Dr. Gina has over 22 years of practice experience in pediatrics. She attended the University of Arizona College of Medicine for her M.D., where she also completed her residency training in general pediatrics. She then chose to attend a one-year fellowship in Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at The Child Development Unit, Children’s Hospital Colorado, which emphasized the evaluation of children with genetic conditions, autistic spectrum disorders, and child abuse.
She then entered the field of pediatric hospitalist medicine and became the medical director of Tucson Pediatric Hospitalists. She was personally responsible for year-round, 24/7 coverage of the busy inpatient pediatric unit, well newborn nursery, emergency department consultations, supervision of the Pediatric and Family Medicine residents, procedural sedation service, and TMC pediatric hospice. She founded a child abuse review team and Tucson Lifeline for Children (TLC), a pediatric palliative care program that was the first of its kind in her area.
Dr. Gina later moved on to another medical director position at The Painted Turtle, one of the Paul Newman Serious Fun Camps for children with life-threatening medical conditions. This was another highly energized position with full responsibility for the medical care of children with kidney and liver transplants, hemophilia, spina bifida, immunodeficiencies, rheumatic conditions, skeletal dysplasia, developmental disabilities, and more, offering them the chance to experience an authentic camp experience all year. She directed a state-of-the-art, on-site medical facility and coordinated all medical services, supplies, protocols, and personnel. The camp offered specialized medical care during specific sessions, including a fully-stocked pharmacy, G-tube feedings, hemophilia care, kidney dialysis, CPAP, supplemental oxygen, tracheostomy care, and 24-hour oral and IV medication management. She made sure the nurses and physicians specializing in each medical condition were on camp to staff all sessions requiring their particular skills and expertise. She was integral in the development of sessions for children with cerebral palsy and developmental disorders.
In her last years of practice, Dr. Gina decided to focus on outpatient pediatrics, working in a private office for a couple of years and providing locum tenens physician services in areas of need. After some study, she retired from practicing medicine and made the transition into medical editing and review through her new company, Helping Hands MD Editing.
