Tara A. Russell, MD, MPH, PhD

Dr. Tara Russell MD, MPH, PhD is an Assistant Professor-in-Residence at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. She completed medical school at New York University School of Medicine in 2013, and her general surgery residency at the University of California Los Angeles in 2021. During residency she took part in the Robert Wood Johnson National Clinical Scholars Program and pursued additional training at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health receiving a PhD in Health Policy and Management. Following residency she completed advanced surgical training in Colon and Rectal Surgery at the Cleveland Clinic.

Dr. Russell has broad research interests, with prior work in surgical quality improvement, implementation science, and evaluation of health resource utilization and health policy.  She has presented her work at both national and international meetings including the American College of Surgeons, Society of Surgical Oncology, and the American Society for Colon and Rectal Surgery. She is an active member of both ACS and ASCRS and is a reviewer for a number of academic journals.

Clinically, Dr. Russell has advanced training in the breadth of Colon and Rectal Surgery including the management of colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, pelvic floor dysfunction, fecal incontinence and anorectal disease. She looks forward to caring for diverse populations at Olive View Medical Center with the aim of expanding and improving access to high quality surgical care throughout Los Angeles County.