Natalie Anne Mariam Salas, MD

Biography

Dr. Natalie Mariam Salas is an Assistant Professor at the University of New Mexico, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases. Dr. Salas has been faculty at the University of New Mexico since 2017. She received her MD at Dubai Medical College for Girls in Dubai, UAE. Dr. Salas completed residency in internal medicine with an additional track in integrative medicine at the University of New Mexico followed by a fellowship in infectious diseases also completed at the University of New Mexico. Dr. Salas is board certified in Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases. Dr. Salas currently provides primary care for people living with HIV at UNM Truman Health Services and is the Program Director for the Infectious Diseases Fellowship.

Personal Statement

My primary academic interest is education. I have a deep interest in fostering love and understanding for Infectious Diseases at all stages of medical education. This is reflected in my work in both the medical school and multiple residencies across campus, but my main focus is the infectious diseases fellowship. The University of New Mexico has all the necessary elements to create a nationally acclaimed infectious diseases fellowship. It is my goal to make this vision a reality by developing and implementing a curriculum built on patient centered clinical excellence, with a focus on healthcare equity, diversity and reducing healthcare disparities. I have redesigned our yearly curriculum and conference schedules to align with this. I now plan to create national and international institutional alliances to provide educational excellence in the fields of transplant and tropical medicine as well as pioneer frontiers such as rural infectious diseases and LGBTQ health. Simultaneously, I will be involved in the divisional effort to implement clinical trials in the HIV and Outpatient Antimicrobial Therapy Clinics which will give our fellows unique research opportunities. My second academic and research interest is in healthcare disparities and clinical outcomes as they pertain to retention in HIV care. It is well demonstrated nationally that minorities living with HIV have poorer healthcare outcomes and less retention in care. At UNM we have the unique opportunity to care for many underrepresented minorities at Truman Health Services. I am focusing my research on developing effective methods for retaining vulnerable populations in care, including those with substance use disorders, unstable housing and the recently incarcerated, with a sub-focus on underrepresented minorities such as African and Native Americans. I plan to demonstrate the effective use of wrap around services to reduce hospital visits and improve HIV outcomes such as HIV viral suppression and increases in CD 4 counts.

Education

Medical School
2005
Dubai Medical College

Fellowship
Infectious Disease
2015
University of New Mexico School of Medicine

Fellowship
Infectious Disease
2017
University of New Mexico School of Medicine

Internship
Internal Medicine
2010
University of New Mexico School of Medicine

Residency
Internal Medicine
2013
University of New Mexico School of Medicine

Certification
American Board of Internal Medicine
2014-08-08

Certification
American Board of Internal Medicine, Infectious Disease
2018-11-15

Gender

Female