The word ‘orthopaedic’ comes from the Greek ‘ortho-po(e)do’ meaning: ‘Walk uprightly, prevent and correct a distortion, truss (secure) strongly and steadily in a correct position’. Or in a more succinct way ‘bone healer’. 

That defines Dr. Sequeira at his best. Let me explain why.

Like many doctors in Costa Rica medicine is a family affair. Dr. Sequeira’ father is a retired gynecologist and his older brother is a Ear, Nose and Throat specialist, who is a tremendous influence on him. A mixture of adulation and sibling rivalry no doubt.

Growing up in this environment medicine seemed a natural choice and challenge. After graduating from high school he  took the exam to enter UCMed a private medical school in San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica. 

Unlike the US, high school grads in Costa Rica do not have to go to a undergraduate university but can go straight into medical studies. They first must pass a rigorous entrance exam and then begin a comprehensive 5 year course of study of all the medical specialties. 

As he was exposed to all the different medical disciplines over the next 4 years he knew he had to choose a specialty. There was one in particular that appealed to him enormously. Orthopaedics. Why?

As he found himself learning and participating in the different schools of medicine what gave him a particular sense of purpose and satisfaction was seeing the wondrous healing process of bone tissue back to its original form. 

Here he was, as a young medical student, playing a vital part in the re-integration and subsequent healing of something broken, and in some cases shattered, back to its original design and purpose. 

This gave him a tremendous sense of fulfillment like no other medical specialty had.

Like all young doctors in Costa Rica after graduation he fulfilled his social obligation serving in a small village of Upala near the Nicaragua border. 

Coming from a economically upscale family he became acutely aware of the daily challenge these people faced to live through poverty and illness. His specialty at this village was just being a doctor to sick and hurting people. 

He helped patients with incurable cancer, he helped deliver babies and everything in between, he saw the complete cycle of life. He was inspired to make a difference. 

Working through the local hospital he applied to agencies in Costa Rica and abroad for more medicine and supplies for the people of Upala. After a year of serving the people of Upala, and a bit more wise about life, he went back to finish his residency.

He took a short hiatus and then began, in 2002, the last and most challenging conclusion to his becoming a doctor of orthopaedics. 

Five years as a resident in Costa Rica largest public hospital San Juan de Dios. There are no words to explain the workload he and all the young interns endure as a resident. Hospital San Juan de Dios is in the capital city San Jose which is in the Central Valley where a little under half of Costa Rica’s population of 4 million live. 

That hospital is the main public hospital for those without private insurance which is about 80% of the population in the Central Valley. It is a line that never ends.

In the meantime, life went on. Dr. Sequeira was at a party one night when he ran into the younger sister of a girl he had dated in college. The first time he had met this younger sister Gabriela she was 13 but now she was 20, a medical student at UCMed and ‘wow’ what a difference 7 years had made!

Long story short they married 4 years later and just recently brought a future female doctor into the world. Ahhh, but the plot thickens.

After Gabriela graduated from UCMed as a General Practioner she went to work for a well-known plastic surgeon. This plastic surgeon in turn knew the Medical Director for one of the most advanced hospitals in San Jose called CIMA. 

Ok, stay with me here.

This Medical Director was in the process of starting his own private hospital and was looking for a top-notch orthopaedics surgeon to run that department. 

The plastic surgeon Gabriela worked for Dr. Oscar, a friend and colleague to the Medical Director, said to him, “By the way, I might just know somebody that would be a perfect choice”. 

He recommended Dr. Sequeira and since 2010 he has been the Director of Orthopaedics at Hospital Metropolitano in downtown San Jose where he performs over 240 surgeries a year specializing in hip and knee replacement and Sports Medicine surgeries such as ACL repair. 

His success there has been so rapid they have expanded several times already and even now they are in the process of a new expansion.

Walk upright, steadily in the right direction…

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Andrew Makarik

to@welovecostarica.com

Andrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.