Dr. Tamara Fitzgerald

Biography

Tamara Noel Fitzgerald is an Associate Professor of Surgery and Associate Research Professor of Global Health at Duke University. She has established her career focusing on global pediatric surgery, advocating for access to safe surgical options for millions of children worldwide suffering from congenital anomalies and acquired conditions. Her work highlights the staggering lack of surgical care in low- and middle-income countries, especially in regions like sub-Saharan Africa where there are only a handful of qualified surgeons. Tamara has worked in Uganda, addressing a stark healthcare disparity, with only four pediatric surgeons available to serve a population of over 39 million. Her research is dedicated to building surgical capacity and empowering local surgeons to enhance the quality and availability of surgical services. This includes intensive care, anesthesia services, and surgical training initiatives aimed at alleviating the burden of surgical disease among families in these communities. Tamara has also been involved in several significant projects funded by agencies such as the National Institutes of Health and the Association for Academic Surgery, focusing on innovative approaches to improve surgical outcomes and training in low-resource settings.

Research Interests

Experience