Maria's passion for academic medicine began during a medical school elective in Endocrinology
at the National Institute of Health, USA. She subsequently undertook an Academic Foundation
programme post in Medical Education and was awarded an NIHR Academic Clinical
Fellowship in Endocrinology at the University of Warwick. During this time, she balanced clinical
and research training. Her projects ranged from lab-based epigenetic projects, cohort studies
in the weight management service, to rapid reviews and meta-analysis. MSc degrees in
Health Research and Nutritional Sciences further strengthened her research skills in various
methodologies.
Maria is also an Endocrinology trainee (ST5) in the West Midlands. She previously completed Internal
Medicine Training (IMT) and MRCP (UK). Her clinical practice has provided her with a deeper
understanding of the lived experience of obesity, enriching her research perspective. She is
passionate about medicine and research that unites diverse specialities. She believes that patients do not live within the boundaries of medical specialities and that collaborative, inter-disciplinary research is crucial for driving meaningful, real-world impact.