Dr. Omar Vargas began his practice at Memorial Physician Services-Jacksonville on Oct. 31.

Vargas completed his residency in internal medicine at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in Springfield in 2006 and the University of Illinois-Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn in 2007. He received his medical degree from the National University of Colombia School of Medicine in 1999.

Vargas is a fellow of the American College of Physicians and a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. He is an associate professor of clinical medicine at SIU School of Medicine.

He and his wife, Dr. Laura Vargas, live in Springfield with their three children.

He joins 10 other physicians at Memorial Physician Services-Jacksonville at 15 Founders Lane on the Passavant Area Hospital campus. The phone number is 217-243-0300. Memorial Physician Services is one of seven affiliates of Memorial Health System.