His lines of research are a) Gerontology and Geriatrics: specifically in thematic areas of Programs and Services; Multicomponent Interventions; Comprehensive Gerontological Assessment; Physical Activity and Exercise; and Telehealth in the older people; b) Public Health: specifically on the biopsychosocial effects of health problems in the older people; and effects on biopsychosocial health of the Social Outbreak. In 2015, he awarded and executed with funds from the University the Research project "Evaluation of User Satisfaction, as a measure of Quality Results, of users of the Community-based Rehabilitation strategy of the Western Metropolitan Health Service: cut-off study cross"

Rafael Pizarro-Mena has a PhD in Gerontological Research (University of Maimónides, Argentina), a Master's in Social Gerontology (University of León, Spain) and a Master's in Health Management and Direction (University Mayor, Chile), Physical Therapist and Graduate in Physical Therapist (Pontificia Catholic University of Valparaiso, Chile). Currently, he is a research professor at the Faculty of Dentistry and Rehabilitation Sciences (University San Sebastian, Chile), he has held pre- and postgraduate teaching work since 2012, and he was also director of the Master's Degree in Therapist Gerontological and Geriatric Physical. Previously, he was the national director of the Physical Therapist career (University Pedro de Valdivia, Chile) and Clinical Physical Therapist (Geriatric Hospital, Limache, Chile)

His undergraduate teaching areas at San Sebastián University have been developed in the subjects of Public Health, Clinical Bioethics, Gerontology and Geriatrics, Health Management and Community Health, for careers in Physical Therapists and Speech Therapist. Specifically, his postgraduate teaching topics, both at the University and at other universities, have focused on Comprehensive Gerontological Assessment; Physical Activity and Exercise; Public policies, programs and socio-community and Primary Health Care services; Multicomponent interventions; and Telehealth, all focused on the older people. All these subjects and teaching topics are triangulated and contribute with their lines of interest and research