Although born in Caracas, Venezuela, Dr. Esnaola was raised in Houston, Texas. As a child, his pediatrician inspired him to become a physician. “Dr. Tovar was always thoughtful, kind, and compassionate. I knew from my interactions with him that he was the kind of individual I wanted to become, and that medicine was the career I wanted to pursue: one in which I would have the opportunity to help others and make things better".
As a medical student, Dr. Esnaola was always fascinated by cancer biology, but it wasn't until he spent time in the clinics and operating rooms that he truly understood the disruptive impact of cancer on patients' and families' lives. “Surgical oncologists aren’t simply surgeons that specialize in removing tumors. They have a deep knowledge of cancer that allow them to provide their patients with the best chance for cure and radically change their lives".