Brookfield, MO — Pershing Health System is proud to announce the addition of Alex Curiel, MD, to the provider team at Community Medical Associates (CMA), located inside the front hospital entrance in Brookfield. With a strong background in both academic and rural medicine, Dr. Curiel brings not only exceptional clinical skill but also a deep sense of purpose, faith, and compassion to his practice.
Dr. Curiel is a graduate of the University of Kansas School of Medicine and completed his residency at the Smoky Hill Family Medicine Residency Program in Salina, Kansas—a program nationally recognized for preparing physicians to serve rural communities. Most recently, Dr. Curiel practiced medicine at a large academic medical center, where he also served as a university instructor, training residents and medical students. While he found academic medicine fulfilling, his heart remained in rural healthcare.
“I was raised in a small town, and I’ve always been drawn to the close-knit relationships and deeper connections that rural communities foster,” said Dr. Curiel. “There’s something truly meaningful about knowing your patients not just by name, but by family—seeing generations of a family and becoming part of their stories.”
His calling to medicine began early in life. At age 14, Dr. Curiel experienced the profound loss of his father, a moment that left a lasting impact and inspired his pursuit of a career in healthcare. That early experience of grief and healing is one of the many reasons he believes empathy is essential to good medicine.
“Above all, I am a father,” said Dr. Curiel, who has children ranging in age from 6 to 21. “That part of my identity has shaped how I relate to others. As a parent, you learn the importance of listening—truly listening. Patients carry scars that aren’t always visible: anxiety, depression, loneliness, chronic pain. If I fail to listen, I miss what matters most. I want my patients to feel heard.”
Dr. Curiel provides full-spectrum family medicine, including care for children, adults, and seniors. His clinical skills include joint injections (shoulder, knee, elbow), trigger point injections, laceration repair, shave and punch biopsies, simple fracture casting, and gynecological care. He also has experience as a hospice and nursing home medical director and is well-versed in managing complex and chronic medical conditions. In the future, he hopes to resume providing endoscopic procedures, such as EGDs and colonoscopies, at CMA.
“We are incredibly excited to welcome Dr. Curiel to our team,” said Dr. B. Kevin Knowles, Rural Clinic Director at Pershing Health System. “He brings a high level of clinical expertise, but just as importantly, he brings warmth, humility, and a sincere dedication to serving others. His passion for small-town medicine, combined with his faith-driven approach and love for teaching, make him an excellent fit for CMA and the community we serve.”
Dr. Curiel’s Christian faith plays a central role in his life and medical practice. “I believe one day I’ll be held accountable for how I treated others,” he said. “That belief keeps me grounded and reminds me to take each patient encounter seriously—not just as a professional obligation, but as a moral one.”
In addition to joining the clinic, Dr. Curiel is eager to get involved in the Brookfield community. He’s looking forward to the little things that make rural life meaningful—like running into patients at the grocery store, being recognized at school events, or simply getting to know people outside the walls of a clinic.
“In a small town, you’re not just a provider—you’re a neighbor, a friend, and sometimes even like family,” he said. “That level of connection is rewarding in ways that are hard to describe unless you’ve lived it.”
Dr. Curiel is now accepting new patients at Community Medical Associates, a clinic of Pershing Health System. To schedule an appointment, please call 660-258-6077.
For more information about the providers and services available at CMA and throughout Pershing Health System, please visit www.phsmo.org.
