Op-Ed: A call for justice: Unwavering support for Dr. Jose Montoya

June 24, 2019, 8:52 p.m.

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing on behalf of the group of Colombian physicians listed below, medical school classmates and colleagues of Dr. Jose G. Montoya. We wish to unwaveringly support Dr. Montoya in his defense against alleged misconduct at Stanford University. To attest to the content of this letter, the members of this support group provide our personal contact information and (Colombian) national ID numbers.

[ To view the personal contact information and Colombian national ID numbers of those individuals within the support group, click here.]

We have known Dr. Montoya for the past 40 years, since our medical school days at the Universidad Del Valle, in Cali, Colombia. We have since maintained close contact with Dr. Montoya, including multiple encounters at individual and group meetings. Moreover, we have closely followed his outstanding professional career at Stanford, through which Dr. Montoya excelled and became a world authority in his field. Dr. Montoya, a role model for us all, is among the most preeminent Colombian medical doctors of his generation.

Above his professional qualities, we are first-hand witnesses of Dr. Montoya’s spotless personal and moral integrity, and his respect for other people. At all our personal and group encounters, his behavior has been without reproach. We look proudly at Dr. Montoya, a true leader and an inspiration to all those who know him closely. As a Faculty member for almost 3 decades, these human and professional attributes have surely been obvious to his students, subordinates and patients at Stanford. It is because of our close personal knowledge of Dr. Montoya, that we are shocked by the current allegations of misconduct made against him. We strongly believe that these accusations are most likely baseless and motivated by some misrepresentation or other unclear reasons, as they are simply not in line with the very well-established attributes of a man whom we have closely known and appreciated for most of our lives.

We respectfully request a meticulous, transparent re-evaluation of Dr. Montoya’s situation. At stake is the honor of a human being and Stanford’s prestigious reputation. We are convinced that such an honest and thorough re-assessment will demonstrate the senseless nature of the accusations against Dr. Montoya and restore his position as an honorable professional of impeccable character.

Sincerely,

William Bara-Jimenez, MD

ABPN & AANEM neurology diplomate

Bethesda, Maryland

Contact William at baraw ‘at’ bethesdaneuro.com.

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