Training Program Directors

Dr. Rodriguez-Ospina is the VA Training Program Director for Cardiovascular Disease Residency Program.

• Board certifications: Cardiovascular Disease
• Academic Appointment: Universidad Central del Caribe (Internal Medicine Department Faculty)
• Areas of Interest: Preventive Cardiology
• School of Medicine: University of Puerto Rico
• Residency & Fellowship Program Completed: VA Caribbean Healthcare System
• Private Practice: Yes
• Affiliations:  American College of Cardiology | Sociedad Puertorriqueña de Cardiologia

Recent Publications: 

Assembling the Puzzle: Taking into Account Clinical Presentation and Predictive Scores. June 2022, PRHSJ Vol. 41 No. 2.

Presentation: LIPOPROTEIN (a) The Forgotten Risk Factor. Presentation at the American College of Cardiology PR Chapter Scientific Meeting 2022 (May 20-21, 2022).

Scholarly: Member Scientific Commitment of Cardiology | American College of Cardiology PR Chapter – ACC – Past Governor

Dr. Cestero is the Chief Palliative Care Service of the VA Caribbean Healthcare System.

• Board Certification: Board Certified in Family Medicine, CAQ in Geriatrics
• Academic appointment:  UPR RCM VA Geriatrics Coordinator
• School Of Medicine: UNIBE Dominican Republic
• Where  have you completed residency program? RCM Family Medicine
• Are you affiliated with any professional group or society? Puerto Rico Academy of Family Medicine (Past President)

Dr. Toro is the VA Training Program Director for the Gastroenterology Residency Program. 

• Board certifications: Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology
• Academic Appointment: Professor, UPR School of Medicine | Professor, Universidad Central Del Caribe
• Areas of Interest: Education, Quality Improvement and Patient Safety, Esophageal Motility, Research in GI and Liver Diseases
• School of Medicine: University of Puerto Rico
• Residency & Fellowship Program Completed: VA Caribbean Healthcare System | Gastroenterology: University of Puerto Rico
• Private Practice: No

Affiliations: 

• Fellow, American Gastroenterology Association
• Fellow, American College of Gastroenterology
• Fellow, American College of Physicians
• Member, American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases
• Member, American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
• Member, Asociacion Puertoriqqueña de Gastroenterología
• Member, Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society

Recent Publications: 

1. Warrington E,  López-Román O,Tirado-Montijo R, Urbina R, Cruz-Correa M, Toro DH.Neither 10- nor 14-Day Sequential Treatment Is Better Than Standard Triple Therapy for Helicobacter pylori Eradication PR Health Sci J, 2016;35:203-208 PMID: 27898166

2. Class-Vazquez W, Olivero-Rivera S, Rosa-Cruz S, Laboy-Olivieri C, Toro DH The Perils of Diagnosis and Treating Overlap Syndrome BOL ASOC MED PR 2016;108(2):57-9. PMID:29172353

3. Soto AR, Vazquez EG, Toro DH et al  Conundrum of a Large Bowel Neoplasm: Collision Tumor ACG Case Rep J 2018;5:e13. http://dx.doi.org/10.14309/crj.2018.13. Published online: Feburary 14, 2018

Honor and Awards: 

• Magna Cum Laude, University of Puerto Rico     
• Member of the Apha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society
• PR Senate Recognition as “Valor del Año en la Salud” for the contributions to the investigation on Hepatitis C on the island.                                                        
• AGA Institute Council Healthcare Disparities Research Award

Dr. Domenech is the Dental General Practice Residency Director. 

