Dr Angela Dell

Born in Zimbabwe and raised in Cape Town, Dr Angela Dell’s academic journey began with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical, Molecular, and Cellular Sciences from the University of Cape Town (UCT) in 2003, where she graduated with distinction in Physiology. She furthered her education by earning her MBChB from UCT in 2009, receiving first-class honours and distinctions in both pre-clinical and clinical exams. Throughout her studies, Dr Dell consistently excelled, earning numerous scholarships and a place on the Dean’s Merit List from 2002 to 2009. She was also recognized with prestigious awards, including the Dowie Dunn Memorial Prize for the Top Candidate in Paediatrics and the Dr Helen Brown Prize in Medicine, finishing second in her medical school class.

Dr Dell pursued post-graduate training in General Surgery at Groote Schuur Hospital through UCT. During this period, she garnered the ASSA/SAGES Award for the best poster presentation at a National Surgical Symposium and UCT’s postgraduate publication award. In 2018, she was admitted as a Fellow of the College of Surgeons of South Africa, receiving the Academic Excellence Award as the Top FCS Final Candidate at UCT and the Douglas Medal for the most outstanding candidate in the FCS examination in South Africa.

In 2019, Dr. Dell relocated to Edmonton, Canada, to undertake a demanding fellowship in Hepatobiliary and Abdominal Transplant Surgery at the University of Alberta Hospital. Under the mentorship of renowned surgeons Drs James Shapiro, David Bigam, and Norman Kneteman, she gained extensive experience in abdominal organ retrievals, liver, kidney, and pancreas transplants, as well as hepatobiliary surgery.

Alongside her specialist training, Dr Dell completed a PhD in Global Surgery in 2016, making significant contributions to the field under the guidance of transplant surgeon Dr. Delawir Kahn. Her thesis, titled “Global Surgery – Socioeconomic and Geographic Maldistribution of Surgical Resources,” positioned her as a pioneer in this area of research. She also earned a Master of Medicine in Surgery in 2017, with her thesis focusing on Paediatric Surgeon density in South Africa. Dr Dell has authored 32 original articles and 12 abstracts in peer-reviewed journals, covering topics from public health and global surgery to hepatobiliary surgery and transplantation. She co-authored a book chapter on the history of Paediatric Surgery in South Africa with Prof. H. Rode.

Returning to Cape Town in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr Dell began working with the Cape Town Vascular Surgery practice at Kingsbury Hospital, mentored by Drs Martin Forlee and James Tunnicliffe. She now assists in all aspects of endovascular and open arterial surgery, as well as minimally invasive venous surgery. Her interests include venous disease management, where she collaborates with venous expert Dr Laura Redman and her team at Optivein, Christian Barnard Hospital.

Dr Dell is an active member of several surgical societies, including ASTS, ASSA, and SAGES. She is registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta.