A native of Yuma County, physician assistant Karina Cruz remembers many childhood visits to the Emergency Department and doctors’ offices. As an asthmatic child, she had some scary asthma attacks; and, she vividly recollects how her many caregivers made her feel safe and confident about the future. Consequently,Karina returned to our community to pay forward the compassion and care she received. Initially working in primary care at the Regional Center for Border Health, she served patients in both the San Luis Walk-in Clinic and at the Somerton location. She joined the urology team at Yuma Regional Medical Center in 2021. She now provides specialized care alongside Yuma’s talented urologists.

Karina graduated from Loma Linda University with a graduate degree in physician assistant studies. When she’s not practicing medicine, she enjoys spending time with her family in the outdoors and on family trips.