Sylvia Piña-Paz, MD
Domestic Violence Expert | Medical Educator
About:
Dr. Sylvia Piña-Paz is a board-certified emergency medicine physician dedicated to delivering thoughtful, patient-centered care. Known for her calm, compassionate approach and commitment to education, she connects deeply with patients from diverse backgrounds and takes pride in making complex medical information easy to understand. She is fluent in Spanish and often serves as a bridge for Spanish-speaking patients in emergency settings.
Experience:
Dr. Piña-Paz currently practices at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center and Kaiser Permanente San Jose. She completed her emergency medicine residency at the renowned Highland Hospital (Alameda Health System) after earning her medical degree from the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine. She serves as Chair of a county-wide domestic violence committee, where she works to improve clinical response, multidisciplinary coordination, and survivor-centered care across public health and emergency departments. Her background includes academic and international medical education work, including ultrasound curriculum development and instruction at Istanbul University. She has conducted research at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and UC Santa Cruz, with published work spanning emergency cardiology, immunology, and neuroscience. Additionally, she is a member of the Quality Improvement Committee at SCVMC and has led simulations and PPE training to improve emergency preparedness during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Other Info:
Dr. Piña-Paz brings expertise in:
Patient education and healthcare literacy
Domestic violence
Quality improvement
Spanish-language care and cultural competency
Academic mentorship and international medical education
She is also a published author in multiple peer-reviewed journals and has presented nationally on innovations in emergency medicine training. Dr. Piña-Paz is a member of the American College of Emergency Physicians and is deeply committed to advancing equity, education, and excellence in emergency care.