Where Are You From?

I'm not originally from Texas, but I got here as fast as I could, which would be 1986. Austin was a small town with a huge personality based on being free-spirited. It’s the Galapagos of the Lone Star State, conservatives/liberals, and government employees mixing with entrepreneurs. It still hasn’t changed much other than the fact that everyone else has discovered it, so there’s more traffic! Once I found Texas, I never wanted to leave. Educated at UT-Austin, then UT Houston for medical school, residency, and faculty for a few years before finding the perfect medical practice in Austin.

What is Your Specialty, and How Did You Choose It?

Anesthesiology found me in my 3rd year of medical school. I fell in love with it immediately because of how similar it was to my childhood dream of becoming a commercial pilot or astronaut. I love how anesthesiologists are always tinkering and adjusting the ventilator, using gases and intravenous drugs to create a balanced homeostasis in human beings who need various procedures. Most of the time, it looks “boring” like flying a 737 because of our training, but we are always thinking in our heads about “what if” scenarios. You never know when you might have to perform a Captain Sully and land a plane in the East River of New York City.

How Did You Get Involved in Medical Cannabis?

I started reading about medical cannabis in our trade magazine and its impact on our surgical patients. There was so little information compared to other drugs and alcohol. My curiosity led me to researching the endocannabinoid system and its effect as a modulator on a huge variety of human pathways. Fast forward a few years to today, and the volume of recent research shows it's an amazing drug whose benefits drastically outweigh its harm. Very much unlike other pharmaceuticals. The patient experiences confirm this hypothesis wholeheartedly!