Dr. Gaines serves as the Associate Surgeon-in-Chief at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh (CHIP), a level 1 pediatric trauma center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In addition, Dr. Gaines is appointed as Professor for the University of Pittsburgh, Clinical and Translational Science Institute, as well as Professor of Surgery for the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Pediatric Surgery. Dr. Gaines also serves as Clinical Director for Pediatric General and Thoracic Surgery at CHIP; she serves as Program Director, Pediatric Surgery for the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s Medical Education Program.
Dr. Gaines received her medical degree from the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia. She completed her residencies in General Surgery and Trauma & Critical Care at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee. Dr. Gaines completed a Research Fellowship from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Surgery.
Currently she serves as the Pediatric Specialty Chair of the ACS-COT and the publication committee chair of the PTS. She was a founding member and past-president of the Pediatric Trauma Society (PTS) and past board president of the Injury Free Coalition for Kids.
Dr. Gaines has been awarded numerous honors and is a member in various national societies. She has a long-standing interest in pediatric injury and injury prevention. Her research interests include the study of trauma induced coagulopathy, whole blood resuscitation and primary injury prevention in children. Dr. Gaines has an extensive list of lectures, publications and book chapters to her credit.
Dr. Gaines represents the Pennsylvania Medical Society (PaMED) on the board.