Dr. Tsiouris was the Chief of the Division of Neuroradiology and a Professor of Clinical Radiology at Weill Cornell Medicine, and he was extremely committed to being an educator and mentor to young doctors following in his footsteps. His generosity and commitment to education will continue to live on at the OMI because of an endowment he set up to sponsor one junior radiologist from Weill Cornell join the Diagnostic Imaging faculty every year in Salzburg. Dr. Michelle Roytman, the current Chief of Radiology at Weill Cornell, had a beautiful statement to share, describing all that this endowment will do for young doctors at Weill Cornell. She wrote:
“The Apostolos John Tsiouris, M.D. Endowment was established in honor of the distinguished Dr. Tsiouris, an exceptional neuroradiologist who distinguished himself with his clinical excellence, prolific research contributions, and exceptional gift as an educator. The purpose of the endowment is to support patient care, research and educational efforts within the Weill Cornell Medicine (WCM) Division of Neuroradiology in the Department of Radiology across all stages of careers, from medical student, residents, fellows, and attendings, supporting these individuals in conducting well-defined research projects that advance the field of neuroradiology by addressing knowledge gaps, enhancing education, and/or improving patient care. Additionally, Dr. Tsiouris was deeply involved with the WCM Open Medical Institute Seminars in Salzburg, and, through the generosity of his endowment, a WCM neuroradiology fellow is competitively selected each year to continue Dr. Tsiouris’ legacy of providing exemplary education at the international level. We look forward to witnessing Dr. Tsiouris’ ongoing legacy through the future accomplishments of these prestigious recipients.”
This past September, we had the first beneficiary of this endowment join the Diagnostic Imaging course in Salzburg: Dr. David Jones, a radiology fellow from Weill Cornell. He expressed his gratitude to Dr. Tsiouris for the program he created in a beautiful statement, stating:
“Thanks to the generosity of the Dr. Apostolos John Tsiouris Endowment, I recently had the honor of being the first Cornell radiology fellow to participate in the Diagnostic Imaging seminar at the Open Medical Institute in Salzburg, Austria. Upon arriving at Schloss Arenberg, I was immediately struck by the warm and welcoming environment created by the faculty, the participating fellows, and the incredible staff, which helped foster a truly special environment for learning throughout the weeklong seminar. The enthusiasm for learning and for exchanging ideas was palpable throughout the week, with fellows equally engaged in discussions of cardiac MRI as they were for hands on musculoskeletal ultrasound workshops. For me, OMI offered a unique opportunity to hone my skills at education with an eager and inquisitive audience, which was an invaluable experience at the beginning of my career as a neuroradiologist and clinical educator. All the while, I had the privilege of learning alongside the fellows from around the globe from both Cornell and expert European faculty. And of course, the pastoral landscapes, delicious cuisine, and friendly culture of Salzburg further augment the seminar and transform the week into something truly special both in and out of the classroom.
It is clear to me why Cornell has maintained this decades long relationship with OMI and why this program was so beloved by Dr. Tsiouris. I feel incredibly fortunate to have participated this year and hope to have honored Dr. Tsiouris’ legacy by using this opportunity to further his goal of promoting radiology education. The Open Medical Institute will serve as a template I will carry forward with me in my career as it truly lives up to its name with faculty, fellows, and staff all engaging with open minds and open hearts to promote medical education. Thank you all again for inviting me to participate, it was an honor and a privilege.”
We at the OMI look forward to seeing how this program continues to shape the minds of young doctors in the beginning stages of their careers.