Covenant Healthcare in Levelland has a new physician, with the addition of Dr. Allan Camacho, M.D. who comes with 25 years of experience in the medical field.
His new practice is located at Levelland Clinic North across from Covenant Hospital in Levelland.
Dr. Camacho is originally from the Philippines and graduated from the University of Santo Tomas Facility of Medicine and Surgery in 2000.
He came to the United States in 2004 where he resided in California and worked as an R.N. for five years before getting a residency at Texas Tech University Health Sciences in 2008 and completed the program in 2012. He is a certified with the American Board of Family Medicine. Since completing his residency, Dr. Camacho has practiced medicine at the Community Health Center in Lubbock for the past 13 years.
Dr. Camacho said he did his premed in nursing before attending medical school. Once in the U.S, he worked as a nurse prior to his residency program which he says gave a him a broader perspective of the medical healthcare system.
In order to practice medicine in the United States, Dr. Comacho said he said had to pass several tests . Typically, foreign doctors must pass USMLE Steps 1, 2, & 3, get ECFMG certified, prove English proficiency, complete a mandatory U.S. residency program (even if they trained abroad), and obtain state licensure, all while securing appropriate federal immigration status through a hospital sponsor, a process involving significant exams and evaluation.
Dr. Camacho said he already has patients from Levelland who came to him in Lubbock and he takes care of entire families from toddlers to the elderly.
He noted that the hospital and Levelland has a tightknit, close community family and word of mouth is valuable in building a medical practice. He said he looks forward to meeting the residents of Levelland and Hockley County and assisting with their medical needs.
Dr. Camacho currently lives in Lubbock with wife Arlene, who is an OR nurse and stay at home mom. The couple has two children, Abby, 9, and Aidan,16.