Ruben M. Lopez, MD, FACS

Dr Lopez has been practicing since July of 1999. He graduated from The University of Texas at Austin in 1985 and The University of Michigan Medical School in May of 1991. He completed a residency in General Surgery in June of 1996 at The University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, Texas where he also completed a Trauma Fellowship in June of 1997. His second Fellowship was completed at The Texas Heart Institute/M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas in June of 1999.
His first faculty position was at The University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston where he severed as a Clinical Instructor in Surgery. In this position he was active in the education of medical students, residents, and the Hermann Memorial Life Flight Program. He presently serves as Associate Professor of Surgery with The University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio where he his also active in the education of medical students, surgery residents, and Valley Air Care Flight Program with the Regional Academic Health Center (RACH) in Harlingen, Texas.
He also has been an instructor and course director for the Advanced Trauma and Life Support (ATLS) course since 1993. He became state faculty for ATLS in 2004. He has participated in several clinical research projects while affiliated with the RACH. He is a board member of the Trauma System Committee that helps oversee all trauma programs for the state of Texas with the Department of State Health Services in Austin, Texas. He is board certified by the American Board of Surgery and recently became a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons in 2007. He has been the Trauma Medical Director at Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen, Texas since 1999. He is active in various hospital committees. He is chairman of the Organ Donation Committee and the Co-Chairman of the Cardiac Care Committee. Currently he serves as the Chief of Surgery at VBMC. Dr. Lopez has been active in the USAR where he holds the rank of Lt. Colonel.
He has given various lectures and presentations in the field of Cardiovascular, Thoracic, and Trauma Surgery. He is a member of the Denton Cooley Caridiovascular Society, Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, American Medical Association, Texas Medical Association, and the Cameron-Willacy Medical Society.
He currently practices in the fields of Cardiovascular, Thoracic, Adult and Pediatric General Surgery with the emphasis in acute and chronic treatment of surgical diseases. He has performed over 1500 Laparoscopic Cholecystectomies and over 1500 open heart surgeries.