About Us

Our Medical Services

  • Health Consultations

  • General Check Ups

  • Health Screening

  • Laboratory Testing

  • Commercial Driver License Exams

  • Sports Physicals

  • X-Ray

Quality medical and health screening for you, family, and business.

At Unidad Medica Santa Maria Valley, we are founded on the principle of caring for our neighbors through thoughtful, objective, and client-centric guidance. Our goal is to earn the trust of our customers, employees, and the broader community by fostering long-term relationships and supporting the health and well-being of our clients, while developing leaders for the future.

We provide comprehensive advice across a spectrum of medical needs, including individual medical concerns, employment health, wellness, and regulatory examinations. We take our responsibility to act in our stakeholders' best interest seriously, delivering care with clarity, confidence, and concern.

Meet Our Providers

Christian Mendoza-Vargas, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, is a Santa Maria native that graduated from PVHS. In 2013, he began his career by becoming a registered medical assistant. Throughout the years, Christian became an x-ray technician and was a preceptor for many students in the Central Coast. Eventually, he undertook advanced studies by becoming a registered nurse with guidance from his friend/mentor Dr. Paul Christensen. In 2025, Christian accomplished his goal of becoming a family nurse practitioner at Chamberlain University. Christian’s philosophy of care is to provide holistic patient care regardless of a patient’s socioeconomic status, culture, or religion to promote overall wellness and healing. 

Christian is married to his wife, Isabel, who works in healthcare too. They have two wonderful children in which both participate in local sports. He plays soccer locally and coaches his son’s soccer team. Christian likes to travel with his family, go to amusement parks, attend sporting events, and watch anime. He always enjoys exploring diverse cuisines and spending time with Dr. Christensen. 

Dr. Paul Christensen has been dedicated to patient care since 1992, beginning his career in emergency medicine, where he gained extensive experience treating a wide range of acute and complex medical conditions. In 2011, he opened his own private practice, building lasting relationships with patients, families, and employers throughout the community while providing personalized, high-quality care.

As he prepared for retirement, Dr. Christensen sold his practice and remained through the transition to ensure continuity of care for his patients. He officially retired in late 2024 but soon returned to practice, inspired by his continued passion for medicine and the opportunity to partner with Christian, a former employee whose professional growth he has witnessed over many years.

Today, Dr. Christensen brings more than 34 years of medical experience to the practice. Together, he and Christian are committed to delivering compassionate, patient-centered care. Their partnership, built on years of mentorship, trust, and shared dedication to healthcare, provides patients with the benefits of both experience and continuity of care.

Outside the clinic, Dr. Christensen enjoys exploring new cuisines, cooking, and spending time in his garden.