Andrea L. Barbieri, MD

Andrea Barbieri, MD, is a pathologist who specializes in gastrointestinal, liver, endocrine, and head and neck diseases and cancers.

She developed an early interest in medicine, having heard her father (an interventional radiologist) and mother (an ultrasound technician) discuss medical stories at the dinner table. In medical school, Dr. Barbieri particularly enjoyed lectures on pathology. “Looking at a snapshot of cells and coming up with a cohesive diagnosis felt like solving a puzzle or translating another language,” Dr. Barbieri says.

Dr. Barbieri initially specialized in gastrointestinal and liver pathology, and later gained experience with endocrine and head and neck diseases. “Having knowledge in different areas of pathology is helpful when making diagnoses in a specific area,” she says.

Dr. Barbieri also feels she works closely with patients even though, like all pathologists, she rarely sees them face-to-face. “I feel like a patient advocate, ensuring they get the best and most appropriate care,” she says.

As an assistant professor of pathology at the Yale School of Medicine, Dr. Barbieri conducts research into infectious diseases related to the gastrointestinal tract. Her research also focuses on how to improve the quality of diagnoses in pathology.