Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - Meet physicians, ask questions, learn about local labs, diagnostic centers and hospitals – any and every thing to do with your health and well-being - during the Vallarta Medical Matters Conference on February 11, 2013.

HealthCare Resources Puerto Vallarta, The US Consular Agency, the Marriott CasaMagna Resort and Sharp Hospitals are proud to be hosting some very distinguished physicians as featured speakers at this year's Medical Matters Conference, including:

Dr. Armando Joya

Dr. Joya was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco but has deep roots in the Puerto Vallarta area with a large family who are all involved with his extensive medical practice. He did his specialty in General Surgery at "Centro Medico Nacional" in Torreon, Coahuila and received further specialty training in laproscopic surgery at Baptist Hospital Surgery Center in Miami, Florida.

The list of the conventions, specialized trainings, and schools Dr. Joya has attended is long, covering the world from France to Germany to Brazil. He has performed more than 3,000 bariatric surgeries (lapband, sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass), more than 5,000 laproscopic surgeries, and more than 4,000 endoscopies and colonoscopies. People travel from all over North and South America for various types of surgeries, especially bariatric surgeries, to be performed by Dr. Joya.

At a recent "congress" hosted here in Puerto Vallarta which drew international laproscopic surgeons, there were "live surgeries" performed, where attendees were able to watch on the monitors inside the surgery suites the hands of various surgeons as they worked. One well-known surgeon was overheard saying, as he saw the hands of a surgeon working, "It is like watching a symphony." He did not know he was watching Dr. Joya working.

When asked why he chose the topic of the colon to speak on at the Medical Matters event this year, he said it was because there have been far too many recent diagnosis of colon cancer. We are extremely proud to have Dr. Joya be a speaker at Medical Matters. He will be speaking at 11:00 am in Salon VI.

Dra. Adi Dominguez de Alba

Dra. Adi Dominguez de Alba

Dra. Adi Dominguez is the youngest of eight children. She was the first physician in a family where most girls became teachers! She grew up in a border town and learned English by crossing the border every day to attend a Catholic school in San Diego.

She is a board-certified Psychiatrist who first graduated from medical school from the "Universidad Autonoma de Baja California." From there, Adi went on to complete her residency program as a Psychiatrist at the Instituto de Psiquiatria del Estado de Baja California.

In Mexico City, she studied Systemic Family Therapy at the largest psychiatric hospital in Latin America, the Hospital Psiquiatrico Fray Bernardino Alvarez. She went on to specialize in Geriatric Psychiatry, graduating with a degree from Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico.

Dra. Adi will be speaking on "Brain Preservation - The Facts About Alzheimers" which is a vital topic for everyone! She will be speaking at 11:00 am in Salon Mexico-Cozumel. We are very proud to have her at Medical Matters this year!

Dr. Carlos Garcia

Dr. Carlos Garcia

Dr. Carlos Garcia is a Urologist/Urology surgeon who has worked in Puerto Vallarta since 2000. He did his residency in general urology in Juarez Hospital in Mexico City, studies endo-urology and reconstructive urology in Monterrey as well as laproscopic and urologic surgery.

He was the first Mexican Urologist trained in the United States and Canada in the usage of "HIFU Sonablate 500 System (in 2004). In 2012, Dr. Garcia founded the Cystomed Advanced Urology Center in Hospital Amerimed here in Puerto Vallarta for the treatment of urologic cancer, kidney stones, urinary incontinence and care.

Dr. Garcia has four children, one of which (daughter) is his assistant in his medical practice. He love to sail in his spare time and as well, is an avid photographer. We are very proud to have Dr. Garcia participate in our speakers program in this year's Medical Matters. He will be speaking on "Current Trends in Prostate Cancer" at 3:00 pm in Salon Mexico-Cozumel.

Dra. Laura Garcia

Dra. Laura Garcia

Dra. Laura Garcia-Gutierrez is one of the most popular OB/GYN's in the area. She was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, moved to Puebla for her elementary schooling and then back to Guadalajara for high school. She studied medicine at the University of Guadalajara where she met and married Dr. Adolfo Curiel (cardiologist). They moved to Mexico City to do residencies, Dra. Laura in OB/GYN and she did as well, a post-grad in colposcopy and ultrasound.

She and her husband have two offices in the area, one at Clinica Innova (southside) and one at Hospital Amerimed. Dra. Laura was chosen, out of all of the OB/GYN's in Mexico to travel to New York City this past December to attend the Christmas party for the New Hope Fertility Clinic. What an honor!

Dra. Laura has two children, Regina, who is 9, and Eduardo, who is 6. When asked why she chose OB/GYN as a specialty, she says "Because I really like the relation that is between the patient and the physician and I think that all women need a female partner as a doctor, to trust and who understands your moods and feelings. And, of course, the miracle of life - which is awesome!" She will be speaking on "Pap Smears, Pelvic Exams and Papilloma - Women's Exams" at 10:00 am in Salon Mexico/Cozumel at Medical Matters. And we are proud to have her!

Dr. Miguel Saldaña

Dr. Miguel Saldaña

Dr. Saldaña is a gradate of the School of Medicine at the National Politechnical Institute in Mexico City, and did his residency in plastic and reconstructive surgery at the Centro Medico Nacional "Manuel Avila Camacho" at IMSS in Puebla.

He is board certified by the Consejo Mexicano de Cirugia Plastica, Estetica y Reconstructiva and is an active member in the Mexican Association of Asthetic and Reconstructive Plastic Surgery as well as the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.

He has performed thousands of successful surgeries and has the skill, artistry and background making him one of the leading plastic surgeons in Mexico. Dr. Saldaña places a primary emphasis on close, personal communication with all of his patients, believing the quality of the results begins with the quality of the relationship between patient and physician.

We are very proud to have Dr. Saldaña be part of the Speakers program at Medical Matters this year. His topic will be "Holy Cow! What Happened to Me? - Aging and some options for improving a few things." He will speak at 1:00 pm in Salon Mexico/Cozumel.

Mark your calendars now for Monday, February 11th, so you won't miss this year's Puerto Vallarta Medical Matters Conference!