Chief’s Welcome
Miriam Martinez, M.D. – Communications Chief Resident
Hi, everyone. I’m Miriam. I was born and raised in El Paso and am beyond happy to be in this residency program. We are so lucky to work with a very grateful community and patient population. There is so much to learn here, and we have the unique opportunity of practicing border medicine. The mountains are beautiful, the weather is sunny, and the people are kind. Please reach out if you have any questions.
Elio Morales, M.D. - Education Chief Resident
Hello everyone, my name is Elio. I am originally from Southern California. I have found El Paso to be an affordable and friendly place to live, and I enjoy that the traffic is light. We have a very appreciative patient population that I enjoy working with. If you are ever visiting El Paso and want to learn about the program or have questions about the area, let me know, and I’d be happy to talk.
Jessica Avila, M.D. - Administrative Chief Resident
Hi everyone, I’m Jessica. Initially from Albuquerque, New Mexico, I came down to El Paso for medical school. After working with our program during medical school, I knew I wanted to stay for residency.
That decision I would gladly make all over again. The attendings are approachable and truly enjoy teaching, the patients are grateful and easy to work with, our residents have a great schedule allowing for a work/life balance, and the program is very well established, being the oldest EM program in Texas.
Situated directly on the U.S.-Mexico border, we see very unique pathology from either side of the border and have the opportunity to develop skills in medical Spanish. Don’t let this concern you though, even residents who have never spoke Spanish are performing their own patient interview in their PGY2 year due to language immersion.
El Paso itself is a great community, whether you are raising a family, enjoy outdoor activities, social/night life, or travel. We also consistently rank in the top safest cities in the U.S.