COL Maria M. Molina is currently the acting Director for J-7, Education and Training and the Division Chief for the Medical Modernization and Simulation of the Defense Health Agency.  She is also an Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and serves as Chair of the Army Central Simulation Committee.  She is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology, a fellow in the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and a fellow in the American College of Surgeons. She has previously served as the Chief of the Simulation Center at Brooke Army Medical Center, Ob/Gyn Department Chief and Chief of Surgical Services for Weed Army Community Hospital and the Gynecology Surgery Division Chief for Brooke Army Medical Center. Within these positions, she has integrated simulation into the training of multiple students, residents, nurses, and medics. 

She commissioned while pursuing her undergraduate degree at Duquesne University.  After receiving her bachelor’s degree, she attended Emory University School Medicine where she received her medical degree. COL Molina made her first trip to San Antonio where she completed OB/Gyn residency at SAUSHEC. COL Molina provides the full scope of general obstetrics and gynecology practice including outpatient obstetrics and gynecology clinic, labor and delivery and operative care. She is also a Certified Simulation Healthcare expert in the Society for Simulation in Healthcare and completed the Medical, Modeling, and Simulation Healthcare Certificate Program at the Naval Postgraduate School.

COL Molina’s current efforts include: identifying opportunities for centralization of initiatives, programs, and resources within J7; executing the Interoperable Networking for Training Readiness and Education in Medicine (INTREMED), providing more meaningful performance metrics and analysis to the MHS; building the DHA Academy; operationalizing and  maintaining the MHS Medical Library (MML) for use across the MTFs; and integrating the Virtual Education Center (VEC) into J7, to create a collective effort to improve quality of care and advance patient education.