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342:, he was named Chancellor of the Medical Sciences Campus of The University of Puerto Rico. In January 2017, Ricardo Rosselló, Governor of Puerto Rico, appointed Rodríguez Mercado as Secretary of Health of Puerto Rico. In September 2017, he was appointed as Associate Professor of Surgery initially and them promoted in February 2019 to Adjunct Professor of Surgery at the
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since 1997. Currently (2018) he is
Professor of Neurosurgery at the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine and director of the Endovascular Neurosurgery Program of that institution. He also leads the same program at ASEM Stroke Medical Center and, since 2001, is the director of the Fellows
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on the island which included the case the agency had initially resisted on testing, as well as findings that the test samples were sent later than had been publicly announced, and that there had been documentation errors that caused subsequent delays in reporting. He was succeeded by interim
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Training
Program in Neuroendovascular Surgery at the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine. There, he has trained physicians from many countries in this specialty as well had lecture conferences in many countries and published papers in peer review journals.
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On 12 January 2017, he was appointed as 22nd
Secretary of Health of Puerto Rico by Governor Ricardo Rosselló. His tenure as Health Secretary was marred with criticism over the Health Department's handling of mayor emergencies which affected Puerto Rico such as
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397:. He was Commander of the 369th Army Reserve Hospital Surgical Unit. Currently (2017), he was Associate Professor of Surgery and promoted in February 2019 to Adjunct Professor of Surgery at the
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by setting a high bar on whom the tests should be performed. In one particular instance, an island doctor managed to convince the agency to test a patient only after pleading with CBS reporter
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Rodríguez
Mercado is a member of 15 international medical societies and has participated in several scientific research projects. Currently (2018) he is licensed to practice medicine in
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cases were increasing in other states and countries, Rodríguez
Mercado seemingly downplayed the urgency of the situation stating that the probability of a
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Conferenciantes: Sr. Rafael Rodríguez
Mercado, MD, FAANS, FACS, Rector Recinto de Ciencias Médicas de la UPR, 2009-2013 y Stroke Center Director.
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outbreak as well as questionable Health
Department contracts given to people associated with the governor's political campaign.
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Rafael
Rodriguez-Mercado, MD, FAANS, FACS - University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus - Professor Neurosurgery
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691:"Puerto Rican Doctor says department of health refuses to test patient which doctor believes has signs of coronavirus"
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Cumbre
Empresa Privada, Gobierno y Academia. Cámara de Comercio de Puerto Rico. 2013. Accessed 21 October 2018.
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1032:"PR Went Through 3 Health Secretaries This Month As COVID-19 Spread; Chief Epidemiologist Resigns"
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from 2017 until his resignation in 2020. Rodríguez
Mercado previously served as chancellor of the
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Rodríguez Mercado is married to medical technologist, Wanda Santiago Pimentel. He has one son.
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921:"Noticel: Piden la renuncia del Secretario de Salud tras expresiones sobre coronavirus"
851:"Puerto Rico sin coordinar respuesta masiva de trauma ante riesgo de nuevos terremotos"
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cases on the island grew, the agency resisted performing tests and sending them to the
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949:"Salud hará prueba a paciente del doctor Cabanillas con síntomas de coronavirus"
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287:. Rodríguez Mercado earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from the
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823:"1st MSC Command Surgeon nominated as Secretary of Health for Puerto Rico"
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Rodríguez Mercado was the first to practice Endovascular Neurosurgery in
1005:"Renuncia la secretaria interina de Salud, Concepción Quiñones de Longo"
893:"Salud asegura que es poco probable que el coronavirus llegue a la isla"
865:"Puerto Rico no ha enviado ni una sola prueba de coronavirus a los CDC"
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On March 13, 2020, under public pressure and at the behest of governor
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1st MSC Command Surgeon nominated as Secretary of Health for Puerto Ri
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Rodríguez Mercado began his military career in 1988. He served in the
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Panelists share global engagement successes at home and abroad .
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Recipients of the Meritorious Service Medal (United States)
991:"Pruebas de coronavirus en PR fueron enviadas tarde al CDC"
389:. He was from 2000 to 2006 also a staff neurosurgeon at
346:. In April 2019, was appointed Professor of Surgery at
977:"Gobernadora acepta renuncia del secretario de Salud"
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Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
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University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine alumni
676:outbreak in Puerto Rico was unlikely. As suspected
338:In 2010, after a year as Interim Chancellor at the
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Rio Piedras Campus of the University of Puerto Rico
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935:"Metro: Piden la renuncia del secretario de Salud"
340:University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus
269:University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus
837:"Rafael Rodríguez Mercado: el secretario ausente"
635:Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon
344:Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences
350:as part of his academic and military career.
