Aaron Jensen, MD
Associate Professor
Surgery
School of Medicine

aaron.jensen@ucsf.edu

Dr. Aaron Jensen is a pediatric and trauma surgeon who focuses on providing emergency care for children. He has training in trauma and surgical critical care, and is active in national efforts to improve outcomes for injured children. He is also interested in conditions in newborns that may require surgery.

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He has additional training in minimally invasive surgery and can apply these techniques to children of all ages.

Jensen understands that surgery can be frightening for children and their parents. He works with a team of providers to help families navigate the experience, and strives to be informative and transparent so they know what to expect throughout the process.

Jensen's research focuses on all aspects of injury, ranging from prevention to which techniques improve care provided by medical professionals immediately after injury and over the long term. He develops and evaluates educational programs to help prevent injuries in kids before they occur, covering issues such as safe street-crossing habits, helmet use and car seat use. He also develops and evaluates programs that use realistic patient simulators to train nurses and doctors to provide high-quality care as a team for injured kids in the emergency room. He studies the impact of different methods of providing nutritional support to severely injured kids in the intensive care unit, and he studies the outcomes of specific injuries, with the goal of improving methods of identifying and treating them.

After earning his medical degree at Temple University's Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Jensen completed a residency in general surgery at the University of Washington. He completed fellowships in surgical critical care, pediatric minimally invasive surgery and pediatric surgery at Children's Hospital Los Angeles. He has completed additional research training in education at the University of Washington and in clinical and translational science at the University of Southern California.

Jensen is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the American Academy of Pediatrics. He belongs to numerous professional organizations, including the Society for Critical Care Medicine, American Pediatric Surgical Association, International Pediatric Endosurgery Group, Pediatric Trauma Society, Association for Surgical Education, Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma, American Association for the Surgery of Trauma and Society for Simulation in Healthcare.

In his free time, Jensen enjoys spending time with his spouse and kids, and cheering for Bay Area sports teams.

Awards

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  • New Member Award for Research, Pacific Coast Surgical Association, 2019
  • Future Trauma Leaders Program Travel Scholarship, American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma, 2016-2018
  • Barbara M Korsch Award for Research in Medical Education, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, 2014
  • Linnea Hauge PhD Promising Educational Scholar Award, Association for Surgical Education, 2012
  • Resident Award for Exemplary Teaching, American College of Surgeons, 2011
  • David Tapper Resident Teaching & Leadership Award, University of Washington Department of Surgery, 2011
  • Jeannette and H. Peter Kriendler Charitable Trust Leadership Scholarship, Resident and Associate Society of the American College of Surgeons, 2010
  • Surgical Education Research Fellowship, Association for Surgical Education, 2006-2008
  • Herman Brown Award for Excellence in the Study of the Art and Science of Surgery, Temple University School of Medicina, 2004

Education & Training

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  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Champion Training University of California 2019
  • MS Clinical, Biomedical, and Translational Science University of Southern California 05/2019
  • Fellowship, Pediatric General and Thoracic Surgery Children's Hospital Los Angeles 06/2015
  • Fellowship, Pediatric Minimally Invasive Surgery Children's Hospital Los Angeles 06/2013
  • Fellowship, Pediatric Surgical Critical Care Children's Hospital Los Angeles 06/2012
  • Residency, General Surgery University of Washington 06/2011
  • MEd Curriculum and Instruction / Educational Communication and Technology University of Washington College of Education 06/2008
  • MD Medicine Temple University School of Medicine 06/2004
  • BS Biochemistry California State University 06/2000

Websites

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Publications (68)

Top publication keywords:
Parenteral NutritionPediatricsChild AbuseBrain Injuries, TraumaticPhysical AbuseTrauma CentersWounds and InjuriesWounds, NonpenetratingClinical CompetenceResuscitationTraumatologyAbdominal InjuriesGeneral SurgeryPatient Care TeamSimulation Training

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