Christina Bottiglierie

Christina Bottiglierie has the distinct memory of folding laundry with her father and telling him of her future career choice. “I want to go into medicine,” 5-year-old Christina said. But it wasn’t until college that she found the perfect fit, becoming a physician assistant.

Now she’s not only a seasoned physician assistant at Vanguard but also a role model for future PAs. Students from the Robert Wood Johnson Rutgers program in Piscataway and Kean University train under her as part of their course work. She also precepts “pre-PAs” – students in high school and college who are considering physician assistance as a future career.

Christina enjoys the variety in a family medicine practice, from pediatrics to women’s health to chronic care and more. She prides herself on being an advocate as well as an educator for her patients. “When I work with children who have special needs, I’ll counsel the parent on how to approach the school district, the questions to ask and what the school should provide,” she says. “When my patients are employees of the state or county, I educate them about the NJWELL program, where they can get money back for getting physicals. Certain insurances will give you free bike helmets for kids. I spend the time and talk to my patients, and make sure that they understand how they can play a role in their health.”

She’s also a certified Department of Transportation medical examiner, one of the few in New Jersey. This allows her to conduct the detailed physicals required for bus and truck drivers with commercial drivers’ licenses.

When she’s not working, Christina is involved in running groups and does Spartan races with her kids. “You have time for what you want to make time for,” she says. “That’s what I always tell my patients.”