Martina Gonzalez Gomez, M.D., MS, has been promoted to assistant professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery. In her new role, Gonzalez Gomez will primarily support the department’s Global Neurosurgery Program.

Since 2023, Gonzalez Gomez has served as the program manager for the Global Neurosurgery Program, leading its development and expansion. In her role as program manager, Gonzalez Gomez coordinated international partnerships, particularly in Vietnam, launched the department’s global neurosurgery fellowship and co-instructed the global surgery course in the UAB Master of Science in Global Health (MSGH) program, offered by the Heersink School of Medicine and School of Public Health.

Gonzalez Gomez earned her medical degree from Universidad de la Sabana in Colombia and completed a Master of Science in Global Health with a focus on global surgery at King’s College London. Her master’s dissertation, which examined the political priority of global neurosurgery, was published in a peer-reviewed journal.

She brings eight years of clinical experience in both public and private healthcare settings in Colombia, where she served as an assistant neurosurgical physician. Her research portfolio spans severe traumatic brain injury, normal pressure hydrocephalus and global neurosurgery policy and advocacy. She has presented her work at numerous national and international organized neurosurgery meetings.

Beyond her academic and clinical work, Gonzalez Gomez has contributed to a major global folic acid fortification initiative, which aims to prevent spina bifida and other neural tube defects. She actively participates in the G4 Alliance, advocating for improved access to surgical care worldwide, and volunteers with InterSurgeon to promote global surgical partnerships.

Gonzalez Gomez is deeply committed to leadership development and was selected as a global fellow for the 2024 WomenLift Health Leadership Journey in North America.