Zhazira Irgebay, MD

Dr. Zhazira Irgebay was born and raised in Almaty, Kazakhstan and spent part of her childhood in kibbutz Sde-boker, Israel and Philadelphia, PA. She completed her undergraduate training at Swarthmore College. At Swarthmore College, she received her Bachelor of Arts in Biology, Minor in Psychology. At Swarthmore, Dr. Irgebay worked in variety of labs, studying magnetic nanoparticles, sleep cycles in Drosophila melanogaster, social networks in forked fungus beetles, ocean acidification and development of vasculature until intimately discovering her passion for anatomy and surgery. After graduation, she joined a lab at the Institute of Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism at University of Pennsylvania under the mentorship of Dr. Patrick Seale studying development of adipose tissue. She then matriculated at New York Medical College in Valhalla, NY where she earned her medical degree and developed her interest in plastic surgery under the guidance of Dr. Elizabeth Zellner at Westchester Medical Center. During her medical studies, Dr. Irgebay served as the president of a number of societies, including NYMC Global Health Committee and LGBTQ Advocacy in Medicine and as an elected board member of NYMC Center for Human Rights Asylum Clinic. She then went on to complete a research fellowship at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Division of Pediatric Plastic Surgery under the mentorship of Dr. Jesse Goldstein. During her fellowship, she was able to further develop her interest in pediatric plastic surgery and breast surgery. Outside of academia, she enjoys reading, exploring new coffee shops and breweries, and supporting Liverpool FC and Philadelphia 76ers.