Program Leadership
Administrative
- Everardo Cobos, MD
-
Chair, Department of Medicine & Oncology
Dr. Everardo Cobos is currently chair of the Integrated Service Unit in Medicine and Oncology at UTRGV School of Medicine. He leads the clinical, education, and research activities for the department of medicine. In this unit, the faculty from various internal medicine specialties provide care across the Rio Grande Valley and serve as one of the teaching sites for medical students and residents receiving medical education and training in the field of internal medicine.
In addition to the clinical and educational activities of his unit, Dr. Cobos also leads the Cancer Service Line which will be housed at our under-construction Cancer Center scheduled to be opened in February of 2025. This new Cancer Center will provide state of the art cancer care to our community. Integrated in this service unit under the supervision of Dr. Cobos is the South Texas Center of Excellence in Cancer Research, a team of nationally recognized basic science cancer researchers actively studying new treatments for cancer.
Dr. Cobos received his medical degree from the University of Texas Health Sciences Center in San Antonio. He received his specialty training in internal medicine and subspecialty training in hematology and oncology at the Letterman Army Medical Center in San Francisco, California. He had prior academic appointments at both Texas Tech School of Medicine and at the UCLA-David Geffen School of Medicine before joining UTRGV in April of 2023.
Dr. Cobos has been recognized nationally for his expertise in clinical medicine, research, education, and administration. He has been recognized more than 20 consecutive years by his students, residents, and fellows for his teaching and educational excellence, but he is most proud of his continuous uninterrupted practice of medicine and caring for patients on a daily basis over a span of time that now exceeds 40 years.
- Michelle Lopez, MD, FACP
-
Program Director / Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine
Dr. Michelle Lopez is a board-certified internal medicine specialist and Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine with over six years of experience, primarily in hospital medicine. She currently is the Program Director for the UTRGV Internal Medicine residency program at HCA.
Dr. Lopez is dedicated to advancing patient safety, quality improvement, and the teaching of point of care ultrasound (POCUS). Her special interests extend to developing educational curricula and leading workshops. Notable projects include the creation of a Patient Safety Workshop for GME residents, Simulation Workshops for the UTRGV internal medicine programs, and various POCUS and quality improvement workshops for residents.
Originally from the Rio Grande Valley and having grown up in Houston, TX, Dr. Lopez earned her undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University and her medical degree from Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara. She completed her residency in internal medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
- Andres Suarez Parraga, MD
-
Associate Program Director / Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine
Dr. Andres Suarez Parraga is a board-certified internal medicine specialist and an assistant professor of internal medicine. He has over five years of experience and speaks English and Spanish. He specializes in diagnosing and managing outpatient medicine conditions like hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and obesity and inpatient medicine conditions like heart failure, sepsis, and COPD exacerbations.
He is also particularly interested in critical care medicine, endocrinology, and obesity medicine. Clinical responsibilities include supervising third- and fourth-year medical students, interns, and senior residents in the inpatient rotation. Nonclinical duties include directing MS1 in Practice-Based Learning Sessions, dictating lectures for MS3 bimonthly, and guiding MS4 in Critical Appraisal of Medical Literature elective. Additional functions include mentoring residents, supervising QI projects, and presenting didactics for the UTRGV-KMC Internal Medicine Residency Program.
Dr. Suarez Parraga attended medical school at Universidad de Los Andes in Merida, Venezuela. He completed a residency in internal medicine with the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine at Doctors Hospital at Renaissance in Edinburg, TX, on which he served as chief resident in his third year.
Faculty
- Roque Mifuji, MD
-
Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine
Dr. Roque Mifuji is a board-certified internal medicine specialist and assistant professor of internal medicine at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. He has over 4 years of experience. He currently serves as core faculty in the Knapp Medical Center Internal Medicine Residency Program. He speaks English and Spanish. He specializes in the diagnosis and management of diverse medical conditions in the inpatient setting.
He has a special interest in medical education. His passion for medical education led him to enroll and graduate from the UTRGV MedEd Teaching Certificate Program, class of 2023. He actively engages in the education of medical students as a facilitator in Problem-Based Learning Modules. He also emphasizes the importance of patient-centered, compassionate care as well as effective communication with patients and family members.
Dr. Mifuji graduated from medical school at Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon. He served as chief resident and completed his internal medicine residency training at University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, in Edinburg, Texas.
Subspecialty Coordinators (SEC)
Subspecialty Coordinators (SEC)
| Faculty Name |
SEC |
| Guillermo Salinas, MD |
Cardiology & Clinical Assistant Professor |
| Ricardo Garcia, MD |
Infectious Disease & Clinical Assistant Professor |
| Eduardo Luna, MD |
Endocrinology & Clinical Assistant Professor |
| Bricia Toro-De-Zare, MD |
Rheumatology & Clinical Assistant Professor |
| Juan Pablo Gomez, MD |
Pulmonology / Critical Care & Clinical Assistant Professor |
| Roberto Manllo-Karim, MD |
Nephrology & Clinical Assistant Professor |
| Jean Cabrera, MD |
Geriatrics & Clinical Assistant Professor |
| Jason Philips, MD |
Gastroenterology & Clinical Assistant Professor |
| Eric Marshell Panzer, MD |
Emergency Medicine & Clinical Assistant Professor |
| Jorge R Guevara, MD |
Addiction Medicine & Clinical Assistant Professor |
Community Faculty
Community Faculty
| Faculty Name |
Community Faculty |
| Cesar Uribe, MD |
Hospitalist |
| Ismael Cantu-Garcia, MD |
Hospitalist |
| Jose Pena, MD |
Hospitalist |