• Board Certification: National Dental Boards 1994
• Academic appointment:  Faculty Adhonorem  University of Puerto Rico School of Dental Medicine
• School Of Medicine: University of Puerto Rico School of Dental Medicine
• Where have you completed residency program? VA Caribbean Healthcare System 1995
• Are you affiliated with any professional group or society? Colegio Cirujanos Dentistas de Puerto Rico

Dr. Acevedo-Valles is the Program Director for Internal Medicine

• Board certifications: Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Disease | Master degree in Divinity From Seminiario Evangelico de PR
• Academic Appointment: San Juan Bautista, Associate Professor
• Areas of Interest: Heart Failure, End of Care Medicine, POCUS, Education in General, Interaction with Religion and Medicine
• School of Medicine: University of Puerto Rico
• Residency & Fellowship Program Completed: VA Caribbean Healthcare System
• Private Practice: Group Practice Cardio Care  | Privileges at Hospital Pavia and Hospital Ashford
• Affiliations: ACC, ACP, Sociedad Puertoriqueña de Cardiologia

Recent Publications: Grand Rounds, Case Report on a Patient with Para Valvular Leak post TAVR

Carlos A. Méndez is the Performance Improvement Coordinator for the VA Caribbean Healthcare System. 

• Academic appointment:  Assistant Professor, University of Puerto Rico, School of Pharmacy
• School Of Medicine: Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Science, Boston, MA (B.S.Ph.)
  Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL (Pharm.D.)
• Where have you completed residency program? VA Caribbean Healthcare System
• Are you affiliated with any professional group or society? American Society of Health System Pharmacists |  Colegio de Farmacéuticos de Puerto Rico

Dr. Soto-Quijano is the VA Training Program Director Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Residency Program. 

• Board certifications: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation | Sports Medicine | Electrodiagnostic Medicine | Registered in Musculoskeletal Ultrasound
• Academic Appointment: University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine | Universidad Central del Caribe  | Ponce Health School University | San Juan Bautista School of Medicine
• Areas of Interest: Musculoskeletal Medicine, Sports Medicine, Pain management
• School of Medicine: University of Puerto Rico
• Residency & Fellowship Program Completed: University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine
• Private Practice: Grupo Fisiátrico de Bayamón | Instituto San Pablo

Affiliations: 

• American Academy of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
• Association of Academic Physiatrists
• American College of Sports Medicine
• Asociación Puertorriqueña de Medicina Física y Rehabilitación
• Federación Puertorriqueña de Medicina Deportiva

Recent Publications: 

Soto Quijano DA, Otero Loperena E. Sacroiliac Joint Interventions. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America.  Volume 29 (1), Feb 2018, p 171-183

Soto Quijano DA. Editor. Promoting Health and Wellness in the Geriatric Patient. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America Volume 28, Issue 4, Pages 659–842 November 2017

Soto Quijano DA. The Competitive Senior Athlete. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America Volume 28, Issue 4, November 2017, p. 767-776

Lectures

Musculoskeletal Medicine: A Functional Approach to Shoulder Pain and Musculoskeletal Medicine: A Functional Approach to Hip Pain at the Puerto Rican Rheumatology Association Webinar, December 5, 2020

Dr. Gonzalez is the VA Training Program Director  for the Infectious Disease Residency Program. 

• Board certifications: Internal Medicine |  Infectious Diseases
• Academic Appointment: Instructor | University of PR
• Areas of Interest: Infectious Diseases
• School of Medicine: Universidad Central del Caribe
• Residency & Fellowship Program Completed: VA Caribbean Healthcare System
• Affiliations:  IDSA (Infectious Diseases Society of America), Sociedad de Enfermedades Infecciosas de PR

Dr. Cruz is the VACHS Associate Chief of Staff for Education. 

• Board certifications: Am Board of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation | Am Board of Pain Medicine
• Academic Appointment:  Assistant Professor, PMR Department, UPR School of Medicine | Associate Professor, PMR, University Central del Caribe School of Medicine | Associate Professor, PMR, San Juan Bautista School of Medicine
• Areas of Interest: Pediatric rehabilitation, cardiac rehabilitation, MSK medicine, Botulinum toxin, gait deviations, academic medicine
• School of Medicine: Universidad Central del Caribe, School of Medicine
• Residency Program Completed: VA Caribbean Healthcare System
• Private Practice: PMR Consultant, SER de Puerto Rico
• Affiliations:  Am Academy of PMR International Society of Physical Rehabilitation Medicine ORITEL

Recent Publications: 

