Dr Vasiliki Androutsopoulou – Assistant Professor of Cardiac Surgery, University of Thessaly & Director of the University Cardio-Thoracic Surgery Clinic
Vasiliki Androutsopoulou’s presence in cardiac surgery — where women remain scarce — is not symbolic; it is the result of years of training, dedication, and relentless effort.
Cardiac surgery, as she emphasizes, demands discipline, mental resilience, and deep respect for human life.
Throughout her career, she was required to prove her worth repeatedly, not only as a scientist but also as a woman in a strongly male-dominated field.
“If there is genuine determination, no obstacle can halt our course”
A valedictorian PhD graduate of the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and holder of a valedictorian MSc from Democritus University of Thrace, she has been honored by the Academy of Athens with the “Aik. Kepentzi” Award for academic excellence and by the National Council of Greek Women.
Globally, women in cardiac surgery are a small minority — only 3 out of 1,000 cardiac surgeons worldwide are women.
In general, women surgeons face fewer job opportunities, lower chances of advancement to academic or leadership positions, and are often underrepresented in collective bodies and scientific societies.
“A female cardiac surgeon must overturn outdated stereotypes and unfounded prejudices to establish herself professionally. She must possess endurance, combativeness, and focus, and often has to claim what should be self-evident.”
She firmly believes that excellence has no gender and that the new generation of women physicians should not wait for acceptance to move forward.
Her message is clear: no career, no life, can be put on hold until “the right moment” arrives. Change is not granted — it is conquered.
