About Dr. Vargas
Gracia is a PGY3 categorical resident in general surgery. She is a graduate of Yale University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Global Affairs and conducted research on healthcare access in the Dominican Republic as a Global Health Fellow. Gracia earned her medical degree at the University of Michigan, where she conducted research on pediatric post-operative opioid prescribing and served in various leadership roles in the Latino Medical Student Association. Gracia plans to pursue a career in academic surgery. Her clinical interests include pediatric and trauma surgery, and her research interests include health equity, healthcare access, and medical education.
Societies
- Alpha Omega Alpha
- Latino Surgical Society
Awards
- Alpha Omega Alpha
- University of Michigan Medical School Dean’s Scholar
Research
2017 - 2021
Michigan Opioid Prescribing Engagement Network
Dr. Michael J. Englesbe, Dr. Jennifer F. Waljee
Publications
Papers
- Santos-Parker JR, Santos-Parker KS, Caceres J, Vargas GM, Kwakye G, Englesbe MJ, Valbuena VSM. Building an Equitable Surgical Training Pipeline: Leadership Exposure for the Advancement of Gender and Underrepresented Minority Equity in Surgery (LEAGUES). J Surg Ed. 2021. doi:0.1016/j.jsurg.2021.01.017.
- Harbaugh CM, Vargas G, Streur CS, et al. Eliminating Unnecessary Opioid Exposure After Common Children’s Surgeries. JAMA Surg. 2019;154(12):1154–1155. doi:10.1001/jamasurg.2019.2529.
- Harbaugh CM, Vargas G, Sloss KR, Bohm LA, Cooper KA, Thatcher AL, Zopf DA, Chua KP, Waljee JF, Gadepalli SK. Association of Opioid Quantity and Caregiver Education with Pain Control after Pediatric Tonsillectomy. Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery. 2020; 162(5), 746–753. doi:10.1177/0194599820912033.
- Sloss, K, Harbaugh C, Vargas G, Waljee J, Brummett C, Englesbe MJ, Gadepalli, S. Association of Caregiver-Reported Education with Locked Storage and Disposal of Prescription Opioids after Children’s Surgery. J Ped Surg. 2020. doi:10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2020.04.022.
Abstracts
- Vargas GM, Harbaugh C, Gunaseelan V, Englesbe M, Waljee JF. Multiple Perioperative Opioid Prescribers Associated with New Persistent Opioid Use After Operations Among Adolescents and Young Adults. JACS. 2020;231(4):S142. doi: 10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2020.07.274.
- Sloss, K, Harbaugh C, Vargas G, Waljee J, Brummett C, Englesbe MJ, Gadepalli, S. Effectiveness of Patient Education for Safe Opioid Storage and Disposal in Pediatric Surgery. JACS. 2019;229(4):S201. doi:10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2019.08.442.