MPLT Healthcare is proud to honor Dr. Rafael Mora as the recipient of our inaugural Physician of the Year award for 2024. With a medical career spanning more than five decades (48 of those years dedicated to Urology), Dr. Mora’s unwavering commitment, sharp clinical instincts, and heart for service have made him a standout among our provider community.
His journey into medicine was inspired by his godfather, a physician whose compassion and dedication left a lasting impression on Dr. Mora. “He was a very elegant individual; soft-spoken, gentle, and incredibly attentive,” Dr. Mora recalled. “When he came to our home, he always made us feel better. I knew from the age of seven that I wanted to be like my godfather.”
Christian, Dr. Mora’s recruiter at MPLT Healthcare, remembers their first connection clearly: “It was an introductory call, something I customarily do with all new doctors. We hit it off right away, probably because of our mutual Latin background and both speaking Spanish. It blossomed quickly from there. I've been to his home, they’ve cooked me paella…they’re just very special people.”
Medicine runs deep in Dr. Mora’s family. From surgeons to psychiatrists, pharmacists to gastroenterologists, the healing profession has long been a family calling. Dr. Mora himself has now practiced medicine for over half a century, earning the respect of his peers and the gratitude of countless patients.
After retiring from the Army Medical Corps and enjoying a brief period of downtime, it was Dr. Mora’s wife who nudged him back into the field, this time through locum tenens. He recalls: “She told me, ‘You're hanging around the house too much. You need to go out and do something.’ So, I did.”
Since returning to healthcare, Dr. Mora has continued to provide top-tier care on assignment, including one particularly memorable case while working with MPLT Healthcare. He recounted treating a woman who arrived at the hospital in septic shock, causing a life-threatening infection. Thanks to Dr. Mora’s quick thinking and compassion, she was stabilized and able to make her planned trip to Hawaii to visit her son. “She was incredibly grateful. She even wrote a beautiful letter to the hospital administrator,” he shared. “It’s moments like that that remind you why you do this.”
Christian also shared a separate incident that highlights Dr. Mora’s dedication. While on a flight, Dr. Mora responded to a passenger who had a medical emergency. “The airline contacted us afterward to thank him. He resuscitated someone midair. He never even told us about it, we found out from the airline. That’s just who he is.”
When asked what advice he would offer to other physicians considering locum tenens work, Dr. Mora was quick to quote an old military adage: “Be the best you can be. Give 110%. Let the work come to you, but once it does, give it everything you’ve got.”
Pethy, his credentialing specialist, shared her perspective on what makes Dr. Mora such an exceptional provider to work with: “He was impressed by our credentialing process and how much we took off his plate. In the past, he had to do a lot of the work himself, but we gave him that time back to focus on what matters most—his patients and his family.” She added, “His wife even became a point of contact and a dear friend. It’s rare to work with a provider who makes you feel like family.”
Dr. Mora’s high standards extend to the people he works with, and he’s quick to praise his team at MPLT, including Christian and Pethy. “They’re incredible. Every time there’s a licensing issue or a credentialing holdup, Pethy gets it resolved. Christian is solid gold. They’re not only good at their jobs, they care.”
Being named Physician of the Year is a meaningful moment for Dr. Mora, both professionally and personally. “It’s an honor,” he said. “But I just love what I do. You have to love this work to do it well, and I still do.”
Dr. Mora remains as passionate about medicine as ever and is deeply grateful for the people who have supported him, both professionally and personally. Through it all, his wife has been a constant source of strength and encouragement. From inspiring his return to medicine to supporting him throughout his journey, her love and belief in him have been instrumental.
Dr. Mora also expressed his appreciation for the team that helps make his work possible: “MPLT is one of the best companies I’ve ever worked for,” he said. “They really care, not just about their clients, but about their people.”
