Mauricio

Downer

, MD

Queens, NY

St. John's University

My name is Mauricio Downer Jr., but everyone calls me Mau. I was born in Queens, New York, and raised in Panama for a few years before returning to New York. I attended St. John's University for undergrad, where I majored in chemistry. Before medical school, I worked many jobs: I was a chemistry professor, nurse's aide, cook at Buffalo Wild Wings, bartender, chef, and I even started a tutoring company called "Not YourAverageChemist." During medical school, I created an initiative called "Operation Diversify Plastics," which focuses on introducing the world of plastic surgery to underrepresented students and those without a home program. Before graduating, I completed a year of research at Stanford University, serving as a research fellow in the Hagey Regenerative Medicine Lab. I am passionate about all aspects of plastic surgery, including microsurgery, cosmetics, mentorship, breast reconstruction, and more. I like to say I'm an open book. For fun, I love coming up with new recipes to cook; I can really lose myself in the kitchen.