Dr. Elizama Montalvo brings a wealth of diverse training and a philosophy of patient empowerment to her Puerto Rico based practice. A Board-Certified Family Practitioner and a Classical Homeopathic & Acupuncture Physician, Dr. Montalvo integrates various disciplines and modalities to offer thorough, informed diagnosis treatment and educate. Enrolling patients in the process of recovery and wellness, she equips them with sound nutritional programs and tools to make healthy lifestyle changes. Changes that she adopted to her own life nearly 20 years ago, when she realized the strong connection between health and whole foods, stress management and spirituality. On February 2015, she become the first medical doctor in Puerto Rico to receive her board certification in Integrative Medicine.
Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Dr. Montalvo graduated cum laude with a major in Chemistry from the University of Puerto Rico in Mayaguez. She became a Doctor of Medicine after four years of study at the Universidad Central del Caribe Medical School, in Bayamon Puerto Rico and did her post doctorate training in the Family Medicine Residency Program as part as Department of Social Medicine at Montefiore Hospital & Medical Center in the Bronx. It is at Montefiore, where she was exposed to “alternative ways of healing”, mind-body therapies, homeopathy, acupuncture and how social issues affects the health of an individual and communities. She is eternally grateful, because that desire of finding ways to assist people to this day continues. Since the impact of Hurricane Maria, she and others members of the community, created a non profit organization, Boricua Barefoot Doctors, which have for a goal to educate and provide services to members of different communities around the archipelago of Puerto Rico, with self care tools, like auriculotherapy, reiki, and mind-body medicine techniques.
Five years of training in Classical Homeopathy prepared Dr.Montalvo to offer patients this whole system of care and complimentary approaches to curing illness and promoting good health. This mission began with Introduction to Homeopathic Medicine, a two-year program at the Atlantic Academy of Homeopathic Studies in New York City. She studied for another two years with the Dynamis School of Advanced Homeopathic Studies in London, then moved on to the New England School of Homeopathic Studies in Massachusetts. Dr. Montalvo has completed several advanced seminars since that time, including; “Homeopathy and Attention Deficit Disorder” with Dr. Paul Herscu in New York City and Another with Vassilis Ghegas, M.D. in Cape Cod Massachusetts. She has completed her Certification of Mind-Body Medicine and courses in Cancer Guides, Food As Medicine 1 & 2; and Mind, Mood & Food, under auspices of The Institute for Mind Body Medicine in Washington D.C.
A Diplomat of the American Board of Family Practice since 1990, Dr. Montalvo practiced, End of Life Care at Guadalupe Hospice, in Ponce Puerto Rico, until December 2011. In 2011, she received a certification from Cornell University in Plant Base Nutrition. Currently is focusing on several projects that includes her private practice in Ponce; and some teaching projects to the community at large using the platform of Slow Food organization and the Slow Healing campaign. Dr. Montalvo considers herself, a ” Whole Food Advocate”. Her wide-range of experience enables her to provide caring and expert treatment to patients from all walks of life facing a vast array at Leake Watts Children Services, Lincoln Medical Services and the Sidney Hillman Health Center, The Door Adolescent Health Services , all in New York City, also in Migrant health Center Western Region Inc. under the auspices of the National Health Services Corp. in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. Currently, Dr. Montalvo hold appointments as an assistant professor at the Ponce School of Medicine, where she help forming future doctors and exposed them to Integrative Medicine with emphasis in self-care for the medical students. At the Universidad Central del Caribe (UCC) School of Medicine was medical director of the CUMIC ( Centro Universitario de Medicina Integral y Complementaria ), Bayamon, Puerto Rico. She has a certification in Herbal Medicine from RoseMary Gladstar Herbal Program.
