Dr. Franz E. Velarde was born and raised in Panama City, Panama. Growing up, both of his parents and extended family shared a love for medicine, his Dad was a doctor in Hospital Administration and his Mom a pediatrician. Inspired by all the doctors around him, Dr. Velarde decided to go into the medical field and specialize in Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology.

Dr. Velarde received his M.D. from the School of Medicine at The University of Panama in Panama City. He completed a Medical Internship at the General Hospital in Panama City, Panama, before going into his residency in Diagnostic Radiology at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico in Mexico City. From there, Dr. Velarde attended a visiting Neuroradiology Fellowship at The Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, GA. He went on to complete another Residency in Diagnostic Radiology at The University of Florida in Jacksonville, FL. Also attending a Fellowship in Vascular Interventional Radiology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and New York Presbyterian Hospital, in New York City.

Before joining us at Gonzaba Medical Group, Dr. Velarde gained a lot of valuable Radiology experience working in hospital-based practices in Texas, Florida and New Mexico. Dr. Velarde chose to join Gonzaba Medical Group because he wants to practice in an outpatient group that emphasizes a proactive approach to healthcare. We are excited to have him!

When Dr. Velarde is not working, he likes reading about history and new medical inventions, and watching soccer games.

Dr. Velarde is fluent in both English and Spanish.