• Cruz-Jimenez, M. (2021-04). Achy Shoulder After Sunset. In Painful Conditions of the Upper Limb. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. Retrieved 1 Jun. 2021
• Cruz-Jimenez, M., & Cuevas-Trisan, R. (2021-04). Ghostly White Hands That Come and Go. In Painful Conditions of the Upper Limb. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. Retrieved 1 Jun. 2021
• Cruz M, Borras I, Jimenez, A. Cardiac Rehabilitation. PMR Knowleldge Now. June 2021.
• Cruz M, Borras I, Merced F, Diaz C, Vazquez J. Solid Organ Transplant Rehabilitation.   PMR Knowleldge Now. June 2021
• Cruz M. Use of botulinum toxin in refractory post-traumatic bruxism: a case report.  Joint 2020 AAP Annual Meeting & ISPRM World Congress, Orlando Fl, March 2020
• Cruz M. Incorporation of upper extremity robotics in sub-acute rehabilitation stages: a case report. Joint 2020 AAP Annual Meeting & ISPRM World Congress, Orlando Fl, March 2020

Iadelisse Cruz, PharmD is the VACHS Pharmacy Clinical Preceptor. 

• Board certifications: BCGP
• Academic Appointment: Professor School of Pharmacy, University of Puerto Rico
• Areas of Interest: Cardiovascular, Geriatrics
• School of Medicine: University of Puerto Rico
• Residency & Fellowship Program Completed: VA Caribbean Healthcare System
• Affiliations:  ASCP, AACP, ASHP

Recent Publications: 

2021 - Servir, aprender y educar a la comunidad en tiempos de pandemia. Colegio de Farmacéuticos de Puerto Rico (página electrónica). Julio 2021.  Accedido 25 de mayo de 2022.

Revista En salud. Abril 2021 página 18. Acceded April 5, 2021.

Camareno Bárbara, Cruz-González Iadelisse. Uso de Inhibidores de la Bomba de Protones por Pacientes Adultos y su Asociación con la Incidencia de COVID-19 Revista Farmacéutica enero-marzo 2021, 80(1), Páginas 12-13.  Acceded  May 28, 2021.

Dr. Jose Sorrentino is the General Surgeon for the VACHS Surgery Service. 

• Board certifications: Board Certified in General Surgery
• Academic Appointment:  Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine | Associate Professor, Department of Surgery, Universidad Central del Caribe School of Medicine
• Areas of Interest: Oncologic Surgery; Surgical Endoscopy
• School of Medicine: University of Puerto Rico | 
• Residency & Fellowship Program Completed: VA Caribbean Healthcare System | Surgical Oncology Fellowship at Medical Center of Delaware | Advance Endoscopy Fellowship at University Of Louisville School  of Medicine

Affiliations: 

• American Cancer Society
• Commission on Cancer, American College of Surgeons
• American College of Surgeons
• Association of Veterans Administration Surgeons
• Society of Surgical Oncology
• Society for Surgery of The Alimentary Tract
• Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons

Recent Publications: 

Surveyor, Commission on Cancer approved programs. Surveyor, National Accreditation Program for Breast Cancer Programs. Cancer Liaison Physician, cancer Committee, VA Caribbean Healthcare System. 

Dr. Rodriguez is the VA Training Program Director Pulmonary and Critical Care Residency Program. 

• Board certifications: ABIM in IM, PD, CCM and Sleep Medicine
• Academic Appointment: Professor of Medicine, University of PR School of Medicine, Universidad Central del Caribe
• Areas of Interest: Asthma, Tuberculosis, ARDS, Mech ventilation, Sleep Medicine, Health care related disparities
• School of Medicine: University of Puerto Rico
• Residency & Fellowship Program Completed: VA Caribbean Healthcare System  Baylor College of Medicine
• Affiliations:  American Thoracic Society, American College of Physicians, American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Society of Critical Care Medicine

Recent Publications: 

Rodriguez-Cintron, W. et al. (2022) Don’t jump down my throat: gender gap in HPV vaccinations risk long term cancer threats, Expert Review of Vaccines, DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2022.2075850

Rodriguez-Cintron, W, et al. (2022) Lung cancer screening in community-based practice in PR: a survey of PR pulmonologists. PRHSJ. 4(3):161-164.