We are Family
Cockerell Dermatopathology (CDP), located in the heart of Dallas’s medical district, was founded by Dr. Clay J. Cockerell, former president of the American Academy of Dermatology and an internationally recognized dermatologist and dermatopathologist. CDP is committed to diagnostic excellence and exceptional service in the evaluation of dermatologic disorders, from routine cases to the most complex challenges.
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To better serve referring clinicians and their patients, Cockerell Dermatopathology continues to invest in advanced laboratory technologies. These innovations support higher-quality slide preparation, improve turnaround times for routine cases, and allow for more efficient implementation of EMR interfaces.
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In addition to its diagnostic services, CDP is deeply committed to education. The practice hosts numerous online continuing education programs and offers in-person training, supported by a 14-headed microscope, in a dedicated, classroom-style conference center. Cockerell Dermatopathology proudly serves dermatologic clinicians throughout Texas, across the United States, and internationally.
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With an accessible team of board-certified dermatopathologists and a highly trained support staff, Cockerell Dermatopathology approaches every specimen with the utmost care, treating each one as if it came from a member of our own family.
OUR HISTORY
Cockerell Dermatopathology, formerly Freeman-Cockerell Dermatopathology Laboratories, was founded by Dr. Robert G. Freeman in 1972 and was the first independent laboratory in Dallas, Texas, to exclusively focus on providing diagnoses to physicians dedicated to treating patients with skin disorders. Dr. Freeman was truly a pioneer in the field of dermatopathology, having made a name for himself in the early 1960s while conducting research on long-term skin damage caused by the sun, work that led to the development of modern-day sunscreen.
While attending Baylor College of Medicine, Dr. Freeman befriended Dr. E. G. Cockerell (Dr. Clay Cockerell’s dad) and this friendship ultimately led to Dr. Clay J. Cockerell joining Dr. Freeman’s laboratory. Dr. Cockerell, a third-generation dermatologist from Abilene, Texas, graduated from Baylor College of Medicine and completed his dermatology residency and dermatopathology fellowship at New York City University Medical Center.
In 1988, a few years after the completion of his dermatopathology fellowship, Dr. Cockerell and his wife Brenda, also a native Texan, moved to Dallas to join Dr. Freeman’s practice. Since joining the group in 1988, CDP has grown into one of the nation’s most respected dermatopathology practices by always focusing on the needs of referring clinicians and their patients.
