Our Core Faculty & Staff
Program Director
Dr. John Andazola
John Andazola, M.D., FAAFP, is Program Director for the Southern New Mexico Family Medicine Residency Program in Las Cruces, New Mexico; Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center in Alamogordo, New Mexico; and now Hidalgo Medical Services in Silver City, New Mexico. He received his M.D. from the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. He completed his Family Medicine residency at the Southern New Mexico Family Medicine Residency Program, a fellowship in Advanced Hospital Training for Family Physicians in Phoenix, and a Faculty Development Fellowship at the University of Arizona.
Dr. Andazola has been involved in academic medicine his entire career and has presented at numerous local, state, and national conferences. He has authored several book chapters and peer reviewed publications. He is President of the board for New Mexico Primary Care Training Consortium, Past President of the New Mexico Academy of Family Physicians, and a board member of Center for Health Innovation (New Mexico’s Public Health Institute). He is also an inaugural member of National Physician Advisory Board for LifePoint Health. He is dedicated to improving health of the communities he serves by increasing equity, inter-professional training, and social accountability in medical education.
Dr. Andazola has numerous state, and national awards that recognize his contributions to public service, and to the community.
FMRP Associate Program Director
Dr. Salvador Adame-Zambrano
Medical Faculty
Dr. Pedro Armendariz
Pedro Armendariz, M.D., completed his Family Medicine Residency with HMS and is board certified in Family Medicine. Dr. Armendariz is a native of Juarez, Chihuahua but was raised in Hardesty, a rural town in the Oklahoma Panhandle. He has taken on the new position of Senior Services Medical Director and sees patients in Silver City, Lordsburg and will also be doing home visits. Dr. Armendariz received a Bachelor's with a major in Biology and a minor in chemistry from Oklahoma Panhandle State University. Dr. Armendariz earned his medical degree from the Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara and later completed a pre-internship program at New York Medical College. Before coming to Silver City, Dr. Armendariz was practicing in Poplar Montana for Indian Health Services as a medical officer in general practice. His three children, ages fifteen, twelve and eight have adapted well to Silver City so he and his wife are thankful to stay in this community . They have enjoyed being a part of Silver City for the last couple of years and now consider it home. In addition to English, Dr. Armendariz also speaks Spanish.
Behavioral Health Faculty
Dr. Teresa Arizaga
Teresa Arizaga, M.D., is the Chief Mental Health Officer at Hidalgo Medical Services. A native New Mexican, Dr. Teresa Arizaga learned the importance of serving her community and medical profession at a young age. As practitioners in the medical field, her parents were instrumental in instilling a good work ethic, compassionate care and a people centered approach in her practice. Dr. Arizaga is a product of the Silver Schools (Class of 1991) and obtained her B.A. in Psychology and Chemistry from New Mexico State University. Choosing to remain in New Mexico to be near her family, she earned her M.D. in 2000, completing her residency in psychiatry in 2004 from the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. She practiced at Gila Regional Medical Center beginning in 2005 and remained there for 15 years. She also ran a part time private practice for several years in Silver City, NM.
It is her hope to continue developing best practices with existing programs and to collaborate with GRMC, county detention centers, local providers, and with others. It is her vision to enhance behavioral health systems for children as well as proactive measures that can come with outpatient support, including drug and alcohol treatment. She believes that together, the potential for continued high quality behavioral health systems can be attained.
Program Coordinator
Amanda Castillo
Amanda Castillo serves the HMS Family Medicine Residency Program as Program Coordinator. She is an East Coast transplant to New Mexico since 2015 and is enjoying her time working at HMS and serving the Silver City community. She works daily with Drs. Nelson, Arizaga, and Ferguson to ensure quality graduate medical education at HMS. She is a member of the HMS C.A.R.E Team. Mrs. Castillo is honored to be a Member of the Advisory Board for the FORWARD NM Area Health Education Center (AHEC). Mrs. Castillo received her Bachelors in Biology from Arcadia University in Glenside, PA. Amanda lives in the mining district with her husband Mark and her sons Marky and Gideon. She enjoys cooking, yoga, hiking, camping, and traveling.