Dr. Amarilys Cortijo has practiced family medicine for more than twenty years, many of these in a leadership role. Before joining the Institute in 2001, she served for twelve years as president and medical director of the Brooklyn Medical Group, a multi-specialty group practice.

As Medical Director at the Mt. Hope Family Practice, where she sees
patients, Dr. Cortijo oversees operations, quality improvement and utilization management. Dr. Cortijo is also medical director at two free clinics for the uninsured operated by student volunteers under the supervision of the Institute. She is actively involved in recruiting volunteer physicians and in guiding medical student volunteers in developing policy and procedures for these clinics.

Dr. Cortijo received her medical degree from the Ponce School of Medicine in Puerto Rico and completed her residency at Brookdale Hospital Medical Center in Brooklyn. She has also studied the history of the world's religions at Fordham University.