Dr. Reif de Paula earned her medical degree and completed surgical training in Rio de Janiero, Brazil, her country of origin. She also earned a post-graduate degree in Occupational Medicine. During 10 years of clinical work before coming to the United States, she practiced surgery in an urban hospital and provided medical care at remote worksite clinics in Brazil, culminating with her participation as a health manager for the Olympic and Paraolympic Organizing Committee for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. Her first post-doctoral research position in the US was at the Cleveland Clinic in the division of colorectal surgery. She went on to have productive research collaborations with Dr. Deborah Keller at Columbia University, the University of Houston College of Medicine, and now at Lankenau Medical Center.