As the current Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics and Medical Director of the Immediate Care Nursery at The University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Dr. Marta Galarza brings to the healthcare industry 26 years of experience, with 20 years in her current role. The American Health Council is proud to elect Dr. Galarza as a “Leader in Medicine”, recognizing her past and present feats within Neonatology and Clinical Pediatrics.

Dr. Galarza received her MD from Ponce School of Medicine in 1991, and has also withheld a Residency from The University of Florida, along with a Fellowship from Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital, a non-for profit medical center located in St. Louis, Missouri. After volunteering for a children’s hospital at a young age, Galarza decided to pursue a career in healthcare, attributing her success to hard work and perseverance.

Daily responsibilities for Dr. Galarza include seeing to newborns with acute and chronic illnesses within the NICU and overseeing day to day activities for the 60-bed stepdown neonatal care unit. She also teaches medical students, residents, and fellows at The University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Dr. Galarza is also involved in promoting, supporting, and implementing the breastfeeding programs at the Holtz Children’s Hospital in Miami, where she oversees the Kangaroo Mother Care Program (KMC), in which mothers are encouraged to hold their sick or premature babies skin to skin – thus promoting bonding, breastfeeding, and healing for both mother and child.

Dr. Galarza prides herself on being the only physician within her family, and promotes her profession to high school students interested in pursuing a career in medicine, allowing them to shadow her during her work days.

Her goals within the next five years include creating a better life-career balance for her and her family, and enjoys camping, volunteering for The March of Dimes, and spending time with loved ones.