Everyone in Samara Knows Dr. Freddy
Everyone in Samara knows Dr. Freddy. Everyone has heard of Dr. Freddy’s “miracle shot” when you have the “flu”.
But very few know Dr. Freddy Soto Arroyo’s history, or how he came to be such a good surgeon, or how he knows exactly how to diagnose such a myriad of ailments from people from all over the world, right here in Sámara.
Dr. Freddy Soto Arroyo originally had 3 dreams: to be a Doctor, to live by the beach, and to have a fishing boat. He has accomplished all 3.
He went to Medical School here in Costa Rica at the UCR for 3 years. Freddy finished his last year of his medical school in the United States at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Florida.
It was there that he did his residency in the emergency room, where he became an expert in treating trauma wounds, and where became an expert surgeon. (That’s why when you go to Dr. Freddy for a headache, he cures the headache and removes 3 moles and skin cancer while you’re waiting for the headache to go away.)
His 3 major specialties are intensive care, pediatrics, and surgery.
After returning to Costa Rica, Dr. Freddy worked for 10 years in the village of Sarapiqui.
The people there grow pineapple, bananas, and palm trees. The village is poor and remote, but Dr. Freddy served his patients on horseback, or in a wagon powered by oxen.
His expertise in trauma served him well as there were many machete wounds. He also quickly learned how to treat many tropical diseases, anemia, and a variety of other ailments.
Dr. Freddy would always pack dry clothes, a big knife, a flashlight, matches, a sleeping bag, and food, because he never knew how long he would be gone, or if he could even get back during the rainy season.
8 years ago he moved to Playa Sámara, and found his beach, a beautiful town with a few tourists, a few hotels and houses, and NO DOCTOR. He started out his practice here in Sámara in a office that measured four meters squared.
There he did everything from stitching a cut, to setting a dislocated shoulder on a surfer, to delivering a baby, all in a luxurious conditions compared to Sarapiqui.
After another move to the little office by the soccer field, and another to the Mini-Plaza, he now has a beautiful office on the corner of the 2 main roads in Samara.
Here he has designed a clinic especially for major trauma and emergencies of all kinds. It has two observation rooms, the main office, a waiting room, the nurse’s room, and the trauma room, equipped with an EKG, emergency drugs of all kinds, a machine for reading X-Rays, and a lot of other life saving equipment.
He continues his education at all times, keeping up with all the new medications from around the world as well as the new methods of treatments.
Still wondering about the 3rd dream? Yes he has a boat, and I am pleased to say that he takes me fishing with him, and we have caught Tuna, Mackerel, Grouper, and some others that I can’t pronounce. Mostly, though, we solve the world’s problems from the other side of the reef.
But the best news I have saved for last. Dr. Freddy is married to Carla Aguilar Zuñiga, who is a Registered Nurse and assists Dr Freddy every day, AND they are expecting a baby!
Everyone in Samara Knows Dr. Freddy.
Article/Property ID Number 3797
Andrew Makarik
to@welovecostarica.comAndrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.
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