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PGY-5 (Chief Residents) »  Ava Yap, M.D.
Ava Yap, MD, MHSc

Ava Yap, MD, MHSc

  • Chief Resident (PGY-5)
  • General Surgery

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Ava Yap, MD, MHS was born in Canada and spent her upbringing in Hong Kong before moving to the US for college. She is now a general surgery trainee at UCSF. She previously worked in a range of healthcare systems in Canada, Peru, Ecuador, Uganda and Malaysia, all which fostered a dedicated interest in addressing the global health inequity witnessed during her travels.

She is mentored by the Director of the UCSF Center of Health Equity in Surgery and Anesthesia (CHESA) Dr. Doruk Ozgediz. She also collaborates with the pediatric surgical team in Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda and charity KidsOR to work towards alleviating the tremendous deficit in pediatric surgical capacity in Sub-Saharan Africa. She completed her Master's in Health Sciences and conducted a cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) that demonstrated that implementation of a pediatric operating room in Uganda was very cost effective. These results strengthened international partnerships with involved sites in low-middle income countries (LMICs), expanded operating room facilities in 21+ LMICs, and mobilized stakeholders to take notice in the investment of pediatric surgical infrastructure worldwide.

In her residency research years, she completed a 2-year CHESA health equity fellowship, partnering with KidsOR, Mulago National Referral Hospital, and other global organizations to continue the economic and clinical evaluation of surgical capacity building in low resource settings as she plans to forge a career towards global academic pediatric surgery. Her health equity interests were also rooted domestically, as she collaborated with the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program in Pediatrics to investigate the association between social determinants of health and postoperative outcomes in children, led by her mentor and Associate Program Director Dr. Lan Vu.

She additionally has an interest in perioperative sustainbility and have integrated herself with the UCSF Sustainbility committee, working alongside Director Dr. Seema Gandhi to pilot reusable textiles in the perioperative space.
  Institution  
  Degree    
  Dept or School    
  End Date    
  • Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
  • MHS
  • Health Sciences
  • 6/2018
  • Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
  • MD
  • Medicine
  • 6/2018
  • Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
  • BA
  • Biology
  • 6/2013
  •   Award  
      Confired By    
      Date    
  • Resident Clinical and Translational Research Funding Award
  • UCSF
  • 2020
  • Owen H. Wangensteen Scientific Forum Excellence in Research Award
  • American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress
  • 2017
  • Richard K. Gershion One Year Research Fellowship
  • Yale School of Medicine
  • 2016 - 2017
  • Wilbur G. Downs International Health Student Travel Fellowship
  • Yale School of Medicine
  • 2014
    • Global health
    • heath equity
    • capacity building
    • economic evaluation
    • pediatric surgery
    MOST RECENT PUBLICATIONS FROM A TOTAL OF 23
    Data provided by UCSF Profiles, powered by CTSI
    1. Klazura G, Situma M, Musinguzi E, Mugarura R, Nyonyintono J, Yap A, Stephens CQ, Ullrich S, Kakembo N, Sekabira J, Ssemeju A, Bwesigye M, Muzaki D, Sims T, Proscovia N, Mbambu J, Kwikiriza D, Arinda F, Ozgediz D, Kisa P. The Pediatric Emergency Surgery Course: Impact on Provider Practice in Rural Uganda. J Pediatr Surg. 2023 Oct 05. View in PubMed
    2. Nimanya SA, Stephens CQ, Yap A, Kisa P, Kakembo N, Wesonga A, Okello I, Naluyimbazi R, Mbwali F, Kayima P, Ssewanyana Y, Naik-Mathuria B, Ozgediz D, Sekabira J. Impact of Bowel Coverage and Resuscitation Protocol on Gastroschisis Mortality in Low-Income Countries: Experience and Lessons From Uganda. J Pediatr Surg. 2023 Sep 22. View in PubMed
    3. Kalisya LM, Yap A, Mitume B, Salmon C, Karafuli K, Poenaru D, Onyango R. Determinants of Access to Essential Surgery in the Democratic Republic of Congo. J Surg Res. 2023 11; 291:480-487. View in PubMed
    4. Yap A, Wang K, Cornejo J, Chen E, Pierce L, Wick E, Gandhi S. Transition to Reusable Surgical Gowns at a Hospital System. JAMA Netw Open. 2023 Aug 01; 6(8):e2330246. View in PubMed
    5. Yap A, Olatunji BT, Negash S, Mweru D, Kisembo S, Masumbuko F, Ameh EA, Lebbie A, Bvulani B, Hansen E, Philipo GS, Carroll M, Hsu PJ, Bryce E, Cheung M, Fedatto M, Laverde R, Ozgediz D. Out-of-pocket costs and catastrophic healthcare expenditure for families of children requiring surgery in sub-Saharan Africa. Surgery. 2023 09; 174(3):567-573. View in PubMed
    6. View All Publications

     

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