Dr. FRANCISCO VALDIVIA, MD

Expert Publications

• Cysticercosis presenting as a subdural hematoma.

Media Releases

Get to know Neurologist, Dr. Francisco R. Valdivia, who serves patients in Tucson, Arizona

Dr. Valdivia is a board-certified neurologist practicing with the Center for Neurosciences in Tucson, Arizona, which he joined in 1974. Conditions treated include degenerative nervous system conditions, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, connective tissue disease, dementia and cognitive disorders, stroke, and epilepsy. Dedicated to treating patients with multiple sclerosis, Dr. Valdivia places great emphasis on research, scientific advancements, and the newest treatment therapies. As such, he is a member of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) and a Multiple Sclerosis Certified Specialist (MSCS). 

Dr. Valdivia attended the School of Medicine at the Universidad de Guadalajara Jalisco, México, his native country, and graduated in 1967. He relocated to the United States, where he completed an internship and a one-year internal medicine residency through the Tucson Hospitals Medical Education Program (1968 - 1970). Furthermore, he served his residency in neurology and was named Chief Resident at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and Bellevue Medical Center (1970 - 1972).

Upon the completion of his training, Dr. Valdivia obtained board certification in neurology from the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN). The ABPN is a not-for-profit corporation that was founded in 1934 as a method of identifying qualified specialists in psychiatry and neurology. The ABPN is one of 24 member boards of the American Board of Medical Specialties. 

Neurology is a branch of medicine dealing with disorders of the nervous system. Neurology deals with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of conditions and disease involving the central and peripheral nervous systems, including their coverings, blood vessels, and all effector tissue, such as muscle.

Licensed to practice in the states of Arizona and California, Dr. Valdivia remains affiliated with several local hospitals, including TMC Healthcare and Carondelet St. Mary's Hospital. He is the Medical Director for the stroke center at Carondelet St. Mary’s Hospital, Medical Director of the Electroneurodiagnostic Laboratory at Center for Neurosciences, and principal investigator for clinical research trials at the Clinical Research Center at Center for Neurosciences

Earlier in his career, Dr. Valdivia was a clinical lecturer and adjunct professor at the University of Arizona, as well as Chief of Neurology at Kino Hospital, Tucson Medical Center and St. Mary’s Hospital.

Recommended Articles

• The Link Between Mononucleosis and Multiple Sclerosis

  For anyone suffering from Multiple Sclerosis (MS), one of the most frustrating parts of the disease is not knowing how, why, or when the disease began. Many patients with multiple sclerosis have had the disease and not known about it for years, others have had it diagnosed right out of the blue....

• Sigmund Freud

  Sigismund Freud, later changed to Sigmund Freud, was born on May 6, 1856. He was an Austrian neurologist and founder of Psychoanalysis; a treatment for psychopathology through communication between the psychoanalyst and patient. The firstborn of 8 children, Freud’s mother interpreted his birth as...

• What Are the Risk Factors for Stroke?

  A stroke is caused by an insufficient flow of blood to the brain as a result of an interruption of blood flow. This will usually result in oxygen deprivation to the brain tissues. How quick you recover from a stroke depends on how fast you get medical attention. Remember, a massive stroke is fatal....

• The Most Common Psychological Disorders

  Common mental health disorders are often associated with a variety of symptoms, which can lead to significant disability or impairment for the patient and those around them. While sobriety presents profound and often painful challenges, the courage required to walk this path speaks to an incredible...

• Understanding Hallucinations and Brain Disconnections in Parkinson's Disease

  The ProblemThose who suffer from Parkinson’s may experience a variety of symptoms through their life, but doctors state that Parkinson's patients who experience hallucination are more susceptible to encountering disconnections in their brains relative to Parkinson's patients that are not...

• Signs and Symptoms of Epilepsy

  What is Epilepsy?Epilepsy is a brain disorder in which a person experiences recurring seizures.In a normal brain, the nerve cells transmit chemical and electrical signals to other nerve cells, glands, and muscles. In the case of patients with epilepsy, the nerve cells (also known as neurons) fire...