Medical school – Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Undergraduate – Hunter CUNY College

Health equity & social justice
Global health
Healthcare advocacy
Preventive medicine

My name is Luna Maria Paredes! I was born and raised in the Dominican Republic and moved to NYC at 18 years old. I’m the first in my family to graduate from college, and I’m deeply passionate about advocacy, mentoring, making healthcare accessible to all, and bringing culturally sensitive care into medicine. I’m proud to have achieved my lifelong dream of becoming a family medicine doctor, and I strive to go above and beyond so my patients feel heard and cared for. I earned my bachelor’s degree from Hunter College (CUNY), where I majored in Biochemistry and minored in Psychology. I spent three years as a research assistant at Rockefeller University in a Cell Biology lab, then completed a pre-medical post-bacc program at the Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences at SUNY Buffalo. I went on to earn my medical degree from Albert Einstein College of Medicine. In my free time, I love running outdoors, listening to music, and exploring different cultures through food and travel. I also enjoy spending quality time with friends while taking in nature and discovering new hobbies.

I love being a family medicine doctor because this specialty allows me to care for and support patients from birth through every stage of life. No one is left behind. Family medicine is full scope—I get the chance to learn not just from the patient, but from everyone in the room: their extended family, their stories, their lived experiences. That context helps me understand the patient on a much deeper level, beyond the clinical—through their cultural background, family dynamics, and personal struggles. I value making medical visits practical for families, especially working families who may not have the flexibility to take multiple days off for different appointments. If it’s feasible, why not bring everyone in on the same day? That way, care becomes more accessible and less disruptive. Prevention is a big part of what I love about family medicine. My hope is that by building a trusting, long-term relationship with my patients, we can work together to choose a lifestyle that’s realistic and sustainable for them. That way, we can try to stay on top of health goals, medications, and visits—while still making space for everything else life demands.