Board Certification

  • Internal Medicine

Areas of Expertise

  • Internal Medicine
  • Hospital Medicine
  • Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
  • Health Care Quality Management
  • Physician Advisory
  • Transitions of Care

Education

Fellowship

Jackson Memorial Hospital
Miami, FL
2010 – 2012

Residency

Jackson Memorial Hospital
Miami, FL
2008 – 2010

Internship

Jackson Memorial Hospital
Miami, FL
2007 – 2008

Medical School

Universidad Nacional de Colombia
1995 – 2001

Undergraduate School

Colegio Santo Tomas de Aquino
1983 – 1994

Professional Associations

American College of Physicians (ACP)
Fellow

Medical Society of Northern Virginia (MSNV)
Member

American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians (ABQAURP)
Member

Hospitals Affiliated With

Virginia Hospital Center
Riverside Health System

Personal Interests

“The great blessings of my life include my wife, my family, and my career relating to music. I am a pianist. I’ve always considered that music has a tremendous therapeutic effect healing the mind and transforming lives. I have been able to share my music with my patients and their families in different settings. I am very devoted to my music and I enjoy playing the piano the same way in a formal recital or for a small group of patients in a local nursing home. For many years, I have been a proud member of different organizations for the promotion of art such as The Medical Music Group, The Friday Morning Music Club, and Opera America. In 2016, I participated as a soloist performing Colombian music to the United States Congress. This “Congressional Salute to Hospitalized Veterans” was organized by the Medical Musical Group and performed at the US Capitol building, Washington D.C. For more information please visit www.colompiano.com

My wife is a dentist and a superb musician as well. She plays the organ and the accordion. I enjoy my spare time performing with her. I enjoy traveling and finding quality time to share with my family in Colombia. I also have additional interest in theater, poetry, history, and literature.”

Biography

Dr. Alvaro Puig was born in Colombia. Upon earning his medical degree from Universidad Nacional de Colombia in 2001, Dr. Puig served in different health settings of South America gaining broad exposure in the medical field not only as an Internist, but also as an Emergency physician, lecturer, and researcher. He has coauthored several articles that have been published by major medical journals while working with international research groups in Colombia as well as the United States.

He moved to the United States for postgraduate education in Internal Medicine, Hospital Medicine and Endocrinology at the University of Miami-Jackson Memorial Hospital. Dr. Puig has additional training in Health Care, Quality and Management (HCQM), with subspecialty as a Physician Advisor, Health administration, Case Management and Transition of care models.

He is currently based in the metropolitan area of Washington, DC and his certifications include The American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM), and The American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians (ABQAURP).

Dr. Puig is a fellow of the American College of Physicians (ACP), Member of the Medical society of Northern Virginia, and holds a Professional Membership with the American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians (ABQAURP).

Dr. Puig is married to Colombian dentist Claudia Ardila. They share the love of medicine and music. Both are fluent in English and Spanish to complement their works and mission.
His research interest focuses on different fields of Internal Medicine, Primary care, Diabetes care, Cardiology, Transition of care models, and Medicine through Music.

Dr. Puig has been committed to social activities which has complemented his medical training. Being an accomplished pianist since childhood, He has participated in numerous cultural events, radio and television programs combining his profession as a physician and pianist with social works. He has actively participated in numerous festivals and musical venues in different regions of Latin-America the United States combining his medical profession with community social works.

He has participated in numerous recitals and master classes organized by different entities including the Embassies of Colombia, Mexico and Bolivia in Washington DC, the Colombian American Chamber of Virginia, and the prestigious “Friday Morning Music Group”, entity that has been actively performing concerts in the DMV metropolitan area for more than 135 years.

Publications

  • Altintas MM, Rossetti MM, Nayer B, Puig A, Zagallo P, Ortega L, Johnson K, McNamara G, Reiser J, Mendez A, Nayer A: Apoptosis, Mastocytosis, and Diminished Adipocytokine Gene Expression Accompany Reduced Epididymal Fat Mass in Long-Standing Diet-Induced Obese Mice. Lipids in Health and Disease 2011, 10:198
  • Umpierrez GE, Smiley D, Zisman A, Prieto LM, Palacio A, Ceron M, Puig A, Mejia R: Randomized study of basal-bolus insulin therapy in the inpatient management of patients with type 2 diabetes (RABBIT 2 trial). Diabetes Care 30:2181–2186, 2007.
  • Revista Metabolismo Oseo y Mineral. ACOMM, Hip fractures features: An objective of a clinical history analysis in three Colombian university hospitals., Enrique Ardila, Alvaro Puig, Farina Medina , et al., Publication Date: 12/2004 , Volume: 2, Pages: 155-160

Presentations at National/International Meetings/Poster Session

  • 10/2011: The University of Miami Obesity Symposium, Miami, Florida. “Apoptosis, mastocytosis, and diminished adipocytokine gene expression accompany reduced epididymal fat mass in long-standing diet-induced obese mice”.
  • 09/2011: ASBMR annual meeting, San Diego, California. “Hypercalcemia in the elderly: malignancy? An overview of Vitamin D intoxication”.
  • 09/2009: Florida chapter ACP scientific session, Tampa Florida: “Catastrophic Antiphospholipid Syndrome and Evan’s Syndrome, an unusual combination”.
  • 11/2006: The Insulin Congress, Washington D.C. USA. “Outcomes of Pramlitide Therapy in a Real-World Scenario”.
  • 08/2001. Primer congreso colombiano de Diabetes mellitus. Federacion diabetologica colombiana, Bogotá D.C. COLOMBIA “Associated factors to the development of diabetic nephropathy in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients”.