Sylvia Owusu-Ansah, MD, MPH, FAAP, is an associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics with a secondary appointment in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. She serves as associate vice chair of engagement in the Department of Pediatrics. Dr. Owusu-Ansah is a pediatric emergency and EMS physician (MD 22) at UPMC. She is the medical director for emergency medical services at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.
Dr. Owusu-Ansah has spent the majority of her career developing curricula and providing education for EMS personnel in both urban and suburban environments, including Washington DC, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, as well as government agencies such as the United States Secret Service. She has co-authored the recent Pediatric Education for Prehospital Providers textbook, otherwise known as PEPP, as well as the next edition of the EMS Textbook. Owusu-Ansah is also the first author and co-author of the Pediatric Prehospital Readiness for EMS Systems Policy Statement and Technical Report, and is currently on the National Committee for Pediatric Prehospital Readiness. She also serves on the board of the National Registry of EMTs (NREMT), where she chairs the research committee. Research includes c-spine immobilization in the prehospital environment as well as asthma management, seizure protocols, pediatric non-transports, and pediatric airway in the prehospital environment.
In addition, she has spent a large portion of her career working on advocacy with the American Academy of Pediatrics' Federal Affairs Office in Washington, D.C., and helping pass legislation to provide epinephrine auto-injectors in schools for children who may have anaphylaxis. Currently, she is heading one of the first prehospital tracks for pediatric emergency medicine fellows.
Owusu-Ansah has more recently focused her career on promoting engagement across multiple academic domains, currently serving as the Associate Vice Chair of Engagement. She inspired and co-authored the first anti-racism statement for UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, and co-authored statements for the National Association of EMS Physicians, the largest organization of EMS Medical Directors in the country, as well as the NREMT. She is on the engagement committee for the Department of Pediatrics at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and co-leads the hospital’s first-ever pipeline program for local underserved middle school students and underrepresented students in medicine.
Owusu-Ansah enjoys spending time with her two beautiful daughters and husband, a former paramedic/firefighter.
Areas of Interest
Asthma management, seizure protocols, pediatric non-transports, pediatric airway management in the prehospital environment.
Affiliations
- Department of Emergency Medicine
- Department of Pediatrics
- Division of Emergency Medical Services
- Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine
Board Certifications
- Pediatrics - American Board of Pediatrics
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine - American Board of Pediatrics
- Emergency Medical Services - American Board of Emergency Medicine
Education & Training
- Fellowship in Emergency Medical Services - Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
- Fellowship in Pediatric Emergency Medicine - Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
- Residency in Pediatrics - Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC
- MD - University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
- MPH - Johns Hopkins University
- BS - University of Rochester, Rochester, NY
