He was born in Austin, TX, and graduated high school in Pflugerville, TX. He received his M.D. from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston and completed residency training at Mayo Clinic Hospital in Florida. He has spent the last three years in private practice as a neurohospitalist in Mississippi where he assisted in the development of an active stroke program, which earned advanced certification for primary stroke centers by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.