The doctor who created an innovative health system in Mexico

“Since I was little, I’ve always wanted to be a doctor,” he confesses with a smile.

He also remembers having passed by the university as a child and telling his father: “I want to study at the Tec.” Years later, he was in the university’s first cohort of medical graduates.

Now, as Rector of TecSalud -Tec de Monterrey’s health and hospital system- and Vice President of Research, Guillermo Torre has been a key figure in the COVID-19 response and public discussion of the issue in Mexico, thanks to his results in this field.

After spending 25 years in the United States, where he stood out as a successful researcher and heart transplant specialist, Torre returned to Mexico almost 10 years ago, at the invitation of Lorenzo Zambrano and Rafael Rangel, then Chairman of the Board and Rector of the Tec, respectively.

“Lorenzo Zambrano’s philanthropic goal was to develop a very strong health care area at the Tec,” he recalls. “History should recognize what he did.”

Torre explains that, after getting involved, he wanted to replicate what he had experienced in the United States, not by creating a typical private hospital in Mexico, but rather a system that mixed education with research and practice, a model which showed its strengths in the pandemic.

“The challenge of the pandemic for the Tec and the city (of Monterrey) was very big. We wouldn’t have been able to achieve what we did if we hadn’t created this culture.

“We transformed a tiny hospital, the San José (…) into a highly complex hospital. We created the highest volume private hospital and probably one of the 10 largest COVID treatment hospitals in México. It also had the best survival rate in the country.

“We’ve had successes in innovation (…) and scientific production. We’re participating in the most important vaccine trial in Latin America with CureVac (…) We were challenged in a critical situation and the response has been extraordinary.”

“I’d like to contribute to improving education and health in Mexico in a significant way, not just on paper.”

Torre acknowledges that this situation created a significant national sphere of influence for both TecSalud and himself.

“The truth is that our country is very centralized. Often, what happens outside of Mexico City isn’t noticed. (But now) we’re seen as not only a medical school, but as an important contributor to public policy. This is very important to me because, unfortunately, there aren’t many people speaking up about these issues in Mexico.”

“What I’d like to do,” he concludes, “is contribute to improving education and health in Mexico in a significant way, not just on paper.”

Who is Dr. Torre?

• He holds a Ph.D. in Immunology from the University of Chicago.
• He completed a specialization in Internal Medicine and Cardiology at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.
• He also took a heart transplant sub-specialization in Houston.
• He enjoys running, skiing, and extreme challenges like marathons and long hikes.
• His favorite music is Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and Piano Man by Billy Joel.
• He likes reading books on inspiration and leadership. He is currently reading A Promised Land by Barack Obama.
• He has 6 children and 8 grandchildren. 

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