“Everything I have done in the past has led me to where I am now and I am better for it. I wouldn’t change a thing about my path to becoming a dermatologist,” explains Dr. Maria Sheron of Vanguard Skin Specialists. The path for Dr. Sheron was geographical, as she moved from the East Coast to Colorado. It was also a path built on her time as a pre-medical student, a few years in a corporate human resources role, medical school, residency, and working at a practice in Denver – in that order. She met and married her husband, Brian, in that time. When a job prospect for her husband came up in Denver, Dr. Sheron says, “We didn’t even look anywhere else. Colorado is where we wanted to live.” They made the cross-country move to Denver, and then Dr. Sheron found her home at Vanguard Skin Specialists in Colorado Springs in May 2019.
Vanguard Skin Specialists connected with Dr. Sheron’s desire to do more and give back, as the natural next step in her path towards fulfilling both her personal and professional goals. “Vanguard Skin Specialists exceeded my expectations in what I was looking for next. I want to help people and give back to the community. The vision at Vanguard, the importance placed on community and the world projects they are involved in, are all things I believe in as well,” says Dr. Sheron. These values have always been important to her, but it was her time with her father before he passed away that allowed her the introspection that prompted a move from human resources to attend medical school. Dermatology drew her interest because of the chance to focus on the medical, pathological, and surgical sides of practicing medicine in one discipline.
With a particular focus on detecting and treating skin cancer at Vanguard Skin Specialists, Dr. Sheron describes her personal approach to this topic. “We have a lot more knowledge now about skin cancer. There is an older generation that is effected at a higher rate because they didn’t have the education about skin health we have now. Younger patients continue to need education on how to prevent skin cancer in the future.” Practicing at Vanguard Skin Specialists allows Dr. Sheron the chance to help patients with a variety of skin conditions and concerns. She can also reach more people in the Colorado Springs community by splitting her schedule between the Vanguard Skin Specialists locations on Grand Cordera and the Tenderfoot Hills Vanguard Skin Specialists locations.
So what is it about Colorado that put it at the top of the list for Dr. Sheron? “The climate, the people, and the proximity to many outdoor activities,” she shares. In fact, mountain biking is next on her list of things to try. “Nothing too extreme. I just want to get out and try everything I can in the outdoors’” she says. She and her husband also enjoy cooking. “Brian cooks Korean food, our brother-in-law cooks Indian food, and I enjoy making Italian-American dishes. We have a delicious variety to enjoy when we are all together!” Dr. Sheron exclaims. It is not hard to imagine that their dog, Nori, benefits from some of that cooking too.
The addition of Dr. Sheron at Vanguard Skin Specialists is a welcome one. Her desire to help patients, her sense of community, and the appreciation for this special place we call home and all it has to offer, make her a special kind of dermatologist and person. If you are looking for a physician driven to help, to educate, and to apply a rich background in understanding the importance of the individual person, Dr. Sheron is accepting appointments. Call 719-355-1585 to schedule an appointment at the North Colorado Springs office Monday through Wednesday or Thursday at the South Colorado Springs office with Dr. Sheron.