Wilhelmina “Wilma” Korevaar, MD ’77, attended Yale School of Medicine (YSM) at a time when women physicians were still in the minority. She was also among the relatively few students in her class to receive financial aid.
One of her mentors, William Konigsberg, PhD, professor emeritus of molecular biophysics and biochemistry at YSM, provided encouragement during moments of uncertainty by assuring Korevaar that she should believe in herself and in the values and work ethic that brought her to Yale. In recognition of Konigsberg and appreciation for the mentoring and financial support she received, Korevaar has endowed a scholarship to benefit current and future YSM students.
Korevaar serves the Association of Yale Alumni in Medicine (AYAM) as vice president and as a delegate to the Yale Alumni Association (YAA). In May, she was elected the new president of AYAM and will begin a two-year term on July 1, 2026. Her priorities include expanding opportunities for meaningful engagement between alumni and students through focused and relevant programming. She will continue to help coordinate the AYAM Specialty Mentorship Zoom programs introduced by the current president, Paul Leong, MD ’99. These programs give current YSM, physician associate, and undergraduate students opportunities to connect with alumni to learn more about specific areas related to their medical education and career opportunities.
Service, education, and philanthropy are her guiding principles. Today, Korevaar is helping shape the next generation of physicians. As a faculty member at the University of Central Florida College of Medicine, she serves as an active member in the admissions process. She has helped the team shift its focus toward evaluating personal statements for values that emphasize patient care, service, and research. She advises 40–50 students annually and is a research mentor for students interested in medical education using anatomical donors.
Korevaar credits the Yale System with providing a strong foundation for knowing what questions to ask, recognizing when action is required, understanding when to observe, and how to identify reliable sources of information. She remains grateful for the collaborative environment and spirit of academic exploration fostered at YSM.
Korevaar entered YSM interested in psychopharmacology, but during her clinical rotations she developed a passion for the operating room and matched into orthopaedic surgery. During residency, Korevaar discovered anesthesiology, and realized that everything about anesthesiology fit her intellectual curiosity, personality, and career goals. She completed a residency in anesthesiology, and fellowships in pediatric anesthesiology/intensive care, as well as pain management.
Korevaar began her career in academic medicine at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children (Temple University) and then at the University of Pennsylvania, where she founded and directed the first accredited anesthesia pain service in the Delaware Valley. She later transitioned to private practice, opening a solo pain management clinic while also working in occupational medicine and medical-legal consulting.
In 1999, Korevaar earned a master’s degree in medical management from Carnegie Mellon University to enhance her leadership skills. She went on to serve as medical director of the Employee Disability Program for the City of Philadelphia. She retired from active clinical practice in 2012, but she continues to consult.
Korevaar is a mother of two and grandmother of seven. She actively supports the Culinary Medicine Program at YSM and values the growing emphasis on work-life balance within medical education. She is also active in her regional YAA club, where she helped establish new bylaws, elect a new board, expand regional programming, and increase outreach.