Alyssa Golas MD MBA FACS, chief of plastic and reconstructive surgery at JFK University Medical Center, is driven by her passion for helping others. Through her specialty, she is able to care for patients with reconstruction after cancer surgery, massive weight loss and complex wounds—and with gender-affirming care. Dr. Golas heads the program that offers chest masculinization, breast augmentation and body contouring as well as gender affirming hormone treatment and patient navigation for transgender and gender diverse patients. “I really enjoy it,” Dr. Golas said. “I like the opportunity to be involved with something that makes the patient feel whole. When the patient wakes up from this surgery they are happy.” Approximately one-third of her patients are transgender or gender diverse and come to JFK from all over the East Coast. She’s seen a patient from as far away as Mississippi. “We have an incredible opportunity to make an enormous difference for the positive in these patients’ lives,” she said. “It can really be a life-changing experience in terms of their overall well-being and their ability to interact with the world.” Before performing surgery, Dr. Golas meets with the patient to discuss their transition and social support network, relying on the support of a behavioral health care provider with a more long-standing relationship with the patient. “For a lot of patients this is an easy decision,” Dr. Golas said. “Often they have been thinking about it for years. They haven’t had the opportunity, or had health insurance. By the time they come to see me they want to have the surgery, they’re just trying to find the right surgeon and the right place.” To help make JFK the right place, Dr. Golas and Jackie Baras, DNP, MBA/HCS, RN, patient advocate and navigator, hold educational sessions with team members on topics like using the right pronouns, asking for preferred names and what transgender means. “It’s one thing to take a class on a computer, but to have the conversation and practice it—it takes getting used to,” Dr Golas said. “I think the team at first was not comfortable asking someone ‘what should I call you’ and ‘what pronoun should I use.’ They wanted to be respectful, but they were worried that asking that was not being respectful. In fact it’s the opposite. It shows that you care and you want to get it right...that it’s important to address patients as they want to be addressed.” Dr. Golas praised the team for providing outstanding, culturally competent care. A hallmark of the team’s approach is helping everyone to feel comfortable and safe the day of their surgery. Often a new patient will tell Dr. Golas that they were referred by a former patient. “That’s the best compliment a surgeon can get,” she said. Gender-affirming care is particularly rewarding for Dr. Golas: “I think I enjoy my job more because I feel I’m really making a difference for people and having an impact on patients’ lives.”
Love this Alyssa Golas MD MBA FACS !
So proud to work with you and to support you and your patients, Dr. Golas!
Dr. Golas's dedication to providing gender-affirming care is truly inspiring. It's amazing to see the positive impact she is making in her patients' lives. Thank you for your commitment to helping others feel whole and happy.
Alyssa Golas MD MBA FACS, your dedication to providing compassionate and inclusive care is truly inspiring. Keep up the amazing work! Wishing you a Happy 4th of July.
Amazing Job
Keynote Speaker, Award-Winning Online Professor, Top 40 Innovators in Education teaching Remote, "Godfather of Online Science," Former University Dean, Pharma VP
2wHackensack Meridian Health is truly a wonderful place and group of dedicated professionals and volunteers. God bless you all for what you do! 🙏💕