Bernardo Sandó Iznaga

Born in La Habana, son of a physician, at age 7 he moves to Candelaria, Pinar del Río where his father finds work at the local emergency medical clinic, at age 14 he returns to La Habana to take his entrance exam at Instituto Edison, graduating from secondary studies at Instituto de Artemisa.

He begins his high school studies in 1952 at Instituto del Vedado which he completes in 1957 due to the closure of schools and institutes because of the country's turbulent political situation, he is unable to enroll in the university due to its closure.

In 1959 he begins his medical studies at Hospital Calixto García, graduating in 1965.

He serves as a postgraduate physician in Otorhinolaryngology and provincial group head of the specialty in the provinces of Santi Spíritus and Santa Clara from 1966 to 69, where he begins to dedicate himself regularly to ear surgery, learning from his professors Drs. Vaquerizo, Horacio Escobar, Dra. Eneida Boleda and Dr. José Fernández Brito, who visited him frequently in the provinces for work reasons.

In 1972 he graduates as a First Grade Specialist in ENT at Hospital "Calixto García" where he perfects his knowledge alongside professor Horacio Escobar, an essential physician in the history of Cuban otosurgery, he meets and participates in this type of surgery with American professor Samuel Rosen, surgeon at Mount Sinai in New York, during this period he completes a year-long training at the National Institute of Oncology and Radiobiology.

Upon graduation he is appointed as head of the ENT service at Hospital 10 de Octubre, where he begins pre and postgraduate teaching, departing again in 1972-74 to share his knowledge throughout the country, this time with the responsibility of ENT head in the former province of Oriente Norte and head of service at Hospital Vladimir Ilich Lenin in Holguín.

He returns to La Habana in 1974 to direct the ENT service at Hospital Comandante Manuel Fajardo where he also held responsibilities as Vice-surgical Director. He has remained at said hospital for more than 30 years, developing other areas of the specialty.

In 1978 he travels to Spain to take a training course in ear surgery with professor Antoli Candela, having the curious and particular opportunity to witness the Otosclerosis operation that his professor performed on the King of Spain, Don Juan Carlos De Borbón, where he expands his surgical skills especially facial nerve surgery.

Upon his return he trains at Hospital Calixto García for a year in Cofosurgery with professor Escobar.

In his scientific work he has participated in national and international congresses in Mexico, Canada, Spain and Hungary sharing his experiences in round table discussions on Ear Surgery with world personalities of the specialty such as professors House, Portman, De la Cruz, Álvarez del Cozal and others.

He was at the head of the provincial group of Ciudad Habana and Provincia Habana for five years as well as President of the Cuban Society of ENT during the period 1984-94, he is a member of the National Group of the specialty since 1978 regularly participating as president of the state board for obtaining the title of first and second degree specialist

He has presented more than 80 scientific papers and since 1997 is a Consulting Professor, actively participating in the formation and development of the Cuban School of Otorhinolaryngology.