Luiz Sanchez, MD

Vascular surgeon stays at the leading edge of a rapidly changing field

Luis-Sanchez-MD
Luis Sanchez, MD, (left) is chief of the section of vascular surgery at the School of Medicine and Barnes-Jewish Hospital.

Luis Sanchez remembers tagging along with his father, a family physician, on home visits when he was a boy growing up in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

“I carried his bag when he went out to see patients,” said Sanchez, MD, the Gregorio A. Sicard Distinguished Professor of Vascular Surgery. “And people also lined up in front of the house to see him. They paid with whatever they had. Sometimes they brought food. There were no appointments. He saw whomever showed up until there were no more patients.”

During the day, his father directed one of San Juan’s public health units. And at night, he maintained a primary care practice. But despite his father’s dedication to the profession, he did not push his son to become a doctor.

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