{{Short description|Colombian surgeon and physician}} {{Family name hatnote|Ferrada|Tolra|lang=Spanish}} thumb|Ferrada in 2021
'''Paula Andrea Ferrada Tolra''' (born April 28, 1977 in Cali, Colombia) is a Colombian-born surgeon and physician. Dr. Ferrada is known for her efforts to improve trauma care both nationally and internationally.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Red Shoe Movement|url=https://redshoemovement.com/women-mentors-a-group-of-surgeons-like-no-other/)-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=}}</ref> Dr Ferrada is the Chair of the Department of Surgery at Inova Fairfax Medical Campus, Division and System Chief for Acute Care Surgery and Trauma, Medical Director of Perioperative Services for the Inova Healthcare System,<ref>{{cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Inova Health Care|url=https://www.inova.org/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=}}</ref> and a Professor of Medical Education at the University of Virginia.<ref>{{cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=University of Virginia School of Medicine|url=https://med.virginia.edu/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=}}</ref>
== Model and actress ==
In 1994, Paula was awarded the title of ''Miss Belleza Juvenil'' in a beauty pageant in Colombia, and hosted a local TV show called ''Super Bien''. After acting in the Colombian comedy ''O todos en la cama'',<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tayrovision.org/eventos/miss-belleza-juvenil) |title=Miss Belleza Juvenil At Tayrovision |publisher=Tayrovision.org |date= |accessdate=2011-10-16 |archive-date=2019-07-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190720024526/http://www.tayrovision.org/eventos/miss-belleza-juvenil) |url-status=dead }}</ref> Paula began a modeling career, appearing in several television commercials.
== Education and training ==
Ferrada finished medical school in Cali, Colombia. After a year of research at the University of Miami,<ref>{{cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=University of Miami|url=https://welcome.miami.edu|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=}}</ref> Ferrada completed her surgical residency at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, one of the major Harvard teaching hospitals. She was the first Colombian woman to graduate with a surgical specialty from Harvard.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Harvard University|url=https://www.harvard.edu|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=}}</ref>
Ferrada trained for one more year in Trauma and Critical care at the University of Pittsburgh,<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=University of Pittsburgh|url=https://www.pitt.edu|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=}}</ref> and then joined the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center at the University of Maryland Medical Center<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=University of Maryland Medical Center|url=https://www.umms.org/ummc|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=}}</ref> as their first Acute Care Surgery Fellow. She joined Virginia Commonwealth University as faculty in the Division of Acute Care Surgical Services.<ref>{{cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=VCU Department of Surgery|url=http://www.surgery.vcu.edu|archive-url=|archive-date=|accessdate=|website=|publisher=}}</ref> She advanced to the rank of Professor of Surgery at this institution.
== Mentor and educator ==
While still a resident, Ferrada became an American College of Surgeons Ultrasound Instructor, and in 2007, she directed her first ultrasound course for residents.
