Kathy C. Matthews, MD, FACOG is a Perinatologist at New Jersey Perinatal Associates. She grew up in Ontario, Canada before moving to the United States, and earned her medical degree from George Washington School of Medicine & Health Sciences. She went on to complete her Obstetrics & Gynecology residency at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and her Maternal Fetal Medicine fellowship at New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medical Center.
ISMMS was Dr. Matthew’s top choice when ranking residency programs in Obstetrics & Gynecology and values her time during residency. ISMMS offers the best of both worlds in terms of post-graduate training. During residency, she experienced a lot of autonomy, which made her feel confident in making decisions, but at the same time, always felt supported, with help readily available should she need it.Her current research focus is in the use of aspirin for the prevention of preeclampsia, healthcare disparities, and enhanced recovery after surgery for cesarean delivery.
Career Path
Dr. Matthews was drawn to Maternal-Fetal Medicine because of its complexity, which she finds both challenging and rewarding. She enjoys her unique role in supporting patients and their families during a time of vulnerability and helping women navigate unfamiliar territory during their pregnancies. “My favorite part about being an MFM is gaining a patient’s trust. After all, they are trusting me with their most cherished aspiration – that of being a mother. My goal is to educate and empower patients to play an integral role in their own care.” Dr. Matthews strives to give patients honest and realistic expectations with compassion, so that they can make informed decisions throughout their pregnancy.
Advice for Students
Deciding what field of medicine to go into can be exciting, but also very overwhelming.
Dr. Matthews advises students to use medical school as an opportunity to try on many different hats; it is the only time in student’s professional career that they will be able to. Stay open minded, and each individual will quickly learn which hat fits best.
Working During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Obstetric patients continue to need their practitioners, every day, even during a pandemic. She has made many adjustments to her daily schedules to accommodate a safe environment for both the patients and the team. The most challenging was the period of time when the office was not allowing anyone to accompany patients to their ultrasound visits. It was difficult to take away, what should be, a shared joyous experience from families. It was even more challenging when we had difficult news to deliver. However, it provided her with a unique opportunity to utilize resources such as video conferencing to connect with family members all across the country and even the world.