Shant Apelian

Shant Apelian is a physician and researcher in obstetrics and gynecology, with a path shaped by clinical training, humanitarian leadership, and a sustained commitment to women’s health.

He earned his medical degree from Tishreen University in 2022, where he completed a one-year internship in OB-GYN and contributed to research on ovarian cancer during the Syrian war. Alongside his clinical work, he served as a Technical Assistant in Emergency Medical Services (EMS) with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, supervising 124 volunteers, training paramedics, and delivering emergency care to over 3,000 patients during routine EMS responses as well as COVID-19 pandemic, wildfires, drowning incidents, evacuations, and as a sector leader during the 2023 earthquake. He also organized community-based first aid training initiatives. These experiences placed him at the frontline of caring for pregnant and gynecologic patients in crisis settings, where gaps in care were most evident, reinforcing his commitment to women’s health and to serving as a voice for those without one.

His advocacy role extended to serving as a Sexual and Reproductive Health Local Officer with the Syrian Medical Student Association, where he worked to address gaps in awareness and access to care. He later served as a Health Field Officer with the International Committee of the Red Cross, coordinating healthcare delivery across conflict-affected regions and supporting local health systems.

He came to the United States in 2024 to begin his postdoctoral fellowship at Yale School of Medicine, where his laboratory and clinical work focus on the association between endometriosis and autoimmune diseases, as well as fertility preservation in patients undergoing cancer treatment. He has authored multiple peer-reviewed publications and presented his work at national and international conferences. During this time, he gained familiarity with the U.S. healthcare system through clinical rotations in the OB-GYN departments at Yale New Haven Hospital and Tampa General Hospital/USF. He continues to serve the community and advocate for his patients as a Reproductive Health Care Coordinator at the Yale New Haven Free Clinic and as a volunteer with the disaster response team of the American Red Cross, where his fluency in Arabic and Armenian supports communication with diverse patient populations.