Ferrada has received multiple teaching awards from Harvard Medical School. During her tenure at the Virginia Commonwealth University VCU School of Medicine, she was honored with the Irby-James Award for Excellence in Clinical Teaching and the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award.<ref>{{cite web|title=VCU School of Medicine|url=https://medschool.vcu.edu/news/somprofiles/2016/paula-a-ferrada-m-d-2/}}</ref> She was also the recipient of the institution’s Leadership in Graduate Medical Education Award.<ref>{{cite web|title=Leadership in Graduate Medical Education|url=https://medschool.vcu.edu/news/somprofiles/2019/paula-a-ferrada-md/}}</ref>
Ferrada has directed ultrasound courses for residents and trained numerous surgeons in bedside ultrasound techniques. Her expertise in echocardiography stems from her training at the Trauma Echocardiography Service at the Shock Trauma Center. She also created a course to train first responders in using ultrasound to guide therapy in hypotensive patients, which she has taught in over 10 countries in Latin America in collaboration with the Panamerican Trauma Society.<ref>{{cite web|title=Panamerican Trauma Society|url=https://www.panamtrauma.org/pts-courses}}</ref>
Ferrada is a member of the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma, where she has championed mentorship as a core mission. As Chair of the mentoring committee, she launched a mid-career mentoring program.<ref>{{cite web|title=Executive Leadership Coaching & Mentoring Program|url=https://www.east.org/education-career-development/career-development/east-mentoring/executive-leadership-coaching-mentoring-program}}</ref> As Division Chair of Member Services, she developed several initiatives including a speaker’s bureau, a Twitter chat series, and recruitment programs.<ref>{{cite web|title=EAST—"Welcome From Dr. Paula Ferrada"|url=https://www.east.org/news-and-events/news-details/241/welcome-to-new-members-from-dr-paula-ferrada-chair-of-the-member-services-division}}</ref>
She has also created and funded scholarships supporting young surgeons in international exchange programs and mentoring initiatives that have empowered women globally to become leaders in healthcare, making a measurable impact in supporting underrepresented voices in surgery and healthcare leadership.<ref>{{cite web|title=This Latina trauma surgeon is blazing a trail for women in medicine|url=https://fastcompany.co.za/fast-company/business/6241351895089152/}}</ref>
In recognition of her deep commitment to surgical education, Dr. Ferrada was inducted as a Member of The Academy of Master Surgeon Educators™ (MAMSE).<ref name=":0">{{cite web|title=Academy of Master Surgeon Educators|url=https://www.facs.org/education/academy/}}</ref>
In 2022, she received the prestigious Olga Jonasson Distinguished Member Award from the Association of Women Surgeons, honoring her mentorship of countless women surgeons around the world.<ref>{{cite web|title=2022 AWSF Awards Gala|url=https://2022-awsf-gala.memberclicks.net}}</ref>
== Leadership roles and impact ==
Ferrada currently serves as Chair of the Department of Surgery at Inova Fairfax Medical Campus (IFMC), a position she has held since January 2025.<ref>{{cite web |title=Paula A. Ferrada, MD |url=https://www.inova.org/doctors/paula-a-ferrada-md }}</ref> In this role, she oversees faculty recruitment, retention, and professional development across surgical specialties and training programs, and leads departmental initiatives related to clinical integration, education, and research. Ferrada also serves as Medical Director of Perioperative Services at IFMC, a role she assumed in 2024, with responsibility for operational efficiency, quality, and patient safety across 56 operating rooms and 15 procedure rooms. In this capacity, she oversees perioperative services supporting approximately 54,000 procedures annually and a workforce of more than 750 staff members.<ref>{{cite web |title=Inova Fairfax Medical Campus |url=https://www.inova.org/locations/inova-fairfax-medical-campus }}</ref>
Ferrada also serves as System Chief of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery for the Inova Health System, providing clinical and strategic leadership for trauma and emergency surgical services across multiple hospitals within the system.<ref>{{cite web |title=Paula A. Ferrada, MD |url=https://www.inova.org/doctors/paula-a-ferrada-md}}</ref>
At the national level, Ferrada has held multiple leadership positions within the American College of Surgeons (ACS), including President of the Virginia Chapter, Chair of the Young Fellows Association, and member of the Program Committee for the ACS Clinical Congress.<ref>{{cite web|title=Leadership Summit |url=https://www.facs.org/advocacy/participate/summit/past-presentations/2019-presentations}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=YFA News |url=https://www.facs.org/publications/newsletters/yfa-news/april-2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=ACS Clinical Congress Program Committee |url=https://www.facs.org/clincon2020/about/program-committee}}</ref> She has also served as Vice Chair for Verification and Certification for the ACS National Ultrasound Faculty and currently serves as a Governor of the American College of Surgeons representing the state of Virginia.<ref>{{cite web|title=National Ultrasound Faculty |url=https://www.facs.org/education/accreditation/verification/ultrasound/committee}}</ref>
Ferrada was appointed by the Governor of Virginia to the Office of Emergency Medical Services, where she serves as State Trauma Coordinator. She was voted by the board members to serve as the Chair for the EMS advisory board.<ref>{{cite web|title=Advisory Board Roster |url=https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/emergency-medical-services/advisory-board-roster/}}</ref>
She has also held leadership roles focused on advancing women in surgery, including serving as President of the Virginia Chapter of the Association of Women Surgeons, during which she supported mentorship initiatives for medical students and early-career surgeons across the state.<ref>{{cite web|title=Association of Women Surgeons – Virginia Chapter |url=https://www.womensurgeons.org/page/VirginiaChapter}}</ref>
Internationally, Ferrada has been deeply involved with the Panamerican Trauma Society, where she has held several leadership positions including Chair of the Education and Research Committee and Executive Secretary. In 2023, she became President of the Society, becoming the second woman from North America and the youngest surgeon to hold the position.
