JOINED CCHCI IN 2010

Why I Believe in the Mission of CCHCI

I believe in community medicine.  In order to provide the highest quality and most comprehensive care to our patients, we need partners.  At CCHCI we have care coordination, nursing expertise, and administrative support to practice the kind of medicine that everyone deserves.

DARLENE’S BACKGROUND

Raised by a single mom, Dr. Darlene Melk’s journey to becoming Chief Medical Officer at Chiricahua Community Health Center, Inc is both impressive and inspiring. As the daughter of a Cuban refugee, Spanish is Dr. Melk’s first language, and she remains bilingual to this day. Diagnosed with Type One diabetes at age eight, Dr. Melk knew early on she wanted to be a doctor to take care of children like her and set her mind to realizing that dream early on.

After graduating from the University of Arizona Medical School and completing her residency training at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, where she was recognized as “Senior Resident of the Year”, Dr. Melk stayed true to her passion in serving children with barriers to care. Her first job was working for a Federally Qualified Health Center or FQHC in Phoenix and knowing that she could see any child, regardless of the circumstances into which they were born, solidified her resolve to serve in the FQHC environment.

Dr. Melk joined Chiricahua in 2010 as a Community Pediatrician and over the next ten years served as Director of Community Pediatrics and Director of Community Medicine before becoming Chief Medical Officer in 2020. She was a member of First Things First Regional Council from 2016/2023 and was the Chair for the Council from 2019/2023. In 2024, Dr. Melk was appointed by Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs to the Arizona Early Childhood Development and Health Board, which is the First Things First State level directorate. Dr Melk has also served as a Board Member of the Western Clinician Network since 2021 and was elected President for a one-year term in 2023. Dr. Melk additionally served on the Steering Committee for Douglas Education Partnership Council from 2017/2023 and is currently Chair of Pediatric Leaders Peer Network Committee for the Arizona Association of Community Health Centers.

ACADEMIC BACKGROUND

Dr. Melk completed her undergraduate studies at Arizona State University Tempe with a B.S. in Biochemistry.  She went on to complete Medical School at the University of Arizona in Tucson and did her Pediatric Residency at Phoenix Children’s Hospital/Maricopa Medical Center.  Dr. Melk was recognized as a Certified Physician Executive in 2022 by the American Association of Physician Leaders.  She is currently completing her Masters of Applied Science in Population Health through Johns Hopkins University with an expected graduation in 2027.