Education and Experience
- Yale University ~ BA in Germanic Languages and Literatures
- Icahn Mount Sinai School of Medicine ~ MD
- Icahn Mount Sinai School of Medicine – Residency in Diagnostic Radiology – 1 year
- Stanford University ~ Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics ~ Residency in Gynecology & Obstetrics
- Harvard Medical School ~ Brigham & Women’s Hospital ~ Dana Farber Cancer Institute ~ Fellowship in Gynecologic Oncology
- Adelphi University – MBA
Dr. Ortiz brings a breadth of academic and life experiences to her practice of medicine. Raised by a single mother and a great-grandmother, she is no stranger to challenges. After graduating from Yale in 1985, she won a grant to work on an archeological dig in Israel and stayed on to learn Hebrew and work on a kibbutz. Brought back to the U.S. by her great-grandmother’s cancer diagnosis, she resolved to improve the plight of the cancer patient and pursued a medical career. This led her to Mount Sinai, Stanford and Harvard where she accomplished her mission. In 2006, she was asked what she believed in and answered: the invincibility of the human spirit, inspired by her patients’ fighting spirit.
At Harvard, Dr. Ortiz published her research on ovarian cancer and wrote book chapters on endometrial cancer and laparoscopic surgery. She was recruited to The Florida Hospital Cancer Institute in Orlando, where she participated in National Cancer Institute clinical trials and served as Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor at Duke University. In 2006 she was awarded The Florida Hospital Integrity Award, Casa de Mexico Consulate Award, an American Cancer Society Award and the American Society of Clinical Oncology Clinical Trials Award.
In 2007, Dr. Ortiz brought her strong academic credentials to Eastern Long Island, combining the healing power of family, friends and home with the highest quality surgical care. Dr. Ortiz has transformed Eastern Long Island by bringing advanced gynecologic surgery and clinical expertise to her community. Her vision has delivered a powerful track record of survival and quality of life for our patients. Women have traveled from as far as The Netherlands, Ireland and even Tibet for her care. In 2010, she introduced robotic surgery to eastern Long Island and performed the first robotic surgery at a community hospital in Suffolk County. Robotics has become the standard of care for many Eastern Long Island Hospitals as a result of her efforts. The Long Island Business News recognized her with the Top 50 Women in Business Award in 2010 and she was awarded The Sass Family Foundation Keynote Speaker Award in 2011. She received the Women’s Recognition Award in Medicine from Brookhaven Town in 2014. She has continued to publish and present her research, including a case report on management of vulvar melanoma and her technique for intra-operative identification of the ureter during robotic surgery.
Dr. Ortiz is one of 1300 board certified Gynecologic Oncologists in the United States and has over 22 years of experience. She is Chief of Gynecologic Robotic Surgery at St. Charles Hospital. She regularly volunteers in Nepal, teaching surgery to aspiring gynecologic oncologists and delivering menstrual hygiene education through her non-profit organization, The Nepal Women’s Project. She sits on the Board of the McCombe Foundation, supporting its mission to improve quality life for cancer patients during their treatment journey. She has two terrific daughters, is married to a Long Island farmer, speaks five languages and enjoys cooking, sewing and knitting. Her surgical skills are matched only by her compassion and caring.
