Press Release

For Immediate Release
Contact: Susan Preston
(973) 972-7265

Dr. Maria Soto-Greene Assumes New Post at UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School

9/14/05—Dr. Maria Soto-Greene has been appointed vice dean of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ)-New Jersey Medical School, pending approval of the university's Board of Trustees. Dr. Soto-Greene, who has been vice president and chief of staff to the university president for the past year, will assume her new responsibilities on September 19, 2005.

She is returning to the medical school, where she had been senior associate dean for education prior to her appointment to the president’s staff. Prior to that appointment, she served as associate dean for special programs.

Dr. Soto-Greene also will remain director of the medical school's Hispanic Center of Excellence, a post she had held since the center was established 14 years ago as part of a national initiative of the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration to increase diversity in the field of medicine and other health professions.

Her research focus for several years has been on cultural competency for health care professionals. She is currently principal investigator for three grants awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. She is also interested in education models that impact on the success of under-represented minorities in the health professions and has contributed to various publications on this subject.

At the national level, Dr. Soto-Greene is president of the Hispanic Serving Health Professions Schools, Inc., and chair of the Association of American Medical Colleges Group on Student Affairs-Minority Affairs Section Coordinating Committee Northeast Region. She has also presented at numerous national and regional conferences on Latino/Minority health and education issues is recipient of numerous awards for her accomplishments in the area of education of under-represented minorities.

Dr. Soto-Greene received a Bachelor of Science degree in medical technology at Rutgers University's Douglass College. She received her medical degree from UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School and completed her residency in internal medicine at UMDNJ-University Hospital. She has been a member of its Department of Medicine faculty since 1983 and was recently promoted to the rank of tenured professor.