John Vine
By: Andrew Cangiano
Residence: Princeton.
Family: Wife Kimberly, two children Jordan 6, Sidney 3.
Education: Undergraduate degree, Princeton University. Graduate degree, Brown University Medical School.
First job: Busboy at a restaurant in Marina Del Ray, Calif.
Thumbnail sketch: Dr. Vine served as director of Mohs/
Dermatologic Surgery at UMDNJ/Robert Wood Johnson Hospital in New Brunswick before opening his own practice as part of the University Medical Center at Princeton. He specializes in the treatment of skin cancer.
Why did you open your own practice? I view myself as somewhat of an entrepreneur, and I have a marketing background. My primary focus and purpose is to take care of my patients. From a business standpoint, my entrepreneurial background helps me run my business efficiently, so I can focus on my patients. To be successful, you need to surround yourself with bright, energetic and capable people.
How do you differ from other dermatological practices? Firstly, I’m a solo practitioner, which differs from the majority of dermatology practices, where there are at least two physicians in the office. The focus of my practice is skin cancer and, specifically, Mohs surgery. There are only several individuals who perform this procedure in the state of New Jersey. It is a relatively unique sub-specialty. I also have a large referral base, which consists of other dermatologists, plastic surgeons and family physicians.
How did being head of dermatologic surgery at UMDNJ
help to prepare you for the opening of your own practice? It was a good starting point, because I learned how to run the type of practice that I currently have. I learned the ropes in New Brunswick, and I sharpened my skills, and then I decided it was time for me to start my own practice, which I’ve had for approximately four years.
What are the types of surgery you do? Seventy percent of my practice is the treatment of skin cancer. I sub-specialize in a treatment called Mohs surgery. The technical aspect of it enables us to take as little tissue as possible. A patient can have skin cancer removed in our office under local anesthesia. Tissue is processed in our own lab, and Mohs has a higher cure rate than the traditional way. The remainder of my practice focuses on cosmetic procedures, including Botox, Restylane and laser procedures.
What are some of your future goals for your practice? A primary goal is to move to a larger space at sometime in the near future, because I have outgrown my current space. My other goal is to continue to treat skin cancer patients with state of the art treatments.
How many patients have you treated? I treat approximately 1,200 skin cancers a year and perform hundreds of cosmetic procedures per year.

