Gioconda Mojica, MD

“It brings me great joy to say that I have my dream job,” Dr. Gioconda Mojica says, describing her dual role as a corneal transplant surgeon and educator. She is an assistant professor of ophthalmology at UTHealth Houston McGovern Medical School and assistant chief of ophthalmology at Harris Health Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital. Her approach to patient care is deeply rooted in presence and human connection. “To me, compassionate care means creating space for patients to feel seen and valued—especially in moments when they feel invisible and lost,” she explains.

This philosophy was powerfully illustrated when a patient with advanced gynecologic cancer told her, “Thank you for making me feel like you care about me as a person,” noting that Dr. Mojica was the first doctor to ask about her life story. The encounter ended with an emotional embrace, demonstrating Dr. Mojica’s belief that “patients understand that we can’t always cure them—but they want to know that we care.”

As a Nicaraguan immigrant who grew up below the poverty line in Houston, Dr. Mojica brings a unique perspective and deep empathy to her role serving patients—many who are Spanish-speaking and underserved—in one of two safety-net hospitals operated by Harris Health that serves the residents of Houston and Harris County. Many of her patients have delayed seeking care due to financial, legal or language barriers. Dr. Mojica serves as a bridge – not only translating medical terms, but also by helping her patients feel understood, safe, and seen.

Beyond clinical care, Dr. Mojica has developed groundbreaking educational initiatives focused on building resilience in healthcare learners. She created an interprofessional elective on shame resilience through self-compassion for students from medicine, nursing, and dentistry programs. “I believe compassion is a skill,” she says. “One that can be taught, practiced and sustained, even in the most demanding healthcare environments.”

Dr. Mojica’s commitment to teaching compassion extends to her mentoring of medical students and residents. One student wrote: “Dr. Mojica is the best attending I have worked with. She is genuinely interested in not only teaching us but our future success and careers… She truly cares about people no matter who they are and that’s very telling of her character.”

Her leadership at LBJ Hospital has resulted in significant improvements in both staff and patient satisfaction, with one patient describing her as “the person who gave me back my life, my light, and my dignity.” Dr. Mojica’s work exemplifies how personal experience, cultural competency, and genuine compassion can transform healthcare delivery for underserved communities while nurturing the next generation of healthcare providers.

Through her clinical work, educational innovations, and mentorship, Dr. Mojica embodies the principle that “compassionate care must begin with how we treat ourselves and each other… it is not a soft skill – it’s a healing force.”