BIO

Valerie Shin earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from New York University. After earning her degree, she advanced her nursing career with the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio, and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in West Los Angeles, California. Valerie furthered her career by completing the Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program at the University of California, Los Angeles, where she obtained a Master’s degree. During her clinical rotation, she had the privilege of being mentored at the liver clinic, where she developed a strong interest in hepatology and the management of liver diseases. This experience led her to her current role as a Hepatology Nurse Practitioner at the Pfleger Liver Institute at UCLA Health, where she continues to specialize in liver disease care.

In addition to providing exceptional patient care, Valerie Shin has a strong passion for education, both in teaching future APPs and empowering her patients. She enjoys educating her NP students in her clinic and was honored with the opportunity to lecture NP students at UCLA School of Nursing on the topic of liver cirrhosis and its complications. Valerie also contributes to the annual UCLA Patient Seminar for Liver Diseases, where she provides essential patient education. Furthermore, she is actively involved in the GHAPP meetings, demonstrating her ongoing commitment to advancing both the education of current and future APPs and the care of liver disease patients.

MASLD-MASH Content Featuring Valerie

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In this comprehensive video, Sherona Bau, NP from UCLA, breaks down the essential hepatology workup for patients with MASLD (formerly NAFLD) and MASH, offering guidance for both primary care providers and GI/hepatology specialists. Drawing from her extensive clinical experience, she outlines a systematic approach to evaluating abnormal liver ultrasound findings—starting with critical labs to rule out chronic liver conditions like hepatitis B, hepatitis C, autoimmune hepatitis, PBC, and hereditary hemochromatosis. Sherona discusses the importance of ordering ANA, AMA, ferritin, serologies, and even specialized labs like the phosphatidylethanol (PEth) test to uncover alcohol-related liver disease that may be overlooked. She emphasizes the need to screen for cardiometabolic risk factors including type 2 diabetes and dyslipidemia and highlights non-invasive tests such as FibroScan and FIB-4 to help identify patients at risk of advanced fibrosis who may benefit from specialist referral. Most importantly, Sherona addresses the fears many patients face around liver disease progression and life expectancy, encouraging early intervention and coordinated care to improve long-term outcomes. This video is a must-watch for any clinician managing steatotic liver disease.

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