ABOUT dr. david hass

David J. Hass, MD, FACG, is a distinguished physician and the Founder/Director of the Young Physician Leadership Academy  (YPLA), dedicated to empowering future leaders in medicine. With a robust educational background, Dr. Hass earned his medical degree from the Weill Medical College of Cornell University and completed his residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, followed by a fellowship in Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

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Recognizing a critical gap in leadership training during his medical education, Dr. Hass embarked on a mission to acquire the skills necessary to become an impactful clinical leader and advocate for his patients and colleagues. In 2007, he enrolled in his first leadership course at the Yale School of Management and later furthered his education at the Wharton School of Business at The University of Pennsylvania by completing several leadership courses. This experience fueled his passion for bringing vital leadership skills to physicians at all career stages, enabling them to become effective leaders and advocates.

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In 2010, Dr. Hass created the Young Physician Leadership Curriculum, with generous funding from the Physicians’ Foundation. Since 2010, he has continually refined the curriculum and directed a yearly course that has educated nearly 500 young physicians-in-training at Yale New Haven Hospital, equipping them with the confidence and skills to advocate for the perspectives of both physicians and patients in clinical care.

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Together with his friend and distinguished colleague Dr. Mark Pochapin at NYU Langone Medical Center, Dr. Hass and Dr. Pochapin launched the Young Physician Leadership Scholars program for the American College of Gastroenterology, significantly contributing to the leadership development of gastroenterology professionals nationwide through various ongoing courses.

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In 2025, Dr. Hass proudly founded the Young Physician Leadership Academy, LLC, aiming to provide leadership education to medical students and young physicians nationwide through hands on coursework and interactive curriculum. The program is currently running its first cohort in New Haven CT with participants from across the state of CT. The YPLA, LLC will be launching coursework in medical schools with the hopes of creating tomorrow’s physician leaders who will champion patient and physician well being and allow for the perspectives of both the physician and patient to be prominent at the decision-making table in the healthcare arena.

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Currently, Dr. Hass is a Clinical Professor of Medicine at the Yale University School of Medicine, where he combines private practice with clinical education. He just completed a ten-year term as the Director of Endoscopy at Yale New Haven Hospital – Saint Raphael Campus and is actively involved in educating the next generation of gastroenterologists through fellowship training. His clinical interests include diseases of the small bowel and the integration of complementary and integrative therapies in patient care. A tireless advocate for the medical profession, Dr. Hass has served as President of both the New Haven County Medical Association and the Connecticut State Medical Society. He is a member of the American College of Gastroenterology Board of Trustees.

 

When not practicing or teaching medicine, Dr. Hass enjoys hiking, playing tennis, and listening or playing music, as he enjoys playing both piano and guitar. He has been happily married for 25 years to his college sweetheart, and together they have three children. Guided by the belief that “you make a living from what you get, but you make a life from what you give,” Dr. Hass is committed to nurturing the next generation of physician leaders who will advocate for their patients, colleagues, and themselves.