“I wanted to come back and care for the community that raised me.”
Their journey
Maria knew she wanted to work with kids since volunteering at the school health office her junior year. After a biology degree at Rutgers, she completed medical school and a pediatrics residency, then came home to North Jersey to practice.
Today she cares for families in the same community she grew up in, and mentors pre-med students through her hospital's pipeline program.
Advice to current students
Don't be intimidated by how long the road looks. Break it into the next single step, and find one person ahead of you who'll answer your questions.
Education / pathway
Rutgers University → Rutgers New Jersey Medical School