Bay Area Native Brings Home Her Passion for Women’s Health

Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Saloni Mathur, MD, spent a decade away from “home” before returning in early November to join Washington Township Medical Foundation in Fremont. Her motivation for moving back to the area she considers home, she says, is to “give back to the community where I grew up.”

With a father who is a computer engineer and a mother who teaches science to middle school students, Dr. Mathur had a natural inclination to study science as a child, and she notes she always wanted to go into the field of medicine. She also had a mentor who influenced her decisions.

“My parents had a friend who was an OB-GYN,” Dr. Mathur says. “Starting about when I was in sixth grade, since both of my parents were working, I would go to her office after school to do my homework. I learned a lot from her while spending time there, and she inspired me. I still keep in touch with her. She lives in the area, and she is excited that I followed in her footsteps.”

After graduating from a Bay Area high school, Dr. Mathur earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biological sciences from the University of California, Davis. While at UC Davis, she worked as a research assistant for the MIND Institute – an international research center focused on neurodevelopmental disabilities. At the MIND Institute, she was involved in “mapping” genetic markers for autism and facilitating MRI scanning of children with Fragile X syndrome, a genetic disorder that can result in developmental delays and learning disabilities.

Following her years at UC Davis, she moved to Chicago, Illinois, where she spent a year earning a Master of Science degree in biomedical science. Continuing her studies at the University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences in Ohio, she earned an additional master’s degree in biomedical science and her medical doctorate degree. She then completed a three-year residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Richmond University Medical Center in Staten Island, New York.

“I can honestly say that my experience in Toledo was amazing,” she recalls. “The Midwest is quite different from California, but I found the people there to be so kind and friendly. I have stayed in close contact with many of my friends there, and have even been a bridesmaid in a couple of their weddings.”

Dr. Mathur’s experience in the New York City borough of Staten Island also was memorable, for different reasons.

“We cared for a high-risk patient population in New York,” she explains. “Many of our patients were on Medicaid, and they came to our hospital from other parts of New York City, such as Brooklyn and the Bronx, as well as from Staten Island. Some even came to us from New Jersey. For a fair number of them, we were the first medical care providers they had seen in a long time.

“With my experience in high-risk obstetrics, I am passionate about women’s health advocacy,” she adds. “I also have a strong interest in promoting family planning.”

Outside of her medical career pursuits, Dr. Mathur enjoys swimming, kickboxing, do-it-yourself projects and volunteering at the humane society. She also is enthusiastic about “Bollywood dancing.”

“My interest in Bollywood dancing started when I was very young after visiting relatives in India,” she chuckles. “I was classically trained, and I competed both locally and nationally when I was in college.”

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