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Dr. Louis F. Scaramella came to the United States in 1947 after completing his medical degree at the University of Naples in his native Italy.

He began his career as a family practitioner in Chicago, but developed an interest in Otolaryngology during his service in the US Army Medical Corps in the 1950’s. After his discharge from the Army, Dr. Scaramella did a residency in Otolaryngology at the Hines VA, under the supervision of Dr. Francis Lederer who headed the UIC Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery and chaired the residency program at Hines.

On completion of his residency, Dr. Scaramella began to build what is now a thriving private practice in the southwest suburbs of Chicago. His philosophy of care –  “if you are kind to people, you will get back what you give”– is evident in his service to his patients, to his community, and to his alma mater.

Dr. Scaramella has been a UIC faculty member since 1960. He was a regular participant in the weekly tumor teaching session with Dr. Burton Soboroff.  In July 1960, he also was assigned to the teaching faculty in the Department of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery at Hines Veterans Hospital in the section of Otology.  In this capacity, he worked closely with Dr. Richard Buckingham, an excellent teacher and Master Otologist from July 1960 through July 1994.  He learned and taught otology surgery and developed a keen interest in the surgical treatment of traumatic facial nerve paralysis.

In 1993, he organized the first Golf Outing at the Prestwick Country Club to benefit UIC’s  Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery resident research program. He hoped to have 40 participants; 80 people teed off.  The annual event continues with great success.  Dr. Scaramella was named the Outstanding Alumnus of the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine by the Chicago Medical Alumni Association in 2001. 

Family is an important part of Dr. Scaramella’s life. He met his wife Nina when his ship first docked in New York (“I saw a beautiful girl standing there,” Dr. Scaramella reminisced). They were married in 1948 and settled in Chicago. They currently have 5 children and 11 grandchildren, and are eagerly anticipating another generation in the near future.  Daughter Cheryl is a lawyer, Valerie a psychologist, and Linda is an audiologist working in her father’s practice. Son Gene is a professor of law enforcement at Western Illinois University, and John is a family practitioner.

The continued success and popularity of the Golf Outing is due in large part to Dr. Scaramella’s drive and enthusiasm. The UIC Department of Otolaryngology thanks him for his many years of service on our faculty and his significant contributions to the Department by naming this annual event in his honor.