Minelva Donato, MD, PhD

I am an American Board of Family Medicine certified Family Medicine Physician, practicing since 2018.

I started my medical journey in the Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer Biology PhD program at the University of Minnesota Medical School in 2006, studying immune responses to infection. I then applied to the Medical Scientist Training Program (MD/PhD program) at the UMN Medical School and started medical school after passing my qualifying exams.

At the end of earning both my PhD in 2013 and MD in 2015, my goal was to become an Infectious Disease Physician or Rheumatologist. I received the prestigious UMN Foundation J Jacob Kaplan Award for my work on the immune response to Salmonella infection in a mouse model of Typhoid.

However, during my clinical studies I loved pretty much everything, including courses in Integrative Medicine such as Ayurveda Medicine, Lifestyle Medicine, Reiki and Integrative Medicine in Hawaii. I especially loved understanding each patient as a whole person (mind, body, spirit and immune system!).

I attended the North Memorial/University of Minnesota Family Medicine Residency Program from 2015-2018. During residency, I enjoyed teaching medical students and patients so much that I was inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society and received the Resident Gold Foundation Humanism & Excellence in Teaching Award in 2019.