Where did you grow up and what was your childhood like? Did you have any particular experiences/stories that shaped your adult life?

Born in Cuba. Proud immigrant

Public school kid grew up in Elizabeth NJ

Competitive swimming and ballroom dancing were early interests that taught discipline (and poise)

Later played water polo at Cornell, as well as rugby at Cornell, and an NYC Medical school rugby league if you can believe. There goes my poise…

As an 8-year-old, I accompanied my grandmother to see a hand surgeon in NYC as rheumatoid arthritis had crippled and deformed her hands/wrists. That surgeon would later train the surgeon who would train me in Pittsburgh. Major foreshadowing…

What is something you wish you would’ve realized earlier in your life?

Business foundation
Surround yourself with the right people for any business pursuits

What are bad recommendations you hear in your profession or area of expertise?

Current use of “evidence-based medicine.” Medicine is as much an art as science.

Tell me about one of the darker periods you’ve experienced in life. How you came out of it and what you learned from it?

Recent struggles with juggling two careers- surgeon and reluctant healthcare entrepreneur. I am still struggling with the latter, but the market is finally catching up with our disruptive concept- the pandemic had a hand in that.

Rigors of surgical residency – Lack of sleep, personal time, or income is no exaggeration but no regrets. I recall the chief of surgery at Manhattan VA saying to me, “We surgeons work a lot but we don’t work hard. Ditch diggers… they work hard.” This often sustained me when getting woken up out of a warm bed at 4 AM to attend to an emergency.

What is one thing that you do that you feel has been the biggest contributor to your success so far?

Open to new ideas. I always listen to what a person has to say or offer. That is lacking these days…

What is your morning routine?

6:30 water than coffee, current events/paper, and work. I prefer to work out in the late afternoon or early evening, but crucial.

What habit or behavior that you have pursued for a few years has most improved your life?

Learned to play tennis. I treat many elite players yet never knew the joy of hitting. I started in my 50s…

What are your strategies for being productive and using your time most efficiently?

Set mini-goals
Be optimistic about time and how much you can do in minutes when needed.

What book(s) have influenced your life the most? Why?

Peoples Almanac by David Wallechinsky and Irving Wallace – I learned to love learning facts and be well rounded
The Making of a Surgeon by William A. Nolen – One of my primary inspirations
The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman – Friedman I realized that I could provide healthcare to the world
The Future Is Faster Than You Think by Peter Diamandis and Steven Kotler – eye-opening changes occurring NOW
My own book, Healthcare from the Trenches – Nothing like writing a book to force you to command a body of knowledge.

Do you have any quotes you live by or think of often?

Never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world for, indeed, that’s all who ever have
Winners never quit, quitters never win