CALL US: (844) 343-8935

Take Care of Your Health - One Step at a Time

If you’re living with diabetes, prediabetes, or obesity, you don’t have to face it alone.  Get personalized medical care designed to help you restore your health and renew your life.

Our Approach

At Cooper Internal Medicine, we believe that medicine should treat more than symptoms — it should heal the whole person: mind, body, and spirit.

 

Our integrative approach blends evidence-based medical practice with preventive and lifestyle medicine, helping you reverse chronic diseases such as diabetes and obesity (“diabesity”) through nutrition, physical activity, stress management, and emotional wellness support.

 

When you become a patient, you’re not just getting a doctor — you’re gaining a team dedicated to helping you thrive for life.

Mission Statement

The mission of Cooper Internal Medicine is to provide each of its patients with holistic medical care based on integrative medicine which offers a framework that incorporates psycho-emotional factors as integral to overall health. 

 

On the one hand, this unique approach to health offers a means to enhance traditional evidence-based medical best practice; and on the other hand, it modifies the goals of preventive medicine through patient-centered holistic care which addresses mind-body-spirit therapies.

Our Services

We offer comprehensive internal medicine services with a focus on prevention, healing, and long-term wellness.


  • Chronic Disease Care

    • Diabetes and prediabetes management

    • Hypertension and cardiovascular disease prevention

    • Cholesterol and metabolic health

    • Thyroid and endocrine disorders

  • Preventative Primary Care

    • Annual and Medicare wellness exams

    • Routine physicals and health screenings

    • Immunizations and lab testing

    • Women’s health and hormonal balance

  • Lifestyle & Weight Management

    • Medical weight-loss and nutrition counseling

    • Obesity management and metabolic reset

    • Plant-based and therapeutic nutrition plans

    • Stress and sleep support

  • Convenience & Access

    • Telemedicine appointments

    • On-site diagnostic testing

    • Electronic patient portal for secure records and communication

    • Seamless referrals to Cooper Wellness Center for fitness, nutrition, and lifestyle programs

Our Team

Leaders in Integrative and Lifestyle Medicine

At Cooper Internal Medicine, our medical team leads with compassion, experience, and a shared commitment to reversing diabesity and restoring health through lifestyle medicine.

Physicians

Dona Cooper-Dockery, MD, PA

FOUNDER & MEDICAL DIRECTOR

BOARD CERTIFIED INTERNAL MEDICINE PHYSICIAN

Dr. Dona Cooper-Dockery is a nationally recognized physician, author, and speaker dedicated to helping patients prevent and reverse diabetes and obesity through lifestyle medicine. For more than 25 years, she has led Cooper Internal Medicine with a holistic approach that blends clinical excellence, compassion, and education — empowering patients to take control of their health and live disease-free.

Donnel Dockery-Joseph, MD

INTERNAL MEDICINE RESIDENT PHYSICIAN

Dr. Donnel Dockery-Joseph provides compassionate, patient-centered care rooted in her deep connection to the Rio Grande Valley. A proud local and graduate of Saba University School of Medicine, she completed her Internal Medicine residency at Knapp Medical Center in Weslaco, Texas. Her passion for preventive care, lifestyle medicine, and global medical outreach brings a fresh, community-focused perspective to Cooper Internal Medicine’s long-standing legacy of healing.

Advanced Practice Team

Our physician assistants and nurse practitioners are an integral part of your care experience. They provide hands-on support, education, and continuity between visits — ensuring you have a complete team supporting your health at every stage.

Isaac Lopez, MPAS PA-C

PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT

Isaac Lopez has proudly served the Rio Grande Valley community for nearly a decade as a trusted Physician Assistant at Cooper Internal Medicine. A graduate of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, he brings a compassionate, relationship-centered approach to every patient encounter.

Combining clinical expertise with a passion for education, Isaac empowers patients to understand their conditions and take an active role in their long-term wellness.

Lorena Medina

COMING SOON

 

Lucia (“Lucy”) Saldana, PA-C

PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT

With more than 20 years in medicine and nearly two decades at Cooper Internal Medicine, Lucy Saldana is known for her compassion, thoroughness, and dedication to patient education. Her broad experience across family practice, pediatrics, OB/GYN, and internal medicine allows her to care for entire families—often spanning multiple generations. Lucy believes effective care begins with understanding and empowers her patients to take an active role in their health.

Irving Salinas, PA-C

PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT

A Rio Grande Valley native with a background in endocrinology and biomedical research, Irving Salinas brings both scientific insight and empathy to his role at Cooper Internal Medicine. Fluent in English and Spanish, he helps patients understand complex health concepts in simple, relatable ways—promoting trust, education, and informed decision-making. Irving combines his evidence-based training with a holistic approach to support each patient’s path toward long-term wellness. 

Ellinor Sanchez, MSN, FNP-C

FAMILY NURSE PRACTITIONER

A board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner fluent in English, Spanish, and Tagalog, Ellinor Sanchez brings a global perspective and culturally sensitive approach to patient care. Having lived across three continents, she understands how diverse experiences shape health and wellness. With over a decade of nursing experience across emergency, critical care, and transitional settings, Ellinor emphasizes evidence-based, holistic care that integrates body, mind, and spirit. She empowers patients and families through education, lifestyle guidance, and genuine compassion.

What Patients Say

"I dropped my blood pressure pill... I discontinued it and I feel awesome!"

Mary Lou Cervantes

"I feel alot better, healthier and more energy..."

Mother and Son

"I've been without medication for blood pressure for about a year and a half and that is because I came to see Dr. Cooper."

Freddy Peralta

"I was able to lose 20 pounds, which helped me to drop my blood pressure medication. My mother lost 50 pounds and no longer takes diabetic medicine."

Patient

"I feel so much better and saw results right away... I have more energy... I have lost some weight and no I'm on the right track."

Olivia Egemba

"I was very sick and had a stroke... I could never get well. I had diabetes, high blood pressure, anemia and all kinds of things... I tried Dr. Cooper... I'm happy now and eat things that are good for me... they help you, they guide you..." 

Ady Bocanegra

Our Locations

801 East Nolana, Ste. 12
McAllen, Texas 78504


 (956) 686-8802


1154 West Monte Cristo Rd.
Edinburg, Texas 78541


(956) 287-9797


Patient Forms

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801 East Nolana, Ste. 12
McAllen, Texas 78504
Phone: 956-686-8802
View Map & Directions »

1154 West Monte Cristo Rd.
Edinburg, Texas 78541
Phone: 956-287-9797
View Map & Directions »