As the crow flies, the Pojoaque Primary Care Center is about 20 miles from New Mexico’s 400-plus-year-old capital, Santa Fe, with its art galleries, well-known opera and tourist destinations. But it’s 45 minutes by car from Dr. Mario Pacheco’s home on Santa Fe’s south side.
With roots in a small northern New Mexico town himself, Pacheco makes the drive from Santa Fe to serve a rural clientele that largely comes from the greater Pojoaque Valley. “I’m serving patients that I could really see as being my uncle or my aunt or my dad or my mom,” he said. “These are people who can relate to me and I can relate to them.”
kAm}6H |6I:4@ 92D 2 D6G6C6 D9@CE286 @7 962=E9 42C6 H@C<6CD =:<6 !24964@[ A2CE:4F=2C=J 😕 E96 DE2E6’D CFC2= 2?5 7C@?E:6C 2C62D[ H96C6 2 E9:C5 @7 E96 DE2E6’D a]` >:==:@? A6@A=6 =:G6] {2H>2<6CD 2?5 E96 8@G6C?@C :?G6DE65 >:==:@?D E@ 4=@D6 E96 82A 62C=:6C E9:D J62C[ 3FE 25G@42E6D D2J :E’D ?@E 6?@F89]k^Am
kAm“(6 5@?’E 92G6 6?@F89 5@4E@CD 2?JH96C6 😕 }6H |6I:4@[ 3FE 6DA64:2==J 😕 CFC2= }6H |6I:4@[” !24964@ D2:5]k^Am
kAm%96 492==6?86 😀 =2C86i 😕 yF=J E96 DE2E6 H2D D9@CE `[___ A9JD:4:2?D 2?5 2=>@DE f[___ ?FCD6D[ 244@C5:?8 E@ AF3=:D965 ;@3 2??@F?46>6?ED 2C@F?5 E96 DE2E6]k^Am
kAmp?5 E96 ?665 😀 @?=J 6IA64E65 E@ 8C@H 2D 323J 3@@>6CD C6E:C6 2?5 DEC2:? E96 2=C625J @G6C3FC56?65 DJDE6>[ H:E9@FE 2 8F2C2?E66 E92E 2 ?6H 86?6C2E:@? H:== C6A=246 C6E:C:?8 >65:42= AC@76DD:@?2=D] tG6CJ DE2E6 😀 4@?7C@?E:?8 E@@ 76H >65:42= AC@76DD:@?2=D] %92E >62?D }6H |6I:4@ 4@>A6E6D ?2E:@?2==J[ 6G6? :?E6C?2E:@?2==J[ 7@C 2 E@@D>2== A@@= @7 ?FCD6D[ 5@4E@CD[ 2?5 @E96C 962=E9 H@C<6CD]k^Am
kAmpD :E ?@H DE2?5D[ ?@E 6G6CJ@?6 36=:6G6D }6H |6I:4@ 😀 H6== A@D:E:@?65 7@C E96 9:89DE2<6D 4@>A6E:E:@?]k^Am
kAm!@=:4J>2<6CD 😕 $2?E2 u6[ E96 DE2E6’D 42A:E2=[ 2AAC@G65 2 3F586E E9:D J62C E92E H@F=5 AFE >@C6 >@?6J 😕 A9JD:4:2?D’ A@4<6ED 2?5 C65F46 E96:C 4@DED] %96J 6G6? D6E FA 2 7F?5 E92E H@F=5 AC@G:56 Sg_ >:==:@? @G6C E9C66 J62CD E@ 96=A 6IA2?5 @C DE2CE CFC2= 962=E9 42C6 3FD:?6DD6D]k^Am
