Robert F. Melendez MD, MBA

Robert F. Melendez, MD, MBA was born in New Mexico with over 10 generations from Placitas, NM. He grew up in California and met his wife while visiting family in New Mexico and decided to be with her and attended the University of New Mexico (UNM) where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and conducted extensive research where he was accepted to the prestigious Howard Hughes Research Program and published a paper that was featured on the cover of the journal, Developmental Biology. After graduation, he attended graduate school where he earned a Master’s degree in Biochemistry where he pursued his passion for teaching and research. He attended UNM School of Medicine where he received the Khatali award given to 5 medical students who excelled in academics, research, and/or community service.

He was fortunate enough to train at the Cleveland Clinic during medical school conducting vision research on cataract surgery where he completed the project at his medical school and presented it and won first place for the best oral presentation at the Western Research Conference in Carmel, CA in 2000. He was accepted to his first choice ophthalmology residency at The University of Texas Health Sciences Center where he continued his cataract research and presented several times at scientific meetings.