●     Born in Barakaldo (Bizkaia). One child.

●     Holder of a bachelor’s degree and doctorate in Medicine and Surgery from the University of the Basque Country.

●     Holder of a Diploma in Health from the Departmental School of the Health Directorate of Bizkaia.

●     Graduate in Hospital Management from INSIDE at the Faculty of Economics and Business Studies of the University of Deusto.

●     Graduate in Business Management majoring in Short Term Planning and Management Control from INSIDE at the University of Deusto.

●     Course in Management at the IESE Business School of the University of Navarra.

●     Specialist Diploma in Internal Medicine following training at Cruces Hospital. Worked as a specialist at the public sector hospitals of Cruces, San Eloy and Galdakao for 10 years.

●     Manager of Galdakao Hospital (1986-1988).

●     Medical Director of Cruces Hospital (1991-1997).

●     Head of Health Care at Osakidetza[1] (1997).

●     Head of Planning and Health Assessment (1999).

●     Member of the Basque, Spanish and European Societies of Internal Medicine, of the Spanish and European Arteriosclerosis Societies and of the Academy of Medical Science of Bilbao.

●     General Secretary of the Academy of Medical Science of Bilbao (1989-1991).

●     Ordinary Member of the Spanish Arteriosclerosis Society (1994-1996).

●     Basque Govt. Minister for Health since April 1999.