Ncoza Dlova is a Professor, Chief Specialist and Head of Dermatology at the Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu Natal (UKZN) where she trained for both her undergraduate and postgraduate studies and was awarded her PhD in 2015. She is the first African Dermatologist in KwaZulu Natal and the 2^nd African female dermatologist in South Africa and has since trained and mentored about 30 dermatologists, 80% of which are women. Dlova’s achievements have made her a role model for a number of women in medicine, both in the discipline of dermatology and outside dermatology.

Her achievement has played a significant contribution to the young medical students and residents that she has taught, many of whom have now become leaders and heads of various dermatology departments in the country and others are running their individual successful private practices.  In 2016, she was elected as the international member of the prestigious American Dermatology Association in recognition of her research, local and international contribution to Dermatology and was inducted in Boston, Nov 2017. She is a member of the International women’s dermatology society and active member of the International Society of Dermatology. She is an Executive member of the African Society of Dermatology and Venereology (ASDV), and in 2016, she was instrumental and led the group of African dermatologists to establish the African Society of Dermatology.

In 2016, she received the MEC’s award for service excellence and commendable leadership and has been the recipient of the best teacher award from the undergraduate and postgraduate students at the Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine.  Her research has won her a number of awards on various platforms. Prof Dlova is actively involved in many dermatology outreach projects and led the successful anti skin bleaching campaign in 2017, which saw about 2000 students, citizens and doctors march to the main streets in Durban downtown. She also serves as the inaugural President of the newly formed Women’s Dermatological Society of South Africa (WDS-SA).

Dlova has made an outstanding contribution to community dermatology service and has thus far raised funds to train more than 1000 primary health care physicians and nurses, in 3 of the 5 provinces in South Africa. She organises and encourages her department to partake in outreach projects and train doctors and nurses on how to manage common skin conditions as well as educate them on when to refer complicated and difficult cases. She has been supported by the Direct Relief NGO, which is USA based. Dlova and her team have also supported the Albinism society of SA through regular educational talks and skin cancer screening events as well as raised funds for the supply of protective hats to 1000 patients with albinism. This year she has also launched the first comprehensive dermatology handbook for Africa whose content is relevant to dermatoses that are seen in Africa, and this will be the recommended prescribed textbook for all undergraduate medical schools in SA.

In Jan 2018, Dlova was appointed as Dean and Head of School of Clinical Medicine at UKZN, and is the first African Woman to hold this position in the 70yr history of UKZN Medical School. She is also the first Dermatologist in South Africa to be appointed to a position of a Dean in the country. She is the only female Dean amongst the 10 Deans in the South African Committee of Medical Deans.

Her research interests are on: Ethnic Skin and Hair, Pigmentation disorders, as well as HIV and Skin. She has more than 60 peer-reviewed scientific publications, contributed more than 8 chapters in major dermatology textbooks, written 3 books on dermatology and presented in more than 20 countries as an invited speaker and chair at international dermatology meetings. In May 2018 she was listed amongst the Top Ten Research Publishers and productive researchers at the School of Clinical Medicine and is the only African woman in this group. Her aim is to get more women interested in research and take leadership positions.