About

I am honored to be the 15th leader of the Department of Surgery and first female chair in its 200+ year history. Our department has been a surgical leader since its founding in 1812, with many breakthroughs including the development of the first artificial heart and Glenn shunt procedure and the first use of chemotherapy.

I am excited to lead our ongoing commitment to improving patient outcomes through surgical advancements, innovations, and research in the field of precision medicine, and training the next generation of leaders.

On my very first visit to Yale, I felt a creative spark and observed that faculty, residents, and students are interested in improving healthcare. Knowing that collaborative efforts are the key to progress, I am a passionate advocate for mentorship of trainees, staff, and faculty. By supporting a community of skilled and experienced medical experts, we will be best able to push forward and advance our mission as a department.

Inclusion is a principle that we must embrace at the core level of our department, not as an initiative but as an unwavering ideal and a deeply ingrained approach to work and life. From diversity in race, culture, and gender, to diverse ways of thinking about and taking on challenges, I am committed to promoting positive change and creating an environment that produces the best possible outcomes for our students and faculty and for our patients.

The future is bright for the Yale School of Medicine Department of Surgery, and I am thrilled to be working with an outstanding group of colleagues as we move forward together.

Nita Ahuja, MD, MBA, FACS
William H. Carmalt Professor of Surgery
Chair, Dept of Surgery; Yale University School of Medicine
Surgeon-in-Chief, Yale New Haven Hospital