Dr. Julius Ibanez

As Dr. Ibanez walks the hospital's halls, his fans say you get a hint of a secret weapon: a Latin rhythm. The native of Bogata, Columbia humbly-or perhaps strategically-denies this. Of his one appearance on stage salsa dancing, he claims "I was booed down."

While humble about his dance skills, he's clearly proud of his family. Inspired by his RN mother and his father to become a dedicated physician, today, he and his wife Marcela inspire their own children. Daughter Pamela is volunteering at a school in Ghana, Africa, and son Santiago is a student here at home.
He's proud too of the contribution he and the rest of the SMMC-San Clemente family make to the community. Having recently lost a friend to heart disease, he knows how important raising money to expand our local cardiac programs is.

How important is it to him to win? He says he's dancing because it sounds like fun. Hmm. Perhaps his real secret weapon is an ER physician's ability to remain cool under pressure.

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