Last year, the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, the nation’s top ranking medical institution, and Greece’s top ranking University of Patras embarked on a groundbreaking research and teaching collaboration which was championed from the beginning by Mr. Rangos. This educational collaboration is the first of its kind for Johns Hopkins University in Europe and represents a great opportunity for Greece. Over the years, Mr. Rangos has invested more than $10 million in Johns Hopkins University and he offered $120,000 to kick-start the first international medical/research exchange between Johns Hopkins Medicine and the University of Patras. Mr. Rangos is a member of the Johns Hopkins Medicine Board of Visitors and a long-time benefactor of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

Other honorees at this year’s Hellenic Medical Society gala were Dr. Kostantinos G. Lyketsos, HMS Distinguished Physician, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, HMS Distinguished Philhellene, and Dr. George Alexopoulos, HMS Distinguished Colleague.

Dr. George Tsioulias, President of the Hellenic Medical Society, congratulated the honorees and welcome the participants at the gala which culminated another year full of public benefit activities. Earlier in the day, a seminar took place at the Cathedral Cultural Center, while a few days later, HMS hosted another event at the same venue, showcasing the work of Homades Aigaiou (Aegean Teams), a group of Greek professionals from many fields, including doctors, who organize trips to remote Aegean islands in order to offer medical and other kind of assistance to people still living there. HMS pledged to help by sending doctors and making the Teams’ work known in the Greek American community.

The Hellenic Medical Society of New York (HMS) has its origins in the Greek-American Medical Fraternity, an organization co-founded by the renowned physician George N. Papanicolaou during the First World War. This organization officially registered with the New York State authorities in 1920. Drs. George N. Papanicolaou, Nicholas Papadopoulos, Constantinos Carousos and Constantinos Logothetis served consecutively as presidents of this fraternity.

In 1924, the Greek-American Medical Fraternity changed its name to the Greek-American Intercollegiate Club and broadened its scope.

This club continued its activities until 1945 when its president, Dr. Savvas Nittis, changed its name to the presently known Hellenic University Club of New York.

In 1936, Dr. Polybios Coryllos formed with other members of the Hellenic University Club the Hellenic Medical Society of New York (HMS), a professional organization comprised of physicians.