 He had his residency training in dermatology at Columbia University, the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard University, where he served his third year of residency in dermatology and a fellowship in dermatopathology at Massachusetts General Hospital.Ackerman interrupted his house-officership to serve two years in the military at Andrews Air Force Base.Ackerman joined the faculties of the University of Miami in 1969 and New York University School of Medicine in 1973.