Sandra Escalera, MD, Joins Yale Pediatric Gastroenterology & Hepatology

The Department of Pediatrics is excited to share that Sandra Escalera, MD has joined the section of pediatric gastroenterology and hepatology for Yale’s Department of Pediatrics and Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital effective March 1, 2022. Dr. Escalera is an accomplished pediatric gastroenterologist hepatologist and a widely sought and respected solo practitioner in pediatric GI service and procedures.

Dr. Escalera graduated from the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine with degree in Doctor of Medicine. She then completed an internship and residency in general pediatrics at SUNY Stony Brook Medical Center, NY, where she also served as chief resident. Dr. Escalera subsequently joined Yale School of Medicine's pediatric gastroenterology post-doctoral training program, becoming board certified in pediatrics and pediatric gastroenterology & hepatology. Upon completion of her fellowship, Dr. Escalera joined the Yale pediatric gastroenterology and hepatology faculty as an instructor and, later, as an assistant professor in pediatrics.

From 1999 through to 2004, as lead clinician in the section, Dr. Escalera provided stability at time of major transitions. Since 2004, she has served as voluntary faculty, initially as an assistant clinical professor and more recently as an associate clinical professor while single-handedly building a major clinical practice in the community — the only practice of its kind in Connecticut.

Dr. Escalera’s solo clinical practice represents an important line of referrals for GI service, endoscopic procedures, liver transplant program, and gastrointestinal/hepatobiliary surgery at Yale New Haven Health System, with more than 1500 established patient visits, more than 700 new consult visits per year, and 300 endoscopic procedures. She has played a vital role in enabling clinical research in the areas of fatty liver disease, gastrointestinal complications in cystic fibrosis, pediatric anesthesia in endoscopy procedures, glycogen storage disease, inflammatory bowel disease and pediatric peptic ulcer disease.

Dr. Escalera has continued as an active educator at Yale School of Medicine through teaching nurses, medical students, residents, pediatric GI fellows, and fellows in pediatric surgery. Her work and collaborations have been published in major journals, JPGNH, Hepatology and Anesthesia, and she has presented her research at premier GI meetings, DDW and NASPGHAN, including plenary presentations.

Since 2004 to the present, Dr. Escalera has maintained an active self-standing clinical practice in pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology, and nutrition, providing care to thousands of patients in CT. Inclusive of this clinical practice, she has created and administered a self-standing infusion center that has provided infusion services to a significant number of patients with inflammatory bowel disease. She has maintained an active endoscopic procedural presence at the YNHH Pediatric Surgical Center with weekly sessions and a rolling average of more than 100 procedures per year. Through this time, Dr. Escalera has provided inpatient care at YNHH for her patients and served as an attending physician for the pediatric gastroenterology and hepatology service inpatient service at YNHH for an average of eight weeks per year.

In her new role, Dr. Escalera brings her many years of experience, clinical excellence, and expertise to a full-time clinical role on Yale Pediatrics gastroenterology and hepatology faculty.