Maria Patricia Rivera

Dr. Maria Patricia Rivera is a **Professor of Medicine** and **Chief of the Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Division** at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. She holds the **C. Jane Davis & C. Robert Davis Distinguished Professorship in Pulmonary Medicine** (since April 2022). Her expertise includes lung cancer screening, disparities in oncology care, and managing treatment-related toxicities. She leads initiatives to improve lung cancer screening implementation and equity nationally.

Education & Credentials:

• MD, State University of NY at Stony Brook School of Medicine (1985)
• Residency: Internal Medicine, North Shore University Hospital-Manhasset (1985–1988)
• Fellowship: Pulmonary Disease, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (1988–1992)

Research Focus: Early detection of lung cancer, addressing health disparities in screening and treatment, biomarker testing, and managing complications of immunotherapy. She co-developed the North Carolina Lung Screening Registry and collaborates with the Southeastern Consortium for Lung Cancer Health Equity.

Selected Awards (2022–2023):

• President-Elect of the American Thoracic Society (2022)
• ATS Assembly on Thoracic Oncology Lifetime Achievement Award (2019)
• Best Doctors in America (2009–2019)

Grants & Leadership: NIH/NCI-funded studies on lung cancer screening implementation. Serves on national committees including the American Cancer Society National Lung Cancer Roundtable.

Labs/Teams: Leads the Pulmonary and Critical Care Division at URMC, overseeing clinical, research, and educational programs.