermatology are diagnosed visually.”
By the late 1990s, Dr. Singh-Behl found herself at the world-renowned Cleveland Clinic, where she spent the next nine years as a trainee and staff physician. Here she completed her dermatology residency and a Mohs Micrographic and Laser Surgery Fellowship—learning first-hand from Dr. Philip Bailin, the first fellow trained by Dr. Frederick Mohs and prior Chairman of the Cleveland Clinic’s Dermatology Department.
Although Dr. Singh-Behl thoroughly enjoyed being immersed in academic medicine, she relocated to Chicago in 2007. And that is when she joined Deerfield Dermatology.
“My decision to join Deerfield Dermatology was based on the impeccable reputation of the practice, the collegiality of the providers and the autonomy to provide exceptional, personalized care without the bureaucracy of a large institution.”
Today, Dr. Singh-Behl is proud to serve not only patients but whole families through her work at Deerfield Dermatology.
“I call my practice family dermatology as I treat families. I could see a child for acne, their parents for skin exams and grandparents for skin cancer removal—all within the same week!
And, I have been fortunate enough to be at the same practice for 15 years, which has allowed me the opportunity to develop strong, trusting relationships with my patients while delivering the Cleveland Clinic’s world-class care in Northern Chicago.”
We are so grateful to call Dr. Singh-Behl one of our own at Deerfield Dermatology. And we know her patients feel the exact same way!
If you or your family have been patients of Dr. Singh-Behl, we’d love to hear about your experience. Leave a review on Facebook or Google. And if you’re a new patient looking to schedule an appointment, click here or give us a call today! (847) 480-0004
