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Dr. Sigfredo Aldarondo may have received the Don Quixote Award, but he is not a man who tilts at windmills or looks at the world with foolish eyes.

He is, however, someone who is willing to look ahead and recognize things of value, and do something to make them happen. This is particularly true about his volunteer work with the Catholic Diocese of Orlando and its mission work providing healthcare to indigent peoples in a sister diocese in the Dominican Republic.

Aldarondo has, since 1994, volunteered in the Dominican Republic for several weeks a year, working on construction projects, nutrition education, water quality, environmental stewardship and, of course, offering medical support. His whole family has been touched by this work and has been blessed to participate in this "fantastic experience," as he calls it. After all, his son met his wife on one of the trips — she was from Orlando also but they never met until they were working together in the Dominican Republic.

Family is very important to Aldarondo and he is proud to tout his wife, Nylda, who paints, holds a graduate degree in theology, writes for Harcourt Inc., and has strong artistic talents that he finds "intimidating," he joked.

Aldarondo has a son who designs software and IT systems and four daughters: one married, in Orlando; one with a PhD in visual arts from the University of Minnesota; another one who recently graduated from medical school, and another who is pursing a master's degree in voice.

In addition to receiving the Don Quixote Award from the Pan American Medical Association in 2000, Aldarondo has been recognized for many other awards: 2007 Preceptor of the Year for the University of Central Florida, Award for Integrity by Florida Hospital, and one of Orlando Magazine's "Best Doctors."

Sig, as he is called by friends, "always knew" he wanted to be a physician, although there were no doctors in his family. He liked science and working with people; these factors seemed to call him to the practice of medicine.

He was born and raised in Puerto Rico and graduated from the University of Puerto Rico with a pre-med degree in 1972. Four years later, he received a medical degree from that institution. He completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico before coming to the mainland in 1982 to do a fellowship in pulmonary disease at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio.

Because Aldarondo was married with four young children at the time, economic factors played into his decision to continue his training in the U.S. Army when offered the fellowship. After his time in San Antonio he moved with his young family to El Paso where he served two years at Ft. Bliss. He also served three years at Ft. Benning, Ga., where he had a chance to get to know many career military people, both active and retired, and their families, and came to greatly respect the senior enlisted men who were his patients.
"These are the men who really run the army," he noted, adding that he was impressed by their dedication and the professional way they cared about the men under their command.

He came to Orlando after his service obligation because he liked the fact that it was close and convenient to family in Puerto Rico and because it was a growing city with a multi-cultural personality and outlook.

As to why he chose to specialize in pulmonary medicine, he said, "I just like the area of medicine, period." He admires the physiology of respiration and the fact that there are opportunities to use his hands in the manual skills required by some procedures.

He calls lungs "bystanders to the interface between the inside of the human body and the environment, which makes them vulnerable to disease. They are at the crossroads of many other disciplines and involved in all aspects of recovery."

Rachel Leone, one of his nurse practitioners at Pulmonary Care of Central Florida, said, "It's a privilege to work with a physician who is so passionate about pulmonary and critical care medicine. He always gives 110 percent to his patients and their families. I admire his dedication and stamina."

Aldarondo feels fortunate to have spent the time that he has in the medical field, although he will be glad to have two young physicians join him in the near future.

Teaching has allowed him to help medical students "in their formation as physicians."

"It's fascinating to be part of the process and have a chance to inspire and guide people starting on their medical journey," he said.
Kathy Coyle said, "I've worked with Dr. Aldarondo for over three years. His knowledge base is vast and willingness to teach boundless. His faith is evident in his compassion for patients and co-workers. I'm inspired to be a better nurse practitioner because of him."

Aldarondo loves music, and, when he has free time, enjoys both listening to and playing the guitar. He especially enjoys singing with his youngest daughter. When he can carve out the time, he likes to exercise by jogging, doing Pilates or working out with weights.

Since he went into practice, he has found that practicing medicine has been most changed organizationally and by outside factors like third party payers.

"There's a lot more structure and things are much more regulated than they used to be," he said. Without a doubt, the most amazing change in his years in medicine has been the incredible advance in technology — the explosion of new equipment and techniques has been amazing.

Like Don Quixote, Aldarondo is both a gentleman and a gentle man determined to make the world a better place.


June 2007

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