kAmqFE E9@D6 DE6AD 92G6 4@>6 282:?DE 2 324<5C@A @7 9:DE@C:4 DE2E6 DFCA=FD6D[ 2?5 H6C6?’E =2C86 6?@F89 E@ 4=@D6 D:8?:7:42?E 567:4:ED E92E >2<6 @E96C DE2E6D >@C6 2EEC24E:G6]k^Am
kAmxE 5:5?’E 96=A E92E v@G] |:496==6 {F;2? vC:D92>[ 2 s6>@4C2E[ DECF4< 2 AC@G:D:@? >62?E E@ 96=A C6E2:? 962=E9 42C6 H@C<6CD 😕 CFC2= 2C62D 😕 @>?:3FD E2I =68:D=2E:@? E92E D96 8FEE65 H:E9 =:?6:E6> G6E@6D] W{2DE >@?E9[ 76==@H s6>@4C2E[ #6A] |:8F6= v2C4:2 @7 p=3FBF6CBF6 2?5 E96 DA@?D@C @7 E96 CFC2= 962=E9 42C6 E2I 4C65:E 492==6?865 E96 8@G6C?@C’D G6E@6D 😕 DE2E6 4@FCE]Xk^Am
kAm“(6’G6 8@E E@ 5@ 6G6CJE9:?8 H6 42?[” D2:5 {:?52 $:68=6[ 2 C68:DE6C65 =@33J:DE 7@C E96 ?FCD:?8 2DD@4:2E:@? H9@ 92D H@C<65 @? 962=E9 42C6 :DDF6D 7@C E96 36EE6C A2CE @7 c_ J62CD]k^Am
kAmp??:6 yF?8[ 6I64FE:G6 5:C64E@C @7 E96 }6H |6I:4@ |65:42= $@4:6EJ[ E96 AC@76DD:@?2= 2DD@4:2E:@? 7@C A9JD:4:2?D[ 28C665 E96C6 😀 ?@ D:=G6C3F==6E D@=FE:@?] “(6 ?665 E96 D9@E8F? 2AAC@249]”k^Am
kAmr@>A2C65 E@ E96:C FC32? 4@F?E6CA2CED[ CFC2= }6H |6I:42?D 62C? =6DD[ A6C 42A:E2[ 2?5 76H6C 92G6 62C?65 9:89 D49@@= 5:A=@>2D] %96 =24< @7 5@4E@CD[ ?FCD6D 2?5 @E96C 962=E9 42C6 H@C<6CD 😕 E96 DA2CD6=J A@AF=2E65 C62496D @7 CFC2= }6H |6I:4@ 6I246C32E6D A6CD:DE6?E 962=E9 :?6BF:E:6D]k^Am
kAmp a_`h 2DD6DD>6?E 3J }6H |6I:4@’D CFC2= 962=E9 A=2??:?8 H@C<:?8 8C@FA 😀 D@36C:?8] %96 DE2E6’D CFC2= 4@>>F?:E:6D 92G6 =@H6C =:76 6IA64E2?4J[ 6IA6C:6?4:?8 9:896C C2E6D @7 5:D23:=:EJ[ 962CE 5:D62D6[ 42?46C[ 5:236E6D[ 2?5 49C@?:4 =:G6C 5:D62D6]k^Am
kAm|2?J CFC2= }6H |6I:42?D 5C:G6 =@?8 5:DE2?46D E@ 8@ E@ 2 9@DA:E2= @C 2 AC:>2CJ 42C6 4=:?:4 @C E@ 2446DD 32D:4 >65:42= D6CG:46Di =23 H@C<[ IC2JD[ A92C>24:6D]k^Am
kAm“xE’D 2 9F86 32CC:6C[” !24964@ D2:5 @7 E96 EC2?DA@CE2E:@? 492==6?86D CFC2= C6D:56?ED 7246] “&DF2==J[ :7 J@F’C6 `d >:?FE6D =2E6[ J@FC 2AA@:?E>6?E 86ED 42?46=65] $@ H92E :7 E96C6’D 2 42C 244:56?En (92E :7 J@FC 42C 3C62<D 5@H? … x 92G6 A6@A=6 EC2G6=:?8 😕 EH@ 2?5 2 92=7 9@FCD] x’== ?6G6C 42?46= E9@D6 2AA@:?E>6?ED]”k^Am
