Meet Our Founder
Medical school is overwhelming. Students are faced with thousands of disconnected pages of notes, lectures, and textbooks, often losing sight of how it all fits together.
MedMaps was created by Monica Rivero Gutierrez (Class of 2026, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry), whose background in curriculum design and medical education uniquely prepared her to take on this challenge.
Before medical school, Monica completed a Master of Science in Clinical Anatomy at Western University and trained as a lecturer and teaching assistant. She went on to hold curriculum leadership roles internationally, including:
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Histology Course Coordinator and Lecturer at the American University of the Caribbean, where she redesigned the entire course into flipped-classroom modules.
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Curriculum Co-Director of the Endocrinology & Reproductive Systems block at AUC, where she integrated preclinical and clinical content into a competency-based framework.
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Content Director of Histology at Bootcamp.com, where she authored >40 hours of instructional videos now used globally by medical students.
These experiences, spanning curriculum development, teaching, content creation, and faculty training, laid the foundation for MedMaps. What began as a student-led solution to organize her own medical learning has grown into a broader educational tool designed to help learners connect details into the “big picture.”
Our Vision and Mission
Our mission is to help learners move beyond fragmented facts toward an integrated understanding of medicine.
We believe medical education should empower reasoning, not just memorization. By combining evidence-based design with intuitive visuals, MedMaps reduces cognitive overload and helps learners see connections across the curriculum.
Our vision is to create a free, collaborative resource that transforms how medicine is taught and learned, in classrooms, clinics, and beyond.
About the Process
MedMaps was developed using Western University Schulich School of Medicine curricular resources, complemented by trusted Canadian references such as the Calgary Guide, Calgary Blackbook, and Toronto Notes.
Small, disease-specific maps were combined into larger discipline maps, creating a connected framework for entire specialties. Initially illustrated in Procreate®, MedMaps are now being redesigned into an app-ready version via Figma®, including interactive features such as progressive reveal, narration, and video walkthroughs to support diverse learning styles.
Each map provides comprehensive overviews of:
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Pathophysiology
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Symptom history
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Physical exam findings
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Investigations
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Management
All integrated with mnemonics, illustrations, and diagnostic algorithms.
For Educators
MedMaps isn’t just for learners, it’s also a flexible teaching tool. Faculty have used the maps to:
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Guide small-group case discussions.
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Support flipped-classroom learning.
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Anchor review sessions with clear visuals.
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Bridge basic sciences with clinical reasoning.
Each map can be integrated into teaching as a visual framework, helping students connect details to the “big picture.”
Research & Validation
MedMaps is grounded in medical education literature showing that concept maps improve integration and reasoning (BEME Guide 81).
Early student feedback has been strong: learners report increased clarity, confidence, and retention. Ongoing research includes:
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Presented at CERI Conference 2025 at Western University
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Peer review sessions with students and residents.
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Planned evaluation of cognitive load and usability using validated scales.
MedMaps continues to evolve through community feedback and formal educational scholarship.