Acierno Touched the Lives of Many Students

Sept. 4, 2007 — A long-time member of the UCF family has died. Dr. Louis Acierno passed away at his home on Aug. 9, 2007. He taught here at UCF since 1979 in the Program in Cardiopulmonary Sciences in the Department of Health Professions. 

Dr. Acierno's life began on the Lower East Side of New York City, where he was born on June 30, 1920, to parents who had immigrated to the United States from Italy. He grew up in Manhattan and attended elementary and secondary school there. He attended college in New York at Manhattan College. After graduating in 1941, he was accepted to medical school at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

After completing his degree in medicine in 1944, he served as a captain in the U.S. Army from 1946-48 at Camp Kilmer, N.J., where he was chief of medical service. He completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at Kings County Hospital, N.Y., in 1950. He was then appointed clinical assistant professor of medicine at Downstate Medical School, State University of New York in Brooklyn, from 1950-1975, while practicing at Long Island College, Kings County and St. Peter’s Hospitals in Brooklyn, N.Y. 

Dr. Acierno and his family moved to Italy for a short time period where he received a second degree in medicine from the University of Bologna in 1974. Upon their return to the United States, they resided in Winter Park, Fla. Dr. Acierno accepted an appointment as professor at the University of Central Florida in the cardiopulmonary sciences program from 1979-2002. He served as the program’s medical director for many years and taught students in the clinical environment as a member of the Florida Heart Group in Orlando. 

During his long career of more than 57 years, he became well known in the fields of internal medicine and cardiology in his roles as physician, researcher, scholar and professor. He touched the lives of many hundreds of students preparing to enter the health professions. His enthusiasm in the classroom was matched only by his desire to write. His scholarly work included numerous textbooks, professional journal articles and presentations at a variety of medical conferences. His book, The History of Cardiology, received excellent reviews from practitioners in the United States and Europe.

Dr. Acierno was a Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine and the National Board of Medical Examiners and a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology, the American College of Physicians and the American Heart Association. He received numerous awards for his contributions to medical and allied health education and was awarded the Gifted Teacher Award by the Florida Chapter of the American College of Cardiology in 1996. After retiring from UCF, he was awarded the title of "professor emeritus" in 2003. 

Even after he retired, he continued to publish articles in journals and when he was able, he would present guest lectures to classes on campus. His life was rich with intellectual curiosity and he lived each day to the fullest.

Dr. Acierno will be missed by all that knew and loved him.

-- Associate Professor L. Timothy Worrell, M.P.H., RRT, Department of Health Professions

Heart specialist, teacher at UCF wrote 'History of Cardiology'

-- Article published in The Orlando Sentinel, Aug. 12, 2007




Dr. Acierno wrote The History of Cardiology.