kAmp?5 7@C86E 92:=:?8 2 C:56] “*@F 5@?’E ;FDE 42== 2? &36C[” D2:5 |2EE96H !C@3DE[ 2 A9JD:4:2?’D 2DD:DE2?E H@C<:?8 2E E96 D49@@=32D65 962=E9 46?E6C 2E (6DE {2D ‘682D w:89] x? 255:E:@? E@ 4=:?:42= H@C<[ !C@3DE D6CG6D 2D E96 s:C64E@C @7 r@>>F?:EJ #FC2= t?8286>6?E 7@C E96 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 }6H |6I:4@’D w62=E9 $4:6?46D r6?E6C] w6 492>A:@?D E96 4C62E:@? @7 2 “9F3 2?5 DA@<6D” EC2?DA@CE2E:@? DJDE6> E@ 96=A A6@A=6 EC2G6= E@ FC32? 46?E6CD H96C6 E96J 42? 2446DD 4=:?:4D[ =23D[ 2?5 9@DA:E2=D]k^Am
kAmq@E9 !C@3DE 2?5 !24964@ 25G@42E6 7@C “8C@H:?8 @FC @H?” 962=E9 42C6 H@C<7@C46 — C64CF:E:?8 A6@A=6 >@C6 =:<6=J E@ =:G6 😕 CFC2= }6H |6I:4@]k^Am
kAm!C@3DE 7@F?565 $6>:==2D 56 $2=F5[ 2 AC@8C2> 2E 2 4=:?:4 32D65 😕 {2D ‘682D[ }]|][ E92E 65F42E6D 2?5 >6?E@CD J@F?8 A6@A=6 E@ E9:?< @7 962=E9 42C6 ;@3D 2D H:E9:? E96:C C6249] !2CE:4F=2C=J :>A@CE2?E 😀 E92E E96J D66 A6@A=6 7C@> E96:C @H? 4@>>F?:E:6D 5@:?8 962=E9 42C6 H@C<] “%96 >6?E@CD 2C6 A6@A=6 =:<6 >6[” 96 D2:5[ “D@ E96J =@@< 2E >6 2?5 D2J[ H6==[ x 42? 5@ :E…96 E2=<D =:<6 >6[ 96 =@@<D =:<6 >6[ 96’D 8@E E92E 3:8 2446?E E92E 96 5@6D?’E 4@G6C FA]”k^Am
kAm“#64CF:E:?8 @FC 962=E9 42C6 H@C<7@C46 7C@> CFC2= }6H |6I:4@ H@F=5 8@ 2 =@?8 H2J E@H2C5D E96 =:<6=:9@@5 @7 A6@A=6 AC24E:4:?8 😕 E9@D6 2C62D[” D2:5 !24964@[ H9@ DA6?5D 2 A@CE:@? @7 9:D E:>6 6G6CJ H66< 2D 5:C64E@C @7 &}|’D w62=E9 tIE6?D:@? #68:@?2= ~77:46D] “]]] E96C6’D 2 ?F>36C @7 2AAC@2496D 2?5 E96C6’D 2 =@E @7 8@@5 AC@8C2>D[ 3FE E96C6’D ;FDE ?@E 6?@F89 @7 E96> 2?5 E96C6’D ?@E 6?@F89 DFAA@CE 7@C :E]”k^Am
kAm}6H |6I:4@’D CFC2= 962=E9 42C6 E2I 4C65:E 😀 @?6 H2J DE2E6 =6256CD ECJ E@ C6E2:? AC24E:E:@?6CD 😕 CFC2= 2C62D] rFCC6?E=J[ 46CE2:? EJA6D @7 >65:42= AC@76DD:@?2=D BF2=:7J :7 E96J AC24E:46 2 DA64:7:65 ?F>36C @7 9@FCD 😕 2 CFC2= @C F?56CD6CG65 2C62]k^Am
