The entire surgical team, including members from UVA and Santo Domingo. All team members are volunteers.
UVA Division of Cardiovascular Medicine faculty members, Pamela Mason, MD, and Rohit Malhotra, MD, visited the Dominican Republic in February 2025 to provide medical care for vulnerable patients. Sami Ibrahim, MD, a cardiac electrophysiology fellow, joined the team this year to learn about global healthcare.
This annual trip includes clinical care, implanting defibrillators and pacemakers, device interrogation training for staff and residents, and presentation of grand rounds at the Universidad Iberoamericana. The philanthropic partner, Heart Care Dominicana, and physician partners, Drs. Eliany Mejia-Lopez and Pedro Urena, provide long-term follow-up and care for these patients. This annual medical mission has been ongoing since 2019.
