Ava Yap, MD
RESIDENT PHYSICIAN
Surgery
School of Medicine

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.

• Pediatric Emergency Surgery Course in Uganda: Long-Term Follow-Up and Insights From Further Dissemination.
  The Journal of surgical research 2024 Klazura G, Stephens C, Musinguzi E, Mugarura R, Nyonyintono J, Laverde R, Nimanya S, Situma M, Bua E, Yap A, Sims T, Ozgediz D, Kisa P
• Instrument and Supply Variability: An Opportunity to Reduce the Carbon Footprint of the Operating Room.
  The Journal of surgical research 2023 Sathe TS, Sorrentino TA, Wang K, Yap A, Wang JJ, Matthys M, Yin R, Alseidi A, Lee H, Gandhi S
• The Pediatric Emergency Surgery Course: Impact on Provider Practice in Rural Uganda.
  Journal of pediatric surgery 2023 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…
• Impact of Bowel Coverage and Resuscitation Protocol on Gastroschisis Mortality in Low-Income Countries: Experience and Lessons From Uganda.
  Journal of pediatric surgery 2023 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
• Determinants of Access to Essential Surgery in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
  The Journal of surgical research 2023 Kalisya LM, Yap A, Mitume B, Salmon C, Karafuli K, Poenaru D, Onyango R
• Transition to Reusable Surgical Gowns at a Hospital System.
  JAMA network open 2023 Yap A, Wang K, Cornejo J, Chen E, Pierce L, Wick E, Gandhi S
• Out-of-pocket costs and catastrophic healthcare expenditure for families of children requiring surgery in sub-Saharan Africa.
  Surgery 2023 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
• Routine Pediatric Surgical Emergencies: Incidence, Morbidity, and Mortality During the 1st 8000 Days of Life-A Narrative Review.
  World journal of surgery 2023 Abbas A, Laverde R, Yap A, Stephens CQ, Samad L, Seyi-Olajide JO, Ameh EA, Ozgediz D, Lakhoo K, Bickler SW, Meara JG, Bundy D, Jamison DT, Klazura G, Sykes A, Philipo GS, GICS
• Surgically Correctable Congenital Anomalies: Reducing Morbidity and Mortality in the First 8000 Days of Life.
  World journal of surgery 2023 Banu T, Sharma S, Chowdhury TK, Aziz TT, Martin B, Seyi-Olajide JO, Ameh E, Ozgediz D, Lakhoo K, Bickler SW, Meara JG, Bundy D, Jamison DT, Klazura G, Sykes A, Yap A, Philipo GS, GICS
• Pediatric Surgical Waitlist in Low Middle Income Countries During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
  The Journal of surgical research 2023 Klazura G, Park P, Yap A, Laverde R, Bryce E, Cheung M, Bioh E, Kisa P, Kakembo N, Ugazzi M, Situma M, Borgstein E, Derbew M, Negash S, Tadesse A, Bvulani B, Ki B, Toussaint T, Bokhary Z, Philipo GS, …
• A mixed-methods study on end-user perceptions of transitioning to reusable surgical gowns.
  Surgery open science 2022 Yap A, Wang K, Chen E, Melhado C, Ahmad T, O'Sullivan P, Gandhi S
• Postgraduate Surgical Education in East, Central, and Southern Africa: A Needs Assessment Survey.
  Journal of the American College of Surgeons 2022 Elmaraghi S, Min Park K, Rashidian N, Yap A, Faktor K, Ozgediz D, Borgstein E, Bekele A, Alseidi A, Tefera G
• Social vulnerability index (SVI) and poor postoperative outcomes in children undergoing surgery in California.
  American journal of surgery 2022 Yap A, Laverde R, Thompson A, Ozgediz D, Ehie O, Mpody C, Vu L
• Impact of new dedicated pediatric operating rooms on surgical volume in Africa: Evidence from Nigeria.
  Journal of pediatric surgery 2022 Laverde R, Majekodunmi O, Park P, Udeigwe-Okeke CR, Yap A, Klazura G, Ukwu N, Bryce E, Ozgediz D, Ameh EA
• Assessment of Surgeon Performance of Advanced Open Surgical Skills Using a Microskills-Based Novel Curriculum.
  JAMA network open 2022 Greenberg AL, Karimzada MM, Brian R, Yap A, Luu HY, Ahmed S, Huang CY, Waits SA, Hirose R, Alseidi A, Rapp JH, O'Sullivan PS, Chern H, Syed SM
• Estimates of Treatable Deaths Within the First 20 Years of Life from Scaling Up Surgical Care at First-Level Hospitals in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.
  World journal of surgery 2022 Sykes AG, Seyi-Olajide J, Ameh EA, Ozgediz D, Abbas A, Abib S, Ademuyiwa A, Ali A, Aziz TT, Chowdhury TK, Abdelhafeez H, Ignacio RC, Keller B, Klazura G, Kling K, Martin B, Philipo GS, Thangarajah H, …
• Operative Management of Cecal Volvulus Herniating Through the Foramen of Winslow
  Clinical Management Issues 2022 Yap A, Freise J, Bolinger B, Alkoraishi A
• Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Pediatric Surgical Volume in Four Low- and Middle-Income Country Hospitals: Insights from an Interrupted Time Series Analysis.
  World journal of surgery 2022 Park P, Laverde R, Klazura G, Yap A, Bvulani B, Ki B, Tapsoba TW, Ameh EA, Osazuwa M, Ugazzi M, Daza J, Bryce E, Cunningham D, Ozgediz D
• A cost-utility analysis of 18F-fluorocholine-positron emission tomography imaging for localizing primary hyperparathyroidism in the United States.
  Surgery 2021 Yap A, Hope TA, Graves CE, Kluijfhout W, Shen WT, Gosnell JE, Sosa JA, Roman SA, Duh QY, Suh I
• Accuracy of the Lymph Node Yield in Surgery for Papillary Thyroid Cancer in Children.
  World journal of surgery 2021 Yap A, Shui A, Gosnell J, Huang CY, Sosa JA, Roman S
• Resectability, Recurrence, and Risk Stratification of Giant Solitary Fibrous Tumors in the Thoracic Cavity.
  Annals of surgical oncology 2021 Woodard GA, Fels Elliott DR, Yap A, Haro GJ, Kratz JR, Mann MJ, Jones KD, Jablons DM
• Best Buy in Public Health or Luxury Expense?: The Cost-effectiveness of a Pediatric Operating Room in Uganda From the Societal Perspective.
  Annals of surgery 2021 Yap A, Cheung M, Muzira A, Healy J, Kakembo N, Kisa P, Cunningham D, Youngson G, Sekabira J, Yaesoubi R, Ozgediz D
• From Procedure to Poverty: Out-of-Pocket and Catastrophic Expenditure for Pediatric Surgery in Uganda.
  The Journal of surgical research 2018 Yap A, Cheung M, Kakembo N, Kisa P, Muzira A, Sekabira J, Ozgediz D
• A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of a Pediatric Operating Room in Uganda.
  Surgery 2018 Yap A, Muzira A, Cheung M, Healy J, Kakembo N, Kisa P, Cunningham D, Youngson G, Sekabira J, Yaesoubi R, Ozgediz D