kAm“tG6CJE9:?8’D >@C6 6IA6?D:G6 😕 E96 4@F?ECJ[ C:89En” D2:5 !C@3DE[ H9@ 92D C646:G65 E96 E2I 4C65:E 6249 J62C] “(96E96C E92E’D 82D[ :E E2<6D >@C6 >:=6D E@ 86E E@ A=246D[ 6E4] $@ :E’D 2 H2J E@ <:?5 @7 6G6? E96 A=2J:?8 7:6=5 😕 E6C>D @7 5:DEC:3FE:@? 😕 }6H |6I:4@[ @7 H96C6 962=E9 42C6 H@C<6CD 2C6]”k^Am
kAmtIA2?5:?8 6=:8:3:=:EJ 7@C E96 E2I 4C65:E E@ 2 H:56C D6E @7 AC@76DD:@?D 😀 2 =@?8DE2?5:?8 C64@>>6?52E:@? @7 E96 }6H |6I:4@ w62=E9 r2C6 (@C<7@C46 r@>>:EE66] %9:D J62C[ =2H>2<6CD 6>3C2465 E92E DF886DE:@?] w25 E96 8@G6C?@C ?@E G6E@65 E96 6IA2?565 E2I 4C65:E[ 2 ?6H D6E @7 962=E9 42C6 H@C<6CD 4@F=5 4=2:> E96 4C65:E ?6IE J62C — A92C>24:DED[ 3692G:@C2= 962=E9 2?5 A9JD:42= E96C2A:DED[ C68:DE6C65 ?FCD6D[ 2?5 D@4:2= H@C<6CD]k^Am
kAm“%96D6 7:G6 AC@76DD:@?D 2C6 <:?5 @7 6DD6?E:2= H@C<6CD[” D2:5 v2C4:2[ E96 >62DFC6’D DA@?D@C H9@ 😀 DF:?8 E96 8@G6C?@C 😕 4@FCE]k^Am
kAmv2C4:2 >256 2 DA64:2= A@:?E @7 9@H :>A@CE2?E ?FCD6D H6C6 5FC:?8 E96 r~’xs`h A2?56>:4] “W#68:DE6C65 ?FCD6DX H6C6 2E E96 7C@?E=:?6[ 😕 E96 EC6?496D[ 92G:?8 E@ 562= H:E9 E96 r~’xs 27E6C67764ED[” 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAmv2C4:2 564=:?65 E@ 4@>>6?E @? 9:D =2HDF:E F?E:= E96 @FE4@>6[ 3FE 😕 2 AC6DD C6=62D6 9:D 2EE@C?6J[ 7@C>6C $E2E6 $6?] y24@3 r2?56=2C:2[ D2:5 E96 8@G6C?@C 5:5?’E 92G6 E96 2FE9@C:EJ E@ =:?6:E6> G6E@ 2 E2I 3:==]k^Am
kAmt2C=:6C E9:D J62C[ E96 8@G6C?@C[ AF3=:4=J 2?5 E9C@F89 2 DA@<6DA6CD@? E@ }6H |6I:4@ x? s6AE9[ D2:5 D96 >256 E96 G6E@6D @FE @7 4@?46C? E92E[ E2<6? E@86E96C[ E96 >@?6J E92E H@F=5 ?@E 36 4@==64E65 5F6 E@ E96 >62DFC6D 4@F=5 :>A6C:= E96 DE2E6’D =@?8E6C> 7:D42= 962=E9]k^Am
kAm~?6 E2I >62DFC6 {F;2? vC:D92> 5:5?’E DE2?5 😕 E96 H2J @7 H2D E96 6=:>:?2E:@? @7 }6H |6I:4@’D G6CD:@? @7 2 D2=6D E2I @? 565F4E:3=6D 2?5 4@A2J>6?ED A2:5 3J A6@A=6 H:E9 AC:G2E6 :?DFC2?46] x? D@>6 4@F?E:6D[ E96 E2I C62496D gT[ 2?5 3J =2H :E 42?’E 36 25565 3J >65:42= AC@G:56CD E@ 2 A2E:6?E’D 3:==] xE H2D 2 “72?E2DE:4” DE6A E92E 25G@42E6D 925 366? ECJ:?8 E@ 86E 7@C `e J62CD[ yF?8 D2:5]k^Am
kAmqFE H9:=6 24<?@H=658:?8 =2H>2<6CD’ AC@8C6DD E9:D J62C[ E96 >65:42= D@4:6EJ 6I64FE:G6 5:C64E@C D2:5 >F49 >@C6 ?665D E@ 36 5@?6]k^Am
