COL Maria M. Molina serves as the Division Chief for Medical Modernization and Simulation at the Defense Health Agency (DHA). She also holds a faculty appointment as an Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. A board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist and certified robotic surgeon, she is a Fellow of both the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American College of Surgeons.

In her current role, COL Molina focuses on:

1. Developing and Launching the Virtual Education Center (VEC), an interoperable web-based patient education and communication platform that makes patient education easier, more effective, and more efficient.
2. Overseeing medical simulation requirements, implementation, assessment, and coordination across the Defense Health Agency (DHA), to ensure effective medical education, training, and readiness capabilities.
3. Establishing the DHA Academy which serves as a learning platform delivering health care education and developmental opportunities tailored to the needs to the DHA workforce.
4. Identifying opportunities to centralize and standardize initiatives, programs, and resources within DHA J-7.

Previously, COL Molina served as the Acting Director for DHA J-7 Education and Training, Chief of the Simulation Center at Brooke Army Medical Center, Chief of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department and Chief of Surgical Services at Weed Army Community Hospital, and Gynecologic Surgery Division Chief at Brooke Army Medical Center. In these roles, she has been instrumental in incorporating simulation into the training of students, residents, nurses, and medics.

COL Molina was commissioned while completing her undergraduate studies at Duquesne University. After earning her bachelor’s degree, she attended Emory University School of Medicine, where she received her medical degree. She completed her OB/GYN residency at SAUSHEC in San Antonio.

Her clinical practice includes the full spectrum of general obstetrics and gynecology, encompassing outpatient care, labor and delivery, benign gynecologic surgery, and robotic procedures. Additionally, she has completed the Medical, Modeling, and Simulation Healthcare Certificate Program at the Naval Postgraduate School.