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Tamara Noel Fitzgerald

Associate Professor of Surgery
Surgery, Pediatric General Surgery

Overview


My academic interest is global pediatric surgery.  There are millions of children worldwide who do not have access to safe surgery for congenital anomalies and acquired conditions.  As a result, many children in low-middle income countries live with chronic disability or die before they can access surgical care.  In many cultures, congenital problems may also lead to social isolation or catastrophic health expenditure for families.

Many countries in sub-Saharan Africa have just a handful of qualified surgeons.  For example, in Uganda, the country where I have most frequently worked, there are 4 general pediatric surgeons for a country of 39 million people.  This would be the equivalent of 32 pediatric surgeons serving the entire United States.  There are neighboring countries with no pediatric surgeons.

My work focuses on surgical capacity building - empowering and working with local surgeons in low-middle income countries to increase numbers of surgical providers, improve quality and increase surgical support services such as intensive care and anesthesia services.  I have several ongoing projects regarding the burden of surgical disease for patients and their families in low-middle income countries, surgical training and capacity building.

Current Appointments & Affiliations


Associate Professor of Surgery · 2021 - Present Surgery, Pediatric General Surgery, Surgery
Associate Research Professor of Global Health · 2020 - Present Duke Global Health Institute, University Institutes and Centers

In the News


Published October 21, 2024
In Uganda, an Effort to Improve Surgical Care
Published September 24, 2024
Making It Work In Uganda
Published July 3, 2024
Student's Project in Uganda is All About Family

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Recent Publications


Development of a portable testing chamber to assess imaging performance of laparoscopes in low- and middle-income countries.

Journal Article J Biomed Opt · January 2025 SIGNIFICANCE: Laparoscopic surgery is generally unavailable in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) due to the high cost of installation and lack of qualified personnel to maintain and repair equipment. We developed a low-cost, durable, reusable laparo ... Full text Link to item Cite

Biliary atresia in Uganda: Current ethical challenges and advancement of public policy.

Journal Article World J Surg · October 2024 Biliary atresia is a progressive cholangiopathy in neonates, which often results in liver failure. In high-income countries, initial treatment requires prompt diagnosis followed by Kasai portoenterostomy. For those with a late diagnosis, or those in whom K ... Full text Link to item Cite
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Recent Grants


KeyScope: The Key to Sustainable Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment in Uganda

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2022 - 2027

KeySuite Manufacturing, Testing, Regulatory Approval, and Business Development Model in Uganda

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Makerere University College of Health Sciences · 2023 - 2026

Saving Intestines at Birth: Mobilizing Midwives & Low-Cost Silos to Improve Gastroschisis Mortality in Uganda

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Association for Academic Surgery · 2024 - 2025

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Education, Training & Certifications


Boston University · 2004 Ph.D.
Boston University, School of Medicine · 2004 M.D.
Boston University · 1997 B.S.