CHESA Fellow Spotlight: Dr. Ava Yap

Dr. Ava Yap: Reflections After One Year as a CHESA Fellow

Dr. Ava Yap joined the CHESA fellowship because she wanted to dedicate time to health equity during her UCSF surgical residency. She had previously worked on international health projects and wanted to expand her knowledge and competencies within the domestic healthcare system. In the first year of her fellowship, Dr. Yap focused on three areas: 1) Pediatric surgical capacity building in Uganda; 2) Pediatric surgical outcomes in the United States and how they tie into social determinants of health and vulnerable neighborhoods; 3) Developing quality improvement programs for using reusable equipment in operating room.

For Dr. Yap, building personal relationships and working on projects that matter to both UCSF and CHESA have been the best parts of her fellowship experience. Being part of the CHESA community has been empowering for Dr. Yap. In an often-siloed field, being a part of this community opens doors for collaboration.

The CHESA fellowship solidified Dr. Yap’s plan to pursue pediatric surgery. It also broadened her perspectives. “It’s been an eye-opening experience and a grounding experience for me to know that there are many other avenues where I could pursue [global health],” she reflected.

For more information about the CHESA Fellowship, click here.