Dr. Pearl Ma is a born and raised Iowa native who moved to California and completed her Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Medicine at the University of California, Davis. Through her undergraduate studies at UC Davis, she found her passion in helping underserved and marginalized patients. She did her general surgery residency and fellowship training in Advanced GI (Minimally Invasive) and Bariatric Surgery at the University of California, San Francisco-Fresno Program.

She has a passion for teaching and a research interest, with publications in revisional bariatric surgery and multiple book chapters. She is a fellow of the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) and the American College of Surgeons. She has a Focus practice designation in Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, and is Obesity Medicine certified.

Her goal is to serve the Central Valley people and continue educating the local physicians and surgeons in cutting-edge surgical techniques and compassionate patient care. Dr. Ma teaches UCSF residents as an Assistant Clinical Professor of Surgery. She is the ALSA MIS bariatric fellowship director and director of metabolic and bariatric surgery research for Community Health Partners. In addition, she serves on multiple ASMBS and SAGES Committees and has helped initiate the ASMBS Surgical Mentoring Program. Dr. Ma is the current President of the California/Nevada ASMBS Chapter and a Board member at large for ASMBS.

Dr. Ma has been a teaching and patient care leader, often speaking at national society meetings and seminars. She is passionate about treating obesity as a chronic disease and abolishing the stigmas associated with obesity.

She has been honored with multiple UCSF Fresno Resident Excellence in Teaching Awards, Leon S Peters Foundation Resident of the Year Award, ASMBS Distinguished Service Award, and Treatment of Obesity and Research (TREO) Foundation 2023 Rising Star Award for demonstrating an outstanding job in patient care, research project success, and community advocacy. She loves everything Disney and spends her free time with her husband and two mischievous young children.