In Argentina, Maria Ines Ardid, MD, grew up in a family of architects and was encouraged by her father to pursue the noble and familiar profession. Yet, wanting to prove to herself that she could greatly impact people’s lives in a different way, she later decided to enter the healthcare field and became a doctor. Her personal philosophy declares, “I know I am born to help people, and I love to help people.”
In a groundbreaking and celebrated career that spans nearly five decades, Dr. Ardid remains passionate about medicine as a doctor, cardiology research specialist, and an interventional cardioangiologist at the Baptist Hospital of Miami—Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute in South Florida, where she has worked for more than 20 years. With a special focus on the heart and blood vessels, her responsibilities include writing and coordinating medical trials for cardiovascular research and implementing the correct protocols. Educated in Argentina years before immigrating to the United States in 2003 on a Cook Research Scholarship, Dr. Ardid completed her cardiology residency at Hospital Universitario lnterzonal General de Agudos General San Martin in La Plata and earned her Doctor of Medicine at the National University of La Plata—Hospital Eva Peron in 1975. She was among the country’s first women cardiology fellows from 1975 to 1978 and was the only woman for eight years, she said. Trained in renal angiology, in 1985 she founded the Argentine College of Interventional Cardiology, and, in 1995 she established the Latin American Society of Interventional Cardiology. Honored for still forging her own path, making strides, and rising to become a respected authority, in 2020, Dr. Ardid received the Cardio Service Award from the American College of Cardiology in Washington, D.C., where she is a member. She’s also listed in Marquis Who’s Who Top Doctors.
Distinguished by a storied career of breaking barriers, Dr. Ardid was one of the first doctors and women to perform coronary angioplasty in 1980 and became the first female chief of an interventional cardiology department at a public hospital, she said. She takes great pride in specializing in a medical area that she feels helps people quickly, saves many lives, and has significantly improved especially during the past 30 years. Playing a major role in Dr. Ardid’s success was Liliana Greenfeld, MD, a renowned teacher, and later her partner and close friend, who, she said, was the first woman in the world to practice cardiology and the only woman who was the director of the Argentina College of Cardiology. A key lesson that Dr. Ardid learned from her, others, and her own experience during her career is that women must be dedicated and work very hard to be successful and reach the top of their profession, recalling her own difficulties when she started in a male-dominated field. She is happy that times have changed and has steadily witnessed more women specializing in interventional cardioangiology.
As she looks to the future, Dr. Ardid plans to continue to work and innovate at the Baptist Hospital of Miami—Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute as well as encourage and inspire women, especially from Argentina and throughout the United States, to pursue careers in medicine. Ultimately, she wants to be remembered by her peers as a person who enjoys sharing her knowledge and seeing others reach their goals. Dr. Ardid is the proud mother of a daughter, and she has two grandsons. She donates her time and resources to various Native American, educational, and military veteran causes that are close to her heart. She also enjoys spending time outdoors, most often at the beach, and bowling.