University of Illinois College of Medicine

In 1882, five physicians opened a medical school and named it the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Chicago.  In 1913, the C&S faculty donated their stock to the University of Illinois, and the Board of Trustees established the University of Illinois College of Medicine.  When I joined the College of Medicine in 1971, I came to know it as “U of I,” and the University Hospital as “R&E,” which stood for Research and Education.  Since my time at UIC a New Hospital and several research buildings have been added to its impressive campus.  Dr. Dimitri Azar MD, MBA a distinguished academician is its current Dean.

My two decades at the University of Illinois, Department of Radiology in Chicago were magical. I was fortunate to meet and work with honorable people, a few of whom I will mention for the profound influence they had on my career. 

Dr. Capek, my chairman, was a father figure to me.  His honesty and his unwavering support for every member of the department were admirable traits rarely found among men of his stature.

Another person that played a pivotal role in my career was Dr. Olga Jonasson, a transformational individual with whom I worked at UIC, CCH, and OSU.  It was Olga who trusted me to perform a splenic embolization on a patient of hers, the singular event that started my career in interventional radiology.  Dr. Jonasson also trusted me to perform biopsies under ultrasound guidance—a procedure that is the standard practice worldwide today.  Finally, it was she who allowed me to drain fluid collections with catheters rather than perform surgery.

I would also like to mention Dr. Bernard Siegel, who sought my assistance while he was the Dean at UIC.  I was fortunate to work with Dr. Siegel in the OR and the lab, where we developed operative ultrasound—a diagnostic tool used by oncologic surgeons today.  Dr. Siegel was a kind man and a dedicated investigator. He was a true embodiment of the phrase, “a gentleman and a scholar.” 

Another individual who has been my mentor since my first day as a resident at UIC is Dr. Leonard Berlin.  Even during his days off from work, Dr. Berlin would come in to teach the new residents. As a resident, I learned from his extensive knowledge. Later, as a colleague, Dr. Berlin became a trusted friend of mine.  He has written extensively and is now the world’s authority on issues of malpractice.  These four individuals made it possible for a young man such as myself to spearhead the field of Interventional Radiology at UIC and in the city of Chicago in the 1970’s, and also to develop the administrative skills I used later in my career. Those accomplishments, together with many of others, made our department at the University of Illinois a center for innovation.

The College of Medicine’s decision to honor me for my contributions by inducting me into the group of Distinguished Alumni of its Department of Radiology on September 8, 2013 was the pinnacle of my life in academia.  I am pleased that the newly established “D. G. Spigos, MD PhD Scholarship in Interventional Radiology” will assist students who strive to work and innovate in the field of interventional radiology.

Standing in front of the statue of Hippocrates at University of Illinois College of Medicine Campus.  Hippocrates the father of western medicine lived on the island of Kos in Greece from 460-370BC.  He advocated that the proper order of care should be the pursuit of health, followed by medical treatment, then surgery, as needed.