Alvaro Santamaria

What inspired you to work in sexual medicine?

The people, the patients, the impact, the culture, the surgeries. My passion for sexual medicine grew early in my training under the mentorship of Dr. Jesse Mills, whose example showed me how one can make a meaningful impact in patients’ lives by addressing complex and often overlooked quality of life issues. I very quickly fell in love with both microsurgery and prosthetic urology, and in exploring the subspecialty, the SMSNA conferences. These experiences solidified my passion for the field and led me to pursue an SMSNA fellowship, where I could further develop the skills and knowledge needed to provide comprehensive, compassionate care in this rewarding subspecialty.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your career?

I find it incredibly rewarding when patients tell me they feel healthier, more confident, or relieved to have found a provider who can help them achieve their goals. I also truly enjoy mentoring the next generation of students and residents and hope I can inspire them to pursue a career in sexual medicine.

What is something most people don’t know about you?

I love running and Formula 1 racing! If you have a need for speed, feel free to reach out.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

In 2005, I was present for Steve Jobs’ commencement speech at Stanford, where he said: “You can’t connect the dots looking forward. You can only connect them looking backwards, so you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.” That message stuck with me from a young age and gave me the confidence to follow my passions – trusting that doing so would make all the difference (and it has).

What would your ideal vacation be?

Exploring a new city like a local, walking at least 20,000 steps per day, and trying every local coffee and bite I can find.