Hi, I’m Dr. Tess.

I am Mexican American and Native American. I think my most important characteristic as a doctor is the fact that I listen, when so many others don’t have the time or worse, don’t take the time. I take tremendous pride in what I do, and this is my story.

Believe it or not, my undergraduate degree was in music education and my first career was as an elementary school music teacher. I went to music school in New Mexico, where my parents are from, and later taught on the Blackfeet Reservation in northern Montana, then ended up in the DC metropolitan area until I moved to Richmond, Virginia, to attend the Medical College of Virginia. I ended up in Missouri by matching for residency training at Truman Lakewood. I graduated in 2002 and became a board‑certified Family Physician. I worked five years at Samuel Rogers Community Health Center before opening my own practice—first in Grain Valley in 2007 and now in Blue Springs.

The leap from music teacher to physician began on Halloween  1993 when my mother asked why I wasn’t in medical school. Within a week I was enrolled in prerequisite courses, sat the MCAT in 1994, and started medical school in 1995. Realizing the Sun Dance is a healing ceremony, becoming a doctor felt like the natural culmination of my path and spiritual calling.

My parents’ dedication to underserved communities ignited the same passion in me. Today in Blue Springs, you’ll find a family physician, an obesity‑medicine specialist, a compassionate primary‑care provider, and a proud Mexican American / Native American doctor—all in one convenient location.

As a Direct Primary Care physician, I’m proud to offer patient‑first medicine—eliminating insurance hurdles and giving my patients the time, attention, and personalized care they deserve.