JACKSONVILLE, Fla. \u2013 Jairo De La Hoz came to the United States with his parents when they became citizens in the late 70s.<\/p>\n
Born and raised in Barranquilla, Colombia, and with big dreams of working in the medical field, De La Hoz moved to Jacksonville, where he became a medical provider for over 25 years.<\/p>\n
In 1983, De La Hoz graduated from the Universidad Libre School of Medicine in Barranquilla. Shortly after earning his degree, he completed training in family medicine and general surgery at the General Hospital in Barranquilla. <\/p>\n
His family stayed in Miami for a while until he ended up in Jacksonville.<\/p>\n
He pursued medicine because, from a very young age, he was inspired by his uncle, who was a surgeon back in Colombia.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe way that he listened to his patients, the way that he treated them with compassion, very dedicated to his practice,\u201d De La Hoz said.<\/p>\n
Awards Dr. De La Hoz has won over the years. (Copyright 2025 by WJXT News4JAX – All rights reserved.)<\/p>\n
He said the example his uncle set had a profound impact on him.<\/p>\n
\u201cHis example basically instilled in me the strong desire to become a physician and help others to live a better life,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
That same compassion has led him to serve patients for decades.<\/p>\n
\u201cNext year will be 30 years,\u201d Paula Baker said. \u201cThe first time I saw Dr. D, I had just lost my mother and I got shingles, and he\u2019s been treating me ever since.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said the relationship between a patient and their primary care physician is everything to her.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery time I walk into this office, I put my life in his hands,\u201d she said. \u201cWhatever you want to do, you can do because I trust him. Dr. D is one of the most compassionate, phenomenal people I know on a personal level and on a medical level. He\u2019s the greatest.\u201d <\/p>\n
Dr. De La Hoz (Copyright 2025 by WJXT News4JAX – All rights reserved.)<\/p>\n
He said it\u2019s difficult to practice medicine in the U.S. because of all the barriers he had to deal with.<\/p>\n
\u201cHad to learn a new language, we had to pass medical boards in order to get trained here. It\u2019s a lot of work, a lot of studying and then you had to compete trying to get into a training program,\u201d De La Hoz said.<\/p>\n
He said in the 90s, he trained in family medicine at the University of Florida College of Medicine, which is now known as UF Health in downtown.<\/p>\n
He was teaching at the facility, and there were 600 physicians at the graduation ceremony. <\/p>\n
He was awarded the Rosilie O. Saddaos Outstanding Resident Teacher Award in 1996.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey gave me that award, but they pronounced my name kind of weird, so they called me up like three times and I was applauding\u2026and then they said \u2018Dr. De La Hoz,\u2019 so I went up and it was an honor for me to get that award,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He was awarded a plaque, and his name is in the auditorium at UF Health Shands. He said his program director congratulated him for winning the award, as it was the first time in 10 years that someone training in family medicine had received it.<\/p>\n
Rosilie Saffos award given to Dr. De La Hoz for Outstanding Resident Teacher fof the Year in 1996 at the University of Florida Science Center (Copyright 2025 by WJXT News4JAX – All rights reserved.)<\/p>\n