Rodríguez Mercado previously served as chancellor of the University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus.

[2] Rodríguez Mercado earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from the Rio Piedras Campus of the University of Puerto Rico, and a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, and completing a Residency in Neurological Surgery.

[citation needed] Rodríguez Mercado is a member of 15 international medical societies and has participated in several scientific research projects.

In April 2019, was appointed Professor of Surgery at Ponce Health Sciences University as part of his academic and military career.

[5] On 12 January 2017, he was appointed as 22nd Secretary of Health of Puerto Rico by Governor Ricardo Rosselló.

In one particular instance, an island doctor managed to convince the agency to test a patient only after pleading with CBS reporter David Begnaud @DavidBegnaud (March 8, 2020).

[14] On March 13, 2020, under public pressure and at the behest of governor Wanda Vázquez Garced, he immediately resigned to the position of Secretary of Health.