8:
405:on an IMA position. In 2022 he received the
293:University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine
149:University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine
373:, Medical Corps, as Command Surgeon in the
1100:Members of the 17th Cabinet of Puerto Rico
1030:Serrano-Román, Angélica (March 27, 2020).
682:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
385:as Assistant Surgeon and Field Surgeon at
355:Fellow of the American College of Surgeons
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20:
1175:United States Army Medical Corps officers
907:"Salud no espera llegada del coronavirus"
594:Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal
57:January 2, 2017 – March 13, 2020
545:
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359:American Board of Neurological Surgeons
297:State University of New York at Buffalo
158:State University of New York at Buffalo
16:Puerto Rican endovascular neurosurgeon
611:Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
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1125:Secretaries of Health of Puerto Rico
1120:21st-century Puerto Rican physicians
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783:
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291:, and a Doctor of Medicine from the
283:. He graduated from High School at
643:Secretary of Health of Puerto Rico
265:Secretary of Health of Puerto Rico
45:Secretary of Health of Puerto Rico
14:
1155:University of Puerto Rico faculty
1130:Recipients of the Legion of Merit
963:"Renuncia el Secretario de Salud"
263:and military officer. He was the
1170:21st-century American physicians
1165:20th-century American physicians
584:with one silver oak leaf cluster
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348:Ponce Health Sciences University
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798:Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce
689:@DavidBegnaud (March 8, 2020).
391:Walter Reed Army Medical Center
1110:Puerto Rican military officers
599:National Defense Service Medal
279:Rodríguez Mercado was born in
1:
1190:Puerto Rican military doctors
1140:United States Army reservists
1105:Military personnel from Ponce
1145:University at Buffalo alumni
1011:(in Spanish). March 26, 2020
722:Concepción Quiñones de Longo
625:with bronze Hourglass Device
94:Concepción Quiñones de Longo
375:1st Mission Support Command
245:1st Mission Support Command
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664:COVID-19 Outbreak Response
621:Armed Forces Reserve Medal
395:Brooke Army Medical Center
383:Puerto Rico National Guard
379:Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico
371:United States Army Reserve
219:United States Army Reserve
99:Lorenzo González Feliciano
1075:Rafael Rodriguez-Mercado.
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563:Meritorious Service Medal
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140:University of Puerto Rico
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760:Kaiser Family Foundation
275:Early life and education
257:Rafael Rodríguez Mercado
204:United States of America
25:Rafael Rodríguez Mercado
568:Army Commendation Medal
357:and a Diplomate of the
353:Rodríguez Mercado is a
1160:American neurosurgeons
753:"Panelist Biographies"
580:Army Achievement Medal
1185:Puerto Rican surgeons
1180:20th-century surgeons
1115:Physicians from Ponce
1009:Telemundo Puerto Rico
811:Article in “Noticel”
713:Wanda Vázquez Garced
413:Military decorations
70:Wanda Vázquez Garced
630:Army Service Ribbon
285:Colegio San Conrado
162:Colegio San Conrado
82:Ana Ríus Armendáriz
572:with three bronze
403:Bethesda, Maryland
281:Ponce, Puerto Rico
259:is a Puerto Rican
120:Ponce, Puerto Rico
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243:Command Surgeon
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109:Personal details
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66:Ricardo Rosselló
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381:. He served in
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261:neurosurgeon
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172:Neurosurgeon
89:Succeeded by
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1090:1961 births
791:"Biography"
707:Resignation
333:Puerto Rico
309:Puerto Rico
77:Preceded by
1084:Categories
736:References
720:secretary
193:Allegiance
178:Profession
168:Occupation
135:Alma mater
96:(interim)
1041:April 24,
1015:April 24,
182:Physician
53:In office
717:COVID-19
678:COVID-19
674:COVID-19
670:COVID-19
658:COVID-19
317:New York
126:Children
62:Governor
699:Twitter
409:medal.
325:Florida
234:Colonel
331:, and
794:(PDF)
756:(PDF)
695:Tweet
321:Texas
1043:2020
1017:2020
393:and
240:Unit
225:Rank
153:M.D.
144:B.S.
117:1961
114:Born
668:As
401:at
377:at
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