The Physician
About Dr. Juan José Arellano, M.D.
Board-certified physician. Clinical Director. Ibogaine medicine specialist. Over two decades at the intersection of conventional medicine and transformational psychedelic therapy.
Biography
Dr. Juan José Arellano, M.D. is a board-certified physician and the Clinical Director of MindScape Retreat, a medically supervised ibogaine treatment center on Cozumel Island, Mexico. He is recognized among the top physicians in Mexico for integrative psychedelic protocols, bringing a dual mastery of conventional medicine and psychedelic-assisted therapy that is exceedingly rare in the clinical world.
His career has been defined by a singular commitment to solving problems that conventional medicine cannot. Opioid addiction, treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, and Parkinson's disease — conditions for which standard pharmacological approaches produce inadequate results — became his clinical focus. He found in ibogaine a molecule capable of addressing these conditions at a neurological depth that no other intervention matches.
Over 900 ibogaine treatments later, Dr. Juan José Arellano has built one of the most rigorous clinical datasets in the field. He oversees every treatment plan at MindScape personally — reviewing medical history, designing individualized protocols, interpreting cardiac screening results, and maintaining oversight throughout the 24–36 hour treatment session. His medical leadership is the reason MindScape Retreat maintains a safety record among the best in the industry.
Dr. Juan José Arellano's approach is rooted in the science. He tracks published ibogaine research from Stanford, UTHealth, and international centers, integrating findings directly into protocol design. He does not operate from ceremony or intuition — he operates from pharmacology, physiology, and two decades of direct clinical experience with this molecule.
At the same time, he understands that ibogaine is not purely a pharmacological event. The experience it produces — the visionary phase, the introspective evaluation, the profound neurological reset — opens a window that must be met with skilled psychological support and structured integration. His clinical philosophy bridges both worlds: the precision of medicine and the depth of transformational experience.
“Sound ibogaine medicine is built on pattern recognition as much as theory. After 900 patients, I know what this molecule achieves, where its limits are, and how to structure a protocol for the best probability of lasting change.”
— Dr. Juan José Arellano, M.D.
Credentials & Training
Education, Certifications & Specializations
Medical Surgeon Degree (Médico Cirujano)
UNAM · Professional exam passed July 10, 2004 · Degree conferred February 23, 2006
Board Certified — Medicina General
CONAMEGE · Cédula #4785017 · Reg. 08/01/09-848-6952 · Certified March 2008
Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS)
Ángeles Metropolitano Hospital / ABC Medical Center, 2013
Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS)
ABC Medical Center Medical Education, 2013
Basic Life Support (BLS)
Ángeles Metropolitano Hospital, 2013
Endoscopic Surgery
National Autonomous University of Mexico, 2009
Hyperbaric Medicine
Specialized training in hyperbaric oxygen therapy
Sports Medicine
Certified practitioner
Medical Tourism
Specialized in international patient care protocols
Pharmacovigilance
PEMEX Health Services (Employee #565059), 2012–2014
Harvard Medical School CME
Respiratory & immunology symposia, 2012
Medical License #4785017
National Autonomous University of Mexico · UNAM
Head of Hospitalization — Hospital San José Satélite
Appointed May 2011 · Contributed to Joint Commission certification process
Congreso Médico Científico 2011
UNAM / FESI · 'Beneficios de Una Vida Saludable, Un Enfoque Preventivo' · 13 credit hours · Oct 7–8, 2011
Surgery Forum — Academia Mexicana de Cirugía
LiveMed Institute · 14 credit hours · June 4–5, 2008 · Mexico City
First Aid Course Organizer
UNAM Facultad Iztacala · 20 credit hours · 2005
Active Member — Asociación Médica de Ciudad Satélite
Recognition of active membership, 2011
Memberships
· Mexican Red Cross Volunteers (2005)
· UNAM Alumni Society (2006)
· Rotary International (2010)
· INEMEC – National Institute of Continuing Medical Education (2011)
Hospitals & Institutions
· ABC Medical Center (JCI-Accredited)
· Hospital Ángeles System
· San José Hospital Satellite
· PEMEX Health Services
Languages
· Spanish (Native)
· English (TOEIC, TOEFL — Anglo Mexican Foundation)
· French (Medical texts — UNAM, 2004)
Career Journey
From Conventional Medicine to the Frontier of Psychedelic Therapy
2000 – 2006
Medical Surgeon Degree · UNAM, Mexico City
Graduated from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) — Mexico's premier medical institution — earning his Medical Surgeon Degree. Board certified by Consejo Nacional de Certificación en Medicina General (CONAMEGE) and the national certification committee.
