Alejandro Rios Tovar, MD, is an Assistant Professor of Surgery at the UTRGV School of Medicine. He was born and raised in McAllen, Texas, and is excited to be back in the Rio Grande Valley to serve his community.
After earning a Bachelor of Science degree in biomedical engineering at Columbia University in the City of New York, he returned to Texas where he received his Doctor of Medicine degree at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. He completed his residency training in general surgery at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) of El Paso. After fellowship in surgical critical care at Methodist Dallas Medical Center, Dr. Rios Tovar returned to El Paso where he served as the Associate Trauma Medical Director of University Medical Center of El Paso. He was also Assistant Professor of Surgery at TTUHSC El Paso Paul L. Foster School of Medicine.
Dr. Rios Tovar was among the many surgeons who responded to the August 3rd Walmart shooting in El Paso in 2019, and he later testified at the House Judiciary Committee to share his experience and advocate for firearm injury prevention. Although these events shaped him to become the trauma surgeon he is today, his focus has always been on education and patient care. His goal was always to return to the border region. Dr. Rios Tovar is dedicated to teaching future surgeons and students to provide the top medical care for the Rio Grande Valley’s population.
