The Arcadian tradition was spoken in Plato’s Symposium. It is the basic love of creation that evolves into the human mind’s pursuit of truth, beauty and good. These lessons have shaped the Arcadian Mission. Dr. John P. Anton’s 2009 book “Arcadika: Speeches and Studies” states that two thousand years of misfortunes and suffering, did not pollute the minds of Arcadian ancestors. Nothing touched the Soul of Arcadia. The philosopher believes the Arcadian people proved that the love of freedom is as strong as the magic song of Pan (god of shepherds and flocks, of mountain wilds, hunting and rustic music).
Dr. Alexios Vardouniotis and his family are examples of the Arcadian’s pursuit of truth, beauty and good. Dr. Alexios has spent his life studying medicine and practicing in his city of Tripolis. Where is Arcadia, Greece? Arcadia is situated in the central and eastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. It takes its name from the mythological character Arcas. In Greek mythology, it was the home of the god Pan. In European Renaissance arts, Arcadia was celebrated as an unspoiled, harmonious wilderness. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arcadia).
Dr. Alexios Vardouniotis was born in Chicago, Illinois. His family immigrated back to Greece when he was five years old. His father, Spyridon Vardouniotis is an educator, who immigrated to the United States to acquire two graduate degrees from the Chicago University. Professor Spyridon Vardouniotis returned to Tripolis, Arcadia, as a Professor of Education, training undergraduate students to become teachers. He has two daughters, one involved in medicine and another in business. His wife, Maria Vardouniotis, is the backbone behind the family’s unique achievements. Currently Mr. Spyridon Vardouniotis is retired and involved in the Greek Theater in Tripolis.
Dr. Despina Siolas visited Dr. Vardouniotis during the August 15th celebration in Arcadia. “We could not find a hotel room,” she said. “Dr. Vardouniotis was able to make reservations for us at the Hotel Mainalon. Greece celebrates the Kimisis (Assumption) of the Virgin Mary as a national holiday. Kanella, his wife, is a school psychologist who travels to schools all over Arcadia. They are like many American professionals who use their bikes for transportation. The Vardouniotis’ family invited us into their home and office to enjoy their company with their son Spyridon (Clint). Photos of their wedding and family in traditional Arcadian dress were shown to us.”
The tourist explained, “the fair at Tegea is the main culture attraction in Arcadia. Dr. Alex took us, showing us the booths. Country style sausages, pigs and lambs on spits were cooked. A main attraction was the milk from donkeys. They were bottled for consumer purchase.”
Dr. Vardouniotis described himself as an “an ENT-Surgeon. I completed my specialist training certified with an ENT Diploma in 2010. Since then I am working as an ENT specialist at my own Private Practice in Tripolis, Arcadia, and as an ENT Surgeon at Athinaiki Medical Clinic in Athens, Greece. I was trained at the University Hospital of Heraklion, Crete. It is a tertiary hospital in a city of about 300,000 citizens. It has about 600 beds including: Pediatric Dept.; an Obstetrics and Gynecology Dept.; Neonatal Dept. with an Intensive Care Unit for newborns; Cardiologic Dept. with a Cardiologic Intensive Care, an Oncology Dept.; Diabetology and Nephrology Dept.; Urology Dept., two Surgical Departments and a Pediatric Surgery Dept.; Intensive Care Unit; Radiology Dept. (CT and MRI); an Ophthalmic Dept.; Dermatology Dept. and the Otorhinolaryngology Department. Finally, it has its own laboratory and research facilities and there are ten operating rooms and one landing pad for helicopters. The Otolaryngology Dept. in particular has 25 beds, its own operating room and covers most of the subspecialties of Otorhinolaryngology: Neuro-Otology and Balance Disorders; ENT-Allergiology; Swallowing and Voice Disorders, Head and Neck e.t.c. The number of operations performed per year varies between 900-1200 including both local and general anesthesia.”
Dr. Vardouniotis explained that “During my residency (from September 15, 2005 until September 18, 2009), I was working five days a week following the resident-training rotation program including wards, outpatient clinics, on calls and theatres. The program was divided in to 2.5 years (30 months) of general ENT at the aforementioned departments, and 6 months of special training in otology at the Neuro-Otology Dept. (including audiometry, tympanometry, ENG and newborn auditory screening). Furthermore, it included 6 months of additional training in plastic surgery at the ENT Plastic Surgery Dept. of the Oncology Hospital “Agios Savas” in Athens, and another 6 months of neurosurgery at the Neurosurgery Dept. of the University Hospital of Heraklion. During the full length of my residency program I had on call duties on a 24 hour basis approximately 8-10 days per month. Most of the minor surgical procedures I performed were during the 2 first years of my residency whereas most of the major procedures were performed during the last 2 years. During 2009 (my last year of residency) approximately 1100 ENT operations were performed under local and general anesthesia, in more than half of which I participated.”
He described his “fellowship in Allergiology at the KNO (ENT) Clinic at the Academic Medical Center University of Amsterdam (January 14, 2010 to April 302010), I attended outpatient offices and assisted in skin prick tests and immunotherapy injections, participated in the research that was being done at the time in the ENT-Allergiology laboratory and obtained expert knowledge in the field of allergic respiratory diseases, diagnostic procedures and treatments including immunotherapy. Moreover, I was trained in the field of insect venom allergy, including diagnostic procedures and immunotherapy. Since May 2010 and until the present day besides working in my own private practice, I have been operating (approximately 6 sessions per month) on ENT patients at Athinaiki Mediclinic in Athens, Greece. The spectrum of my surgery includes tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy, tympanostomy tubes insertion (glue ear), septoplasty, FESS, turbinate RF surgery, uvuloplasty, microlaryngoscopy, biopsies e.t.c.” His website is at http://www.vardouniotis.gr/
Dr. John P. Anton believes “the Arcadian tradition gives one strength to make life worth living in a culture where noble ideas count as much as material wealth. The measure of real success lies in what we are able to give back to society in quality.” Dr. Alexander Vardouniotis and his family are holding on to Arcadian ideas. The Arcadian tradition is part of their way of life.
Links:
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/gw-i8CrTdPq2UeRbKYUV99MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0- online business card
http://www.vardouniotis.gr/ – website
https://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/otolaryngologist.cfm-definition
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