Carlos Alberto Selmonosky

Dr. Carlos Alberto Selmonosky passed away peacefully at the age of 93 on July 7, 2025. Born on December 16, 1931, in Santa Fe, Argentina, he was the son of Dr. Manuel and Rosa "Bocha" Selmonosky, both members of founding families of Moisés Ville, Argentina-established in the late 1890s by Jewish immigrants from Ekaterinoslav in eastern Ukraine.

Dr. Selmonosky grew up with a father who served as the neighborhood family doctor in Buenos Aires. He graduated from the University of Buenos Aires School of Medicine in 1956 and completed post-graduate training at the Bronx Municipal Hospital where he and Sonia were the first Jewish couple to be married in their chapel. All three Rabbis officiated! He also trained at Albert Einstein College of Medicine before completing residencies at Karolinska Hospital in Sweden, and Hammersmith Hospital in England.

He continued his professorships at the University of Iowa and the Medical College of Georgia before opening his private practice in Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery in Austell, Georgia. Dr. Selmonosky went on to become a board-certified thoracic and cardiovascular surgeon whose distinguished medical career spanned more than six decades. Hospitals where he had privilege and every nurse smiled when he made rounds because he was so personable were Cobb General Hospital, Smyrna Hospital, Parkway Regional Hospital, St. Joseph's Hospital, Douglas General Hospital, Kennestone Hospital, North Georgia Medical Center, and Inova Fairfax Hospital.

Dr. Selmonosky was a prolific researcher and author, publishing peer-reviewed papers on cardiac and pulmonary diseases and pioneering approaches to the early diagnosis of acute kidney injury (AKI). He is perhaps best known for the Selmonosky Diagnostic Triad and for his research in diagnosing thoracic outlet syndrome, which has been cited in medical literature in more than seventeen countries. Remarkably, in his 90s, he continued to publish, including authoring a chapter in a medical book.

He was a Diplomate of both the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. He was also a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (ACS), the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), the American College of Cardiology (FACC), and a Life Member of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).

His sharp intellect was balanced by a disarming sense of humor and warmth that endeared him to patients. Though his thick Spanish accent often led to confusion, he would flash a grin and say, "the same place you are," when asked where he was from. If the person was perplexted and still didn't understand, he'd laugh and add, "planet Earth."

Beyond medicine, Dr. Selmonosky had a wide range of passions: he was a lifelong reader fascinated by the intersection of religion, politics, and science; a lover of classical music and contemporary art; and a tango dancer afficionado. Dr. Selmonosky served as a member of the Lions Club in Ellijay, Ga and Falls Church, VA. He had a very lively childhood in Argentina. His life was full of friends, fun, staying in as much trouble as he could and even included a pet ostrich; probably the reason he remained an only child.

He often joked that he had once dreamed of becoming a clown. In many ways, he was-a joyful spirit who delighted in making people laugh and putting them at ease, even in the most clinical of settings.

Even after retirement, Dr. Selmonosky remained a tireless advocate for affordable diagnostics and continued to share his knowledge with medical professionals around the globe. He also generously volunteered his time as a physician in Virginia at The Arlington Free Clinic and was a visiting faculty member at INOVA Fairfax Hospital.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Sonia Raquel Selmonosky, and their son, Daniel Jorge Selmonosky. He is survived by his daughters: Deborah Selmonosky (with BG Jones), Arlene Miller, and Monica Selmonosky; his grandchildren: Gabriela, Jordan, Max, Sophia, Olivia, Isabella, Wesley, and Atticus; and his great-grandchild Oliver.

Dr. Carlos Selmonosky was deeply loved by all who had the privilege of knowing him. His legacy of curiosity, teaching, warmth, and joy lives on in the many lives he touched and the knowledge he so generously shared.

Please sign the online guest book. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Arlington Free Clinic and ADL.