Dr. Jorge A. Zamora-Legoff, M.D.
Jorge A. Zamora-Legoff, MD is an Internal Medicine physician and healthcare leader currently serving as Associate Chief of Staff for Primary Care at the VA Texas Valley Coastal Bend Health Care System in Harlingen, Texas. He is recognized for his extensive clinical and administrative expertise within the Veterans Health Administration, with additional experience in urgent care and environmental and toxic exposure–related medicine. Fluent in English and Spanish, he has contributed significantly to improving patient care delivery in large, complex healthcare systems.
Throughout his career in the VA system, Dr. Zamora-Legoff has demonstrated strong leadership in advancing primary care operations and patient-centered initiatives. From 2020 to 2022, he served as Chief Medical Officer and Primary Care Physician at the VA McAllen Outpatient Clinic, where he helped guide clinical operations and improve care coordination. In his current role since 2022, he has overseen systemwide primary care initiatives focused on improving clinic efficiency, reducing wait times, and strengthening patient experience outcomes.
His leadership has been recognized through multiple awards and system achievements, including contributions to the VA Texas Valley Coastal Bend Health Care System receiving the VHA Best Patient Experience Award for a Level 2 Complexity Facility in both 2023 and 2025. He also played a key role in the system earning the VHA Top Performer Award for Primary Care Sprint Access Wave in 2023. His work emphasizes high-reliability principles, operational alignment, and continuous improvement across multidisciplinary teams.
Dr. Zamora-Legoff completed his Internal Medicine residency and internship at UT Rio Grande Valley and Valley Baptist Medical Center from 2017 to 2020. Prior to that, he completed a Research Fellowship in Rheumatology and Immunology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, where he contributed to multiple studies on autoimmune disease, interstitial lung disease, and medication utilization patterns. He earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara and holds a background in Chemistry and Biology from Southwestern University.
In addition to his clinical and leadership roles, Dr. Zamora-Legoff has an extensive academic and research portfolio, with publications in journals such as Clinical Rheumatology, Rheumatology (Oxford), and Arthritis & Rheumatism. His research has focused on rheumatologic conditions, opioid use patterns, and interstitial lung disease outcomes. He has also presented at major conferences including the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and EULAR, reflecting his ongoing commitment to advancing medical knowledge and improving patient care practices.
• UT Rio Grande Valley / Valley Baptist Medical Center - Internal Medicine Residency & Internship, 2017–2020
• Mayo Clinic - Research Fellowship – Rheumatology & Immunology, 2015–2016
• Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara - M.D., 2008–2014
• Southwestern University - Chemistry & Biology, 2004–2008
• Marine Military Academy - Mastery in Leadership Studies, 2004
• UT Health Science Center San Antonio - Research Associate, 2006
• Board-Certified in Internal Medicine
• VHA Best Patient Experience Award (2023, 2025 – system-level recognition)
• VHA Top Performer Award – Primary Care Sprint Access Wave (2023)
• CMO Group Special Contribution Recognition Award (Sept 2022)
• I CARE VA Awards (Excellence, Respect, Integrity)
• American College of Physicians
• American College of Rheumatology
• American Medical Association
• Free medical clinics for underserved areas through church group
• Mentorship of internal medicine and family medicine residents, participation in veteran-focused healthcare outreach programs
Treatment of Patients with JIA – Clinical Rheumatology
Opioid Use in RA: Population-Based Study (2005–2014) – Clinical Rheumatology
Drug Prescribing Trends in RA (2005–2014) – Clinical Rheumatology
Risk of Serious Infection in RA-Associated ILD – Clinical Rheumatology
Patterns of ILD and Mortality in RA – Rheumatology (Oxford)
Progression of Lung Function Decline in RA-Associated ILD – Arthritis & Rheumatism
Opioid Use in Polymyalgia Rheumatica – Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology
Commentary on ILD Patterns in RA – Rheumatology (Oxford)
Areas of Specialization/Expertise
- Primary Care
- Healthcare Administration
- Comprehensive primary care for veterans
- Chronic disease management
- Preventive care and wellness programs
- Integration of occupational and environmental health services
- Urgent care management
- Clinical leadership and healthcare administration
What do you enjoy most about practicing medicine?
I know it sounds cliché, but for me, it’s all about the physician-patient relationship, practice environment, and Veteran-centered culture. I feel privileged to care for the thousands of Veterans in our south Texas region and to be part of one the fast-growing VA healthcare systems. Over the past several years, our primary care patient population has doubled—from around 23,000 to just under 50,000 actively enrolled patients. That growth has given me the opportunity to find innovative solutions to care delivery obstacles, improve the culture of practice at our facility, and to build a robust Veteran-centered clinical environment that delivers top-quality primary care, urgent care, occupational and environmental health services. We really focus on the patient overall experience, it's all about the Veteran, and I’m proud that our facility was recognized by VHA in both 2023 and 2025 for excellence in patient experience.