Manuel Sanchez, M.D.
Sept. 12, 2005
How would you identify yourself?
I can identify myself as a simple but ambitious person; "easy going" but strict; a person who wants to comply with all his goals and dreams. I am someone who works hard every day to obtain my goals.
Define and describe diversity in your life.
In my understanding, "diversity" is ability to interact and get along in a wide range of environments and conditions with different people that are presented to us through our life experiences (family, study, friends, work, etc.). Diversity in my life has been an important opportunity to meet interesting individuals and their cultures. I have been able to achieve my personal goals with the knowledge that I have acquired from other people's personal experiences or mistakes. From these interactions I have learned how to survive in moments of adversity and thrive in moments of well being.
Describe important childhood experiences that influenced you.
Most of the experiences from childhood are now ruling my life and I owe those experiences to my parents, two wonderful people who dedicated their lives and efforts to provide the best education, advice and guidance for me and my siblings.
Share a defining moment (or moments) in your life.
One of the most defining moments in my life was during my graduation ceremony as an MD in my native country. Without even thinking about the possibility, my doctoral thesis was awarded as the best of the last years. This was amazing to me considering that I conducted my research in a really poor hospital with little or no resources or technology and that I was in tough competition with other students who studied in the United States in the finest, best equipped hospitals.
Can you think of an important lesson you learned at a time and place in which you were caught completely off guard?
The death of a loved one: Facing the death of a loved one has taught me there is no money or efforts you can buy or use to make life eternal.
To whom do you owe your destiny?
Basically, I owe my destiny to God, who is always guiding my steps. And to my parents, who gave me the love and education that continue to help me every day.
If you had to write a page to say anything you wanted in order to express and give life to something deep inside of you, what would you write about?
I would write about how a person could overcome adversity, trying to fight for his goals even during moments of complete loneliness, and that the major secret for success is perseverance.
Who were the most influential people in your life?
My parents, my Grandmother and some of my teachers during my medical career have influenced my life in such a way that the lessons I learned from all of them are the reasons for all the things that I do nowadays.
How did those influential people really make a difference in your life?
Basically, with their love and advice and some of their personal experiences that were taught to me during my childhood, adolescence and adulthood. These lessons are the principles that are ruling my life and helping me to make the right decisions, especially during the hard moments.
Have you ever given someone a second or third chance after being hurt? Have you ever been given a second or third chance from someone you hurt? Please explain.
No matter what the person did to me or what the circumstances were, I would give the chance to somebody who might hurt me, especially if there were a big feeling of love toward that person. I consider myself lucky because I also got a second or even a third chance from people who I had hurt. That is when I understood how important I was for them.
Have you ever experienced a moment in which someone else's observations about you provided a painful self-awareness? Please explain.
Many times in my life I got such observations and remarks from different kinds of people, but I also learned how to take the knowledge and experience of those comments to improve and benefit myself instead of becoming upset or annoyed. I realize I can use these observations to correct my procedures or even change certain postures.