Skip to main content

Melissa S. Lara, M.D.

Family Medicine

  • Accepting new patients

About Dr. Lara

LanguagesEnglish and Spanish (Fluent)
GenderFemale
Ages treatedAll ages
Uses My Health Online for scheduling and messaging
Offers video visits for existing patients

Approach to care

Dr. Lara is a full-scope family medicine physician passionate about providing compassionate, comprehensive care to individuals and families at every stage of life. She believes that exceptional healthcare begins with truly getting to know her patients, understanding their stories, and building strong, trusting relationships. She practices with a blend of evidence-based medicine and personalized care, working closely with each patient to create a health plan that aligns with their unique goals, values, and lifestyle. Her approach is rooted in collaboration—she wants her patients to feel empowered, informed, and supported at every step of their health journey. With special interests in nutrition, exercise, women’s health, and in-office procedures, she enjoys incorporating lifestyle-focused care into her practice whenever possible. Whether patients are navigating a new diagnosis, managing a chronic condition, or simply seeking a physician who listens and truly cares, she is dedicated to supporting their health and well-being for the long term.

I support the American Academy of Family Medicine Practitioners (AAFMP) and the California Dept of Public Health's (CDPH) guidelines and schedules on vaccinations to protect your child's and the community's health.

Outside of medicine

Outside of Medicine, personal interests include in her personal time, she enjoys reading, practicing Pilates, traveling, and exploring new restaurants.

Education and training

Medical school: Universidad San Francisco de Quito
Internship: San Joaquin General Hospital
Residency: San Joaquin General Hospital, Family Medicine

Board certifications

  • Family Medicine

Affiliations

Medical groups

  • Palo Alto Foundation Medical Group

Accepted insurance

Coverage can vary, so we suggest confirming with your health plan and provider’s office before your visit.

Areas of expertise

Explore the services and treatments this provider may offer.

Related services offered by Sutter

Similar providers nearby

View all
View all

Disclaimer

This provider directory is provided as a convenience to you. It is not intended as a recommendation, referral or endorsement of any particular provider. Physicians are not employees or agents of Sutter Health or its subsidiaries. The information is submitted by each doctor and we make no guarantee or warranty as to the accuracy of the information. You should verify the accuracy of the information directly with the provider's office.

All doctors on this site are in the Sutter system. Doctors meeting your search criteria are presented in order of relevance based on search criteria, based on those providers with appointment availability. Find out more about star ratings.

You're leaving our site

The website you have selected is an external one located on another server. This website may contain links to third party sites. These links are provided for convenience purposes and are not under the control of Sutter Health. Do you wish to continue?