ph ysici a n profile
THEMISTOCLES DASSOPOULOS, M.D.
R aised in Athens, Greece, Themistocles
Dassopoulos, M.D., moved to the United States
to attend college and medical school. He earned
his medical degree from Brown University, completed his residency at Harvard Medical School
and his fellowship in gastroenterology at the
University of Chicago.
Dr. Dassopoulos has authored 40 original articles, 30 reviews, symposia lectures and editorials,
seven book chapters, and numerous abstracts. He
has served the American Gastroenterological
Association as head or member of several committees. His areas of research include cost-effectiveness of analysis in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases
(IBD) and digital analysis of endoscopic images.
Dr. Dassopoulos has been recognized in Best
Doctors in America since 2011 and has received
the Gold Doc recommendation by the Arnold P.
Gold Foundation.
In September 2014, he joined the medical staff
at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas and
is the medical director of the Baylor Center for
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. The Center provides comprehensive and coordinated care to
patients with IBD, performs clinical trials of
promising new therapies and serves as a clinical
and educational resource within the region.
“We have the unique opportunity to establish
an IBD center with a national reputation,”
Dr. Dassopoulos said. “We aim to not only take
care of sick patients in Dallas, but also develop initiatives to improve the care of the wider IBD population, patients who are less sick but still have
health needs that need to be met.”
Another aspect that differentiates Baylor’s
Center for IBD from others is the breadth of experience. “It’s the art of medicine as well as the
knowledge of medicine and the team approach,”
Dr. Dassopoulos said. He also credited the close
working relationships among colorectal surgeons,
pathologists and IBD specialists as setting the
20
Center apart from others.
Why did you pursue the specialty of
gastroenterology?
I had a natural affinity for the types of patients
we see in GI and the types of problems they have.
It is a balanced specialty in that one establishes longterm relationships with patients and one also performs procedures.
What career would you want to have if you
weren’t a physician?
I would have enjoyed being a diplomat. I like
solving problems and I enjoy talking to people of
different backgrounds, interests, cultures and histories. I speak some French. And Greek, of course.
What’s something about you that would
surprise people?
I served in the Greek army from ages 29 to 31.
I was in the same platoon as people who were 17
years old – now that was quite an experience!
What’s the most influential book you’ve ever
read?
I love to read but cannot name an “influential”
book. Among my favorites are Crime and
Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, One Hundred
Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia-Marquez, A
Coffin for Dimitrios by Eric Ambler, Skylark by
Dezso Kosztolanyi and The Pilgrim Hawk by
Glenway Wescott.
What are some things you would like to
accomplish in life?
I look forward to
becoming a grandfather
one day. As for the more
immediate future, I’d
like to go on a safari and
learn to sail.
DR. THEMISTOCLES
DASSOPOULOS