Dermatology Schools and Programs in Mexico

Dermatology Studies in Mexico

In Mexico, dermatology is a medical specialty, not an undergraduate degree. The route has three stages: a degree in medicine (the licenciatura de Médico Cirujano), entry to the national system of medical residencies through a national exam, and specialty training as a resident in a hospital. Teaching is in Spanish.

SpainExchange lists one school in Mexico for dermatology: the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara (UAG), a private university founded in 1935. The UAG trains doctors through its medical degree, and its guide to the degree names dermatology among the medical specialties open to doctors.

Step 1: the medical degree

The first step is the licenciatura de Médico Cirujano. At the UAG it consists of 9 semesters plus internship, 12 semesters in total, including a pre-graduate internship (internado de pregrado) and a period of servicio social, the social service year. The UAG states that its medical programme has been reaccredited by the Consejo Mexicano para la Acreditación de la Educación Médica (COMAEM), a body recognised by the World Federation for Medical Education, and that students rotate through a network of more than 120 hospitals in Mexico, the United States and Puerto Rico.

Medicine is one of the professions for which the Secretaría de Educación Pública (SEP) stresses the need for an officially valid degree: without it, there is no professional title and no cédula profesional. At private universities, check that the programme has an RVOE; the UAG publishes its RVOE agreement on the programme page.

Step 2: the ENARM and residency

Specialty training starts with the Examen Nacional de Aspirantes a Residencias Médicas (ENARM). It is open to Mexican and foreign general physicians and is the first stage of entry to the Sistema Nacional de Residencias Médicas. The 2026 exam takes place on 28, 29 and 30 September 2026 and costs MXN 3,300. Residency courses selected in this round begin on 1 March 2027.

Dermatology is not in the list of specialties offered in the ENARM 2026 call. Some specialties are entered directly after the ENARM, while others require previous specialty training. The Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), for example, offers 79 medical specialisations, of which 25 are entered directly through the ENARM and 54 require previous specialty studies. Future dermatologists should therefore check the current entry requirements of the university and the hospital where they want to train.

Step 3: certification

After residency, specialists in Mexico are certified by specialty councils. These councils are coordinated by the Comité Normativo Nacional de Consejos de Especialidades Médicas (CONACEM), which lets the public check whether a doctor holds a current certification in their specialty.

Studying medicine at the UAG as an international student

According to the UAG, its 4,500 medical students come from Mexico, the United States, Central and South America. The university also runs the UAG School of Medicine for students who aim at a residency in the United States; it describes a structured pathway to US residency and eligibility for US federal student aid for qualified students. Students who aim at a Mexican residency can use the UAG's ENARM preparation.

Foreign students who will study in Mexico for more than 180 days apply for a student visa at a Mexican consulate. Spanish citizens need a visa to study in Mexico whatever the length of the stay, according to Spain's foreign ministry.

Frequently asked questions

Can I study dermatology as a bachelor's degree in Mexico?

No. Dermatology is a medical specialty. You first complete a medical degree (Médico Cirujano) and then train as a resident in the specialty.

Can foreign doctors take the ENARM?

Yes. The ENARM 2026 call is open to Mexican and foreign general physicians who want to enter the national system of medical residencies.

How long does the medical degree take at the UAG?

12 semesters in total: 9 semesters of study plus the internship and the servicio social.