Dr. Marcelo Farela travels all over the country lending his medical expertise to hospitals that need help. And when he’s not in a different city, he’s here in Orlando volunteering at Grace.

Specializing in internal medicine, Dr. Farela knew he wanted to be a doctor because of his parents, who were both physicians. He said that they always came home from work happy and fulfilled, and it was something he also wanted to pursue.

A native of El Salvador, he moved to the United States in 2004 after completing medical school. After obtaining his medical license in the U.S., Dr. Farela completed his residency at Orlando Regional Medical Center. He began volunteer work in 2006 and even went to an orphanage in Guatemala to volunteer in medicine.

Currently, Dr. Farela is a doctor practicing locum tenens, which means he travels to hospitals in need of support, whether it’s due to a doctor vacancy or leave. In fact, he’s currently working in Kansas City.

“Being able to help people in their darkest hours is what drives me,” he said.

In 2015, Dr. Farela came to Grace to volunteer after previously leading a clinic for low-income patients. He said he loves Grace because they truly care for people in need. He also said one of the things he loves about volunteering at Grace is that he’s able to really connect with patients and doesn’t feel a need to rush through visits.

Being bilingual, Dr. Farela said it’s important to be able to communicate in a patient’s language. Often, patients are much more comfortable with sharing key details about themselves knowing that it’s between them and a doctor, rather than also having a translator present.

He shared that knowing the culture is crucial in building relationships with patients, as different cultures have different ways of expressing themselves.

“Knowing the culture also helps you to be a better physician because people trust you more,” Dr. Farela said. “You’re going to create that connection easier through the language.”

And when it comes to working specifically with Grace patients, he really feels he gives to the community and that the people at Grace are making a difference.

“I’m the one being ministered to. They’re helping me and inspiring me to be a better person. I get more than I give.”