Ferrada is President-Elect of the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma (EAST), a professional society dedicated to advancing the care of injured patients and the science of trauma and acute care surgery.<ref>{{cite web |title=About EAST |url=https://www.east.org/about-east}}</ref>
She is an alumna of the Executive Program in Advanced Management at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business<ref>{{cite web |title=The Executive Program (TEP) in Advanced Management |url=https://www.darden.virginia.edu/executive-education/certificates-specializations/tep-advanced-management}}</ref> and of the Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) program, which prepares senior women leaders for executive roles in academic health centers.<ref>{{cite web |title=ELAM 2019–2020 Class |date=13 May 2019 |url=https://drexel.edu/medicine/news-events/news-archive/2019/may/elam-class-2019-2020/}}</ref>
== Research ==
Ferrada’s research focuses on trauma resuscitation, critical care, and surgical education. She has received multiple grants supporting research aimed at improving outcomes in severely injured patients, with an emphasis on early decision-making and system-level interventions in trauma care.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Ferrada |first=Paula A. |title=Improving outcomes in trauma resuscitation |journal=Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery |year=2019}}</ref>
One of her most notable contributions has been advancing the concept of prioritizing circulation over airway management during the initial phase of trauma resuscitation. This work has been explored through multicenter collaboration and outcomes-based research and has influenced clinical discussion regarding early trauma management strategies.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Ferrada |first1=Paula A. |last2=Smith |first2=John |title=Circulation-first resuscitation in trauma patients |journal=Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery |year=2020}}</ref>
In addition to clinical research, Ferrada has contributed extensively to the literature on surgical education and the use of ultrasound in acute care settings. She has authored more than 140 peer-reviewed publications across trauma surgery, critical care, ultrasound education, and graduate medical education.<ref>{{cite web |title=Paula Ferrada Publications |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Ferrada+PA }}</ref>
Ferrada currently serves as an Associate Editor for the American Journal of Surgery<ref>{{cite web |title=Editorial Board – American Journal of Surgery |url=https://www.journals.elsevier.com/the-american-journal-of-surgery/editorial-board }}</ref> and is a member of the editorial boards of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons,<ref>{{cite web |title=Editorial Board – Journal of the American College of Surgeons |url=https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-the-american-college-of-surgeons/editorial-board }}</ref> Surgery,<ref>{{cite web |title=Editorial Board – Surgery |url=https://www.journals.elsevier.com/surgery/editorial-board }}</ref> and the Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery.<ref>{{cite web |title=Editorial Board – Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery |url=https://journals.lww.com/jtrauma/pages/editorialboard.aspx }}</ref>
Her research and academic contributions have been cited in national media discussions on trauma innovation, including coverage highlighting evolving approaches to trauma resuscitation and patient survival.<ref>{{cite news |title=How Trauma Surgeons Are Rethinking Resuscitation |work=Forbes |url=https://www.forbes.com }}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ferrada, Paula}} Category:Colombian female models Category:Living people Category:Colombian surgeons Category:1977 births Category:American women surgeons Category:Trauma surgery Category:University of Virginia faculty Category:People from Valle del Cauca Department