Dr. Paola Esparragoza is a fellowship-trained gastroenterologist. Her love of medicine, compassion for patients, and ever-growing curiosity was instilled in her from a young age by her father, who is also a physician. Her greatest motivation to continue to grow in the field of gastroenterology comes from the ability to help people in a way that profoundly improves their quality of life.
She is comfortable working within all areas of gastroenterology, with particular interest in the following:
- Preventive care
- Functional disorders
- Women’s health
- Management of acute and chronic diseases
Born in Caracas, Venezuela, Dr. Esparragoza completed her undergraduate degree in biology, summa cum laude, at the University of Florida. During her undergraduate years, she participated in several medical missions abroad. She earned her medical degree from Temple University’s Lewis Katz School of Medicine in Philadelphia and completed residency training at Temple University Hospital. After residency, she pursued a fellowship in gastroenterology at Saint Peter’s University Hospital in New Brunswick, NJ, where she served as chief fellow.
“My approach to patient care is collaborative and informative. My goal is to work with my patients and their families as a team to ultimately help them achieve understanding of their condition as well as treatment plan,” Dr. Esparragoza said.
As a medical student, Dr. Esparragoza received the Gold Humanism Honor Society award for clinical excellence and optimal patient care. During her residency, she served as a physician educator, leading nutrition and cooking workshops designed for patients with various medical conditions including obesity, celiac disease, and IBD. She has presented research at national meetings including Digestive Diseases Week and the American College of Gastroenterology’s annual meeting.
When she is not taking care of patients, Dr. Esparragoza enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and cooking.