Where were you born and where did you grow up?
I was born in Astoria, Queens and lived there until I was 2 ½ years old at which time we left as a family for Athens, Greece for what was supposed to be permanent residence. It was in our Apartment in Zografou where I made my first memories and where I fell in love with Greece. I spent much time with my grandparents in Elos, Sparti, partaking in all the responsibilities of farm life and where I developed a deep appreciation of nature and the Greek landscape. The failing economy of post-Junta Greece brought us back to the US after 3 years, and since them, I have called Bayside, Queens my home.
Who or what were the main influences in your life?
My influences, and more importantly my heroes are indubitably my parents. They came from poor and humble beginnings but brought with them to this country their pride and belief in hard work. Most importantly, and through their example, they made sure to pass these values on to their children. They are the epitome of kindness and generosity, always making sure those less fortunate had enough before reaping any rewards themselves.
Why did you become a doctor?
Since the age of 5, I had already proclaimed that I would grow up to be a pediatrician and I never waivered from that decision, I was always the one running to the medicine cabinet whenever anyone got hurt, grabbing the antiseptics and the bandages and stitching everyone up. Among several other strong sources of career inspiration is my older brother who is a practicing interventional cardiologist in Brooklyn. As a younger sibling, I always heard stories that fascinated me throughout his medical training. However, there is also a familial genetic predisposition for the medical field. Most of my cousins in Greece – with whom I did not grow up - are physicians as was my great grandfather. And even though one of my great, great grandfathers had completely broken ties with his family in Mani, Greece, even changing his name, I uncovered that the original family home was marked with a sign that read “Iatros Mantouvalos.” So even six generations back, there were doctors in my family.
As a new generation doctor, how do you evaluate the state of health care in the US?
As Americans, we are fortunate to reside in a nation where medical research is greatly supported and as such has aloud us to be at the forefront of medical technology. The access to medical care oftentimes remains a problem for the average middle class working person due to the exorbitant costs of health insurance. Unfortunately, while physicians were busy working hard to care for their patients, large HMO’s took over and further limited not only re-imbursements to hard working physicians but overall access to patient’s medial resources. And furthermore, the proposed Obama health plan will be an even further detriment to the medical field.
On a clinical level, preventative care is highly stressed and rightly so. Despite this, we are plagued with significant preventative problems such as obesity and heart disease. Stress, inactive lifestyles, and poor diet, are all factors that are part of our detrimental US living. Change starts with the individual; if each of us takes a personal responsibility for our well-being then we can impact health care as a nation.
If you were a patient, what would your ideal doctor look like?
I would want a physician who is caring, responsible, good-hearted, informed and accessible. Growing up, I did not have a pediatrician in the traditional sense. As a family we went to a general practitioner and general surgeon named Dr. Deliyiannis who was all of the above. He was a true gentleman whose passion for his art was reflected in everything he did; the type of physician that is a rarity to find in today’s day and age. He made even a child feel important as I recall the way he used scoop me in his arms when I was little, and give me the biggest bear hugs when he saw me in the waiting room.
Has your Hellenic Heritage influenced your professional conduct and in what ways?
As a Greek American, the one quality that I realized sets us apart is passion. I believe in being passionate about what you do or else not doing it at all. It is this zeal for my profession which has made me the caliber of physician that I am. My Hellenic heritage can be sensed from the minute one walks into my office as glances at the many momentos of my Greek identity. One of the most treasured however is the statue of Hippocrates who dedicated himself tirelessly and wholeheartedly to the art of medicine. It was one of the proudest moments in my life when I took the oath of Hippocrates on graduation day and knew that it was one of my countrymen that will forever be called the father of medicine.
As a successful American you could and perhaps have joined major organizations that are focused more on mainstream society. Why HMS?
The founding fathers of HMS, more importantly Dr. Papanicholaou, were highly respected and admirable physicians who laid the groundwork for the creation of an organization such as this which allows bright minds to interact and share ideas for the advancement of the medical profession. I believe it is the responsibility of every physician of Greek descent to be and active contributing member so that together we can move forward in the spirit of unity in which these great men intended.
What qualities do you admire most or value in others?
I am a purebred Spartan, a true Maniatissa with very Spartan ideals amongst which are honesty, loyalty, pride, strength and honor. These are the qualities which I believe I possess but also the qualities that I admire in others.
Where would you like to be in your professional and personal life 20 years from now?
On a professional level I hope to still be offering the caliber of medical care that I offer to my patients today only on a larger scale. I am currently in the process of creating a large pediatric asthma center so that this significant health problem can be addressed.
On a personal level, I would like to be surrounded by the wonderful family members and friends that I have been very blessed to have, and one day have a family and children of my own. I still see myself living in New York.
How do you spend your time outside of work?
My two great loves are my niece and nephew. Spending time with them is always the highlight of my week. Other than that I am a great yoga fan and an avid fisherman. Traveling is my other main passion but as many places as I have travelled, none is more beautiful to me than Pila, Greece, where our summer house is located. It is there with the crystal blue waters and the beautiful sunsets that I find peace every summer.
What is your idea of happiness?
Happiness is waking up every morning knowing that you have made your dreams come true. I feel fortunate to have health, a great family and a circle of friends, and to be a part of a profession that I love.
