Some questions for Jose
Question: What do you do to unwind at the end of a long day? Answer: Different days require different ways to unwind. I have chosen tennis as one of my favourite ones. Tennis requires focus and concentration which takes me away from thinking about work at least most of the time. Other days, simply going home, having dinner with my family and ending up watching a Netflix series. However, after really tough days, there is nothing better than a glass of single malt scotch in my comfy chair. I avoid bringing work home as much as I can and I spend the weekends with my family, cooking for friends and the usual beach walk with my dog Boris the Beagle.
Question: What do you like the most about being an ENT/Facial Plastic Surgeon consultant? Answer: I basically love everything about being an ENT consultant but performing surgery is “the icing on the cake”. Being able to fix, modify and improve people’s faces, ears, noses and necks really brings pride and a sense of achievement to my life. However, there is nothing more gratifying than bringing satisfaction to my patients.
Question: What do you dislike most about being an ENT/Facial Plastic Surgeon consultant? Answer: I don’t dislike anything about being an ENT/Facial Plastic Surgeon, but being a consultant comes with a price. As a consultant you are expected to be involved in management which is not necessarily a bad thing but it can take a lot of my time and I rather be with patients. Bureaucracy and politics are definitely not my thing.
can be given. Nevertheless, the goal is always to offer quality of service regardless of the public or private sector.
Surgery is always more predictable, as at least you know what are you going to get that day but nonetheless challenging. As a Consultant ENT/Head and Neck Surgeon and Facial Plastic Surgeon, I perform more than 30 different surgeries; each one of them with at least three different ways to do it. Also, surgery has the “surprise factor” as although you can plan it in advance, in reality you never know until you start. Moving comfortably from plan A to B or to C or D inside the operating room defines good and experienced surgeons. Feeling that I am in that stage of my career makes me feel privileged and proud of myself, as it wasn’t easy; it required years of study, training and sacrifice.
Home or perhaps better to say family; this is the part of my day that makes it all worth it. Going home after a long roller-coaster day feeling that I have done the right thing and made people feel better and being able to transmit that experience to my two daughters and wife, is priceless. It is the ultimate experience to feel that you can sleep tight every night knowing you have made positive changes in peoples’ lives.
Beyond 20/20 A day in the life of... Page 93
Question: How did you become an ENT/Facial Plastic Surgeon consultant? Answer: From my early days in medical school, I realised I was skilful with my hands and surgery would become part of my life. However, while I was doing my internship in the Shock Trauma Center, in Baltimore, USA, I realised general surgery and trauma were not for me and I was designed for a more delicate and precise type of surgery; one that could come with finesse and elegance. I asked my boss if I could be transferred to a different surgical speciality and he recommended me to one of his ENT consultant colleagues at Johns Hopkins University; after a week, I knew ENT would become my passion. One year later, after multiple exams and interview processes, I was granted a training post in ENT at the Military University Hospital at Bogota, Colombia. I then undertook further training in facial plastic surgery and reconstruction at Imperial College in London and finally good fortune brought me to Jersey. Nowadays, I bring my highest standard of expertise in ENT, facial plastic surgery and aesthetics to islanders.
Question: What advice would you give someone, either just starting their career or midway through their career, who wants to be an ENT/Facial Plastic Surgeon consultant?
Answer: Hard work is key to success. Regardless of the career or profession, becoming a doctor is not easy but becoming an ENT surgeon is even harder and very competitive. Any person who wants to follow this route should be prepared to work very hard and aim to be the best. The job comes with a huge responsibility and there is no room for mistakes.
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