2007 – 2010
Hospital Practice Across Mexico's Top Centers
Built clinical depth across Mexico's leading hospitals: Emergency Physician at Mexican Red Cross (2007), Medical Coordinator at Metropolitan Hospital Ángeles Diagnostic Center (2007–2008), Blood Bank Chief at Hospital Ángeles – Clínica Londres (2008–2009), and Base Hospital Physician at ABC Medical Center (2009–2010) — one of Mexico's most prestigious JCI-accredited hospitals.
2010 – 2014
Advanced Training & Industrial Medicine
Appointed Head of Hospitalization (Jefe de Hospitalización) at Hospital San José Satélite in May 2011, contributing to its Joint Commission certification process. Joined PEMEX Health Services (2012–2014) as Emergency & Industrial Labor Physician (Employee #565059), managing complex cases in offshore and industrial environments. Completed advanced certifications in ATLS, ACLS, BLS, and Endoscopic Surgery.
2014 – Present
Medical Tourism & Ibogaine Specialty
Launched 24/7 bilingual housecall medical services (housecallsmedicalservices.com) serving international patients, divers, and cruise passengers in the Mayan Riviera. Through direct clinical exposure to refractory addiction and trauma cases, intensively studied ibogaine pharmacology — its receptor mechanisms, cardiac profile, and neuroplastic effects.
MindScape
Clinical Director · 900+ Treatments
Joined MindScape Retreat in Cozumel as Clinical Director, building the cardiac screening infrastructure, individualized dosing protocols, and 24/7 medical oversight framework the clinic operates under today. Has personally supervised 900+ ibogaine treatments, developing one of the largest clinical outcome datasets in the field.
Clinical Safety Framework
Ibogaine Clinical Safety Protocol
Every MindScape patient is treated under this protocol — built and refined across 900+ treatments by Dr. Arellano.
01
Pre-Screening
ECG (QTc interval assessment), full laboratory panel, medication washout schedule. Every patient receives a complete cardiac and metabolic baseline before treatment is approved.
02
Stabilization
Electrolyte correction — potassium (K⁺), magnesium (Mg²⁺), calcium (Ca²⁺) — before treatment begins. Electrolyte imbalance is a primary arrhythmia risk factor that must be eliminated.
03
Continuous Monitoring
Uninterrupted cardiac monitoring and vital sign tracking throughout the entire 24–36 hour treatment session. Dr. Arellano or his medical team are present at all times.
04
Risk Management
Active prevention of arrhythmias and QT prolongation throughout the session. Real-time ECG review and clinical judgment by a physician experienced in ibogaine's cardiac pharmacology.
05
Emergency Response
Full ACLS protocols standing by. IV medications and defibrillator on-site and immediately accessible. Dr. Arellano's ATLS/ACLS certifications make this not a formality — it is a functioning emergency capability.
Core Strengths
A Career Forged Across the Full Spectrum of Medicine
- Critical care and emergency medicine expertise
- Hospital leadership and accreditation experience
- Advanced IV therapy and electrolyte management
- Multilingual patient care (English, Spanish, French)
- Teaching, leadership, and team development
Professional Experience
Dr. Arellano's career spans emergency medicine, offshore and industrial medicine, hospital administration, and concierge care for international patients. He has held leadership positions including Emergency Department Head, Hospitalization Chief (Jefe de Hospitalización), and Clinical Governance roles — experience that directly shapes the rigorous clinical environment at MindScape Retreat.
His work with PEMEX Health Services — managing complex cases in offshore and industrial environments — trained him to operate with precision under pressure, without the infrastructure safety nets available in conventional hospital settings. This background is directly applicable to the controlled but high-stakes environment of supervised ibogaine treatment.
“Focused on patient safety, structured clinical protocols, and high-level medical standards — with proven ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and implement international-quality healthcare systems.”
— Dr. Juan José Arellano, M.D.
Clinical Philosophy
How Dr. Juan José Arellano Approaches Treatment
Medicine First
Ibogaine carries real cardiac risk. This is not a ceremonial medicine — it is a powerful pharmacological agent that demands physician oversight, cardiac screening, and continuous monitoring. Dr. Juan José Arellano built his practice on this principle.
Individualized Protocols
No two patients receive the same treatment. Every protocol is designed around the individual's physiology, substance history, psychiatric profile, and cardiac status. Standardized dosing is a clinical shortcut that Dr. Juan José Arellano does not take.
Integration Is the Work
The ibogaine session is the opening, not the conclusion. Dr. Juan José Arellano's clinical framework includes structured 90-day integration, follow-up care, and the psychological support necessary to convert neurological reset into lasting behavioral change.
Evidence-Based Practice
Dr. Juan José Arellano tracks the published literature — Stanford MISTIC, Kentucky GDNF research, UTHealth dosing studies — and directly incorporates findings into protocol design. The science informs practice; practice informs the science.
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