The American Health Council appoints Merceditas Villanueva, MD as “Best in Medicine” for her dedication to improve others’ lives through education, research, and practice. Currently serving as the director of the HIV/AIDS program and associate professor of medicine at Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Conn., Dr. Villanueva contributes exquisite expertise in infectious diseases, HIV, hepatitis, patient care and medicine. Since she entered the healthcare industry eight years ago, Dr. Villanueva has garnered a set of impeccable skills, making her an esteemed member of the medical field.

With a passion for science and medicine, Dr. Villanueva decided to pursue a career in the medical field after exploring myriad topics within the healthcare industry while obtaining a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University. After researching infectious diseases, she decided to tackle a career that focused on research and education within that field. Her career blossomed after earning her medical degree from Washington University in 1985; she completed an Internal Medicine Residency program at Duke University, and subspecialty fellowship in infectious diseases at Yale University School of Medicine. After completing her prestigious and rigorous academic training, Dr. Villanueva served as chief of infectious diseases at Waterbury Hospital in Connecticut, while simultaneously advocating for HIV-based research. She established an HIV Clinic, funded by the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, a program that provides services for people living with AIDS.

In her quest to educate others about infectious diseases — particularly HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C — Dr. Villanueva serves as a consultant at Yale University School of Medicine. She works in a clinical inpatient and outpatient setting and develops HIV educational programs for Yale staff and surrounding clinics. She maintains an active schedule as she serves as the principal investigator for the New Haven Ryan White HIV Continuum, which joins several clinics and community-based organizations that promote service coordination to improve care for HIV patients. Due to her persistence, elegance and sense of humility, Dr. Villanueva’s career continues to reach optimal levels. She received community awards from Waterbury Hospital and served as president of the Infectious Disease Society of Connecticut from 2009-10. She was board-certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in internal medicine in 1988, and board-certified in infectious diseases in 1992, and later re-certified in the latter in 2013.

To ensure that she continues to evolve within the infectious disease field, Dr, Villanueva is a member of several organizations, including the American College of Physicians, the HIV Medical Association, and the Infectious Diseases Society of America. To balance her professional and personal time, she enjoys spending time with her children, figure skating and running. Her passion for HIV/AIDS research rarely cease, as she donates time, funds, and services to HIV/AIDS community-based agencies during her free time. Dr. Villanueva plans to increase collaborations within the department of health at a community level, as well as improving outcomes nationally. To continue educating future generations of researchers and educational experts, she is working toward earning a promotion as a professor at Yale University.