kAm{2H>2<6CD 2==@42E65 Sg_ >:==:@? @G6C E9C66 J62CD E@ 96=A 4@>A2?:6D 😕 CFC2= 2C62D H9@ D6CG6 |65:42C6 2?5 |65:42:5 C64:A:6?ED 6IA2?5 D6CG:46D @C @A6? E96:C 5@@CD — 5@H? 7C@> 2? :?:E:2= C6BF6DE 7@C Sa__ >:==:@? 😕 2 J62C H:E9 2? F?AC64656?E65 3F586E DFCA=FD]k^Am
kAm%96J :?4C62D65 E96 2>@F?E @7 >@?6J E96 DE2E6 H:== C6:>3FCD6 >65:42= AC@76DD:@?2=D 7@C AC@G:5:?8 |65:42:5 7F?565 D6CG:46D]k^Am
kAm|65:42:5[ E96 ?2E:@?2= 962=E9 :?DFC2?46 AC@8C2> 7@C =@H:?4@>6 A6@A=6[ 😀 “E96 4@C?6CDE@?6” @7 >@DE >65:42= AC24E:46D[ yF?8 D2:5] w2=7 @7 }6H |6I:4@’D A@AF=2E:@? 😀 6?C@==65]k^Am
kAmqFE E96 ?6H |65:42:5 C6:>3FCD6>6?E C2E6D 2C6 DE:== =@H6C E92? 😕 DFCC@F?5:?8 DE2E6D =:<6 pC:K@?2[ yF?8 D2:5[ H9:49 >2<6D :E 92C56C E@ 4@?G:?46 A9JD:4:2?D E@ AC24E:46 😕 }6H |6I:4@] “xE’D 2 9F86 3F>A[ 2?5 H:== 96=A E96 4FCC6?E AC@G:56CD[ 3FE @FC `__T 😀 @?=J f_T @7 pC:K@?2[” D96 D2:5] “]]] %96 C6:>3FCD6>6?E C2E6 😕 E96 DE2E6 92D 8@E E@ 36 :?4C62D65]”k^Am
kAm{2H>2<6CD 2=D@ :?4C62D65 E96 DE2E6 =@2? C6A2J>6?E AC@8C2> 7@C A9JD:4:2?D H9@ AC24E:46 😕 F?56CD6CG65 2C62D]k^Am
kAmqFE =2H>2<6CD 2AAC@AC:2E65 ;FDE 92=7 @7 E96 2>@F?E E96 8@G6C?@C C6BF6DE65] p44@C5:?8 E@ =68:D=2E:G6 2?2=JDED[ E96C6 H6C6 ech 6=:8:3=6 2AA=:42?ED =2DE J62C[ 3FE @?=J cc ?6H 2H2C5D H6C6 >256 3642FD6 @7 E96 2G2:=23=6 3F586E]k^Am
kAms2E2 $:68=6 AC6D6?E65 E@ E96 {68:D=2E:G6 w62=E9 2?5 wF>2? $6CG:46D r@>>:EE66 😕 yF=J D9@HD >2?J >@C6 A6@A=6 2AA=J E@ ?FCD:?8 D49@@= E92? 2C6 25>:EE65[ @C H9@ 24EF2==J 8C25F2E6]k^Am
kAm{2H>2<6CD 92G6 >256 D:8?:7:42?E :?G6DE>6?ED 😕 ?FCD:?8 65F42E:@? D:?46 a_a_[ DA64:7:42==J S`_ >:==:@? 2 J62C E@ 9:896C 65F42E:@? E@ 8C@H D49@@=D @7 ?FCD:?8[ 3FE :E’D ?@E 6?@F89[ $:68=6 D2:5] “(6 92G6 E@ 8C@H @FC @H? 2?5 E92E’D 8@:?8 E@ C6BF:C6 E96 DE2E6 @7 }6H |6I:4@ E@ ?@E ;FDE @?6 E:>6 3FE 4@?E:?F2==J AC@G:56 7F?5D E@ E96 D49@@=D @7 ?FCD:?8 D@ E92E E96J 42? 6IA2?5 E96 ?F>36C @7 ?FCD:?8 D=@ED E92E H6 92G6]”k^Am