Department of Medicine
Faculty Profiles by Division

Division of General Internal Medicine

Faculty Profiles
[Return To Index page]
photo Sarah Anne Tilstra, MD, MS

General Internal Medicine

(she/her)

Associate Professor of Medicine

Section Chief of Women's Health, UPMC

Director, Women's Health Track, UPMC Internal Medicine Residency Program

Fellow, American College of Physicians

Email: tilstrasa@upmc.edu

Phone: 412-692-4888
Contact
Office: UPMC Montefiore Hospital, 933W
200 Lothrop Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
 
Phone: 412-692-4888
Fax: 412-692-4892
E-mail: tilstrasa@upmc.edu
Education and Training
Education
BS, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 2002
MD, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 2007
MS, Medical Education, University of Pittsburgh, 2012
Training
Internal Medicine Residency, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 2010
VA Women’s Health Fellowship, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, 2012
Research Interest
Dr. Tilstra has participated in several medical education research projects. Her main research interests include advancement of the clinical care for women, clinical reasoning, medical education, physician wellness, burnout and coping, curriculum development and evaluation, and the state of women in academic medicine. Dr. Tilstra facilitated the development and served as the Executive Editor of an evidenced-based textbook on Sex- and Gender-Based Women's Health for primary care providers.
Clinical Interest
Dr. Tilstra completed a women's health fellowship in 2012 and her clinical expertise revolves around the comprehensive care of women and gender diverse patients 18 years and older. She has become a fierce advocate in the Pittsburgh region to help facilitate better care for the LGBTQIA+ population. She has completed additional training on how to create a safe, comfortable, and welcoming environment for LGBTQIA+ patients.
Educational Interest
Dr. Tilstra chose to pursue an MS in medical education because of her passion for teaching, curriculum development, and mentoring medical students and residents. Locally, she serves as the Section Chief of Women’s Health, the Director of the Women's Health Track for the University of Pittsburgh Internal Medicine Residency Program, directs the equivalent program at the medical school level called the Women’s Health Area of Concentration, and has helped to establish a multi-faceted clinical reasoning curriculum from medical students through faculty. She has presented regionally and nationally on gender affirming care, women’s health topics, and faculty development focusing on the promotion of women in academic medicine, clinical reasoning, and “teaching the teacher.”
Publications
For my complete bibliography, Click Here.
Selected Publications:
Farkas, A. H., Vanderberg, R., McNeil, M., Rothenberger, S., Contratto, E., Dolan, B. M., Tilstra, S. A. The impact of women’s health residency tracks on career outcomes. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2018; 27(7): 927-932.
Augustin, R., Bonifacino, E., Tilstra, S. A. Morning report for all: the use of podcasts to disseminate clinical reasoning tools. Med Educ. 2019; 53(11): 1150.
Spataro, B., Tilstra, S. A., Rubio, D., McNeil, M. A. Correlation of coping, mentorship, and life events with burnout in internal medicine residents. Med Sci Educator. 2021.
Augustin, R. C., Simonson, M. G., Rothenberger, S. D., Lalama, C., Bonifacino, E., DiNardo, D. J., Tilstra, S. A. The use of podcasts as a tool to teach clinical reasoning: a pseudorandomized and controlled study. Diagnosis (Berl). 2022.
Green, R., Eckstrand, K. L., Faeder, M., Tilstra, S. A., Ufomata, E. Affirming care for transgender patients. Medical Clinics of North America. 2023; 107(2): 371-384.
Notable Achievements
Inductee, Academy of Distinguished Medical Educators, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 2018
Clinical Educator of the Year Award, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 2020
Sheldon Adler Award for Innovation in Medical Education, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 2020
Dema C. Daley Founders Award, Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine, 2022
Association of Chiefs and Leaders of General Internal Medicine Leadership Award, Society of General Internal Medicine, 2022

Division Websites

Cardiology

Endocrinology and Metabolism

Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition

General Internal Medicine

Geriatric Medicine
Hematology/Oncology

Infectious Diseases

Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine

Renal-Electrolyte

Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology

Contact

Department of Medicine
1218 Scaife Hall
3550 Terrace Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15261
Email:  chairoff@pitt.edu
Phone:  412-648-9636
Copyright © 2018 Department of Medicine / University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Site maintained by Medicine Technology Services MTS@PITT.EDU