San Antonio—On the heels of celebrating its fifth anniversary, Methodist Stone Oak Hospital awarded Dr. Joseph Garza of The Advanced Fertility Center the prestigious physician of the quarter award. Garza is the first Institute for Women’s Health (IFWH) physician to receive the honor.
Garza was selected out of more than 1,200 physicians nominated for the award by the entire Methodist Stone Oak staff. Methodist COO Candie Starr presented the award and a seahorse pin to him on Thursday, July 17.

Dr. Joseph Garza receives Physician of the Quarter Award

Dr. Joseph Garza receives Physician of the Quarter Award


“Dr. Garza is one of the most easy-going physicians we’ve worked with,” said Starr. “He’s always patient, kind and compassionate with his patients, and explains everything in detail to ensure understanding of patient and staff.”
The seahorse pin that accompanies the award has a special meaning. When biologists first attempted to farm seahorses, most of them died in captivity. The seahorses did not know they needed to eat the brine shrimp to survive. One seahorse out of the whole group learned that the brine shrimp was edible, and this seahorse retrained entire populations, saving them from dying.
“This pin reflects change,” said Starr. “One person can affect change, just as Dr. Garza has not only with his patients, but also with our entire staff.”
The Advanced Fertility Center, of Institute for Women’s Health, the largest OB/GYN in South Texas, specializes in infertility and reproductive endocrynology. One of the founding physicians of IFWH, Garza has been with the practice since it opened in 1996.
About Institute for Women’s Health
Institute for Women’s Health, a recent US Women’s Health Alliance member, was formed on May 1, 1996. Since then, they have continued to expand the practice to become one of the largest San Antonio OB/GYN and fertility practices in the region. Institute for Women’s Health currently has eight medical offices strategically located around San Antonio. Clinically, they are privileged to have more than 30 physicians, a nurse practitioner and 8 sonographers.