John Edward Sheridan was appointed to EMS as a Telemetry Control Physician on September 15, 1993. Previously, he had worked for 17 years as an Emergency Department doctor at Northern Westchester Hospital and Phelps Memorial Hospital. During that time, he also served as Medical Director for the Somers Volunteer Fire Department.
He received his BA degree from New York University, with a three-and-a-half-year break to serve as a Corpsman in the United States Army during WW II. On his return, he finished college and worked as a medical technician on the ambulance at Roosevelt Hospital before starting medical school. He received his medical degree from New York Medical College, followed by an internship and surgical residency at St. Vincent’s Hospital and Medical Center.
He had a private medical practice in the Kingsbridge section of the Bronx and was an attending physician at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Yonkers for 20 years before entering emergency medicine.
He married Mary Higgins in 1955 and they had seven children and 13 grandchildren. He died on November 29, 2004.
On-line medical control physicians play a critical role in pre-hospital emergency medical care. They provide direct radio or telephone consultation to EMTs and Paramedics in the field. One man stands out, in particular, as someone who was always a reassuring voice for those in the field.
After a lifetime of service in medicine, at a time when most people would have considered retirement, Dr. John Sheridan decided that there was still more for him to do. In 1993, at the age of 71, he began his career with EMS. With years of medical experience behind him--starting in the military as a Corpsman, on the streets of New York City as an ambulance technician and an experienced emergency room physician--he came to fill a critical need and make an important contribution. Little did he know that he would touch so many lives.
Soon, he became the ever-familiar voice that had a special way of putting people at ease--from the new Medic giving a patient presentation, to the senior citizen reluctant to make a trip to the hospital. As a senior citizen himself, he related to the needs and respected the values of older patients. Kindness, compassion and respect were transmitted audibly in all of his interactions. He showed a genuine concern and value for people in the way he listened and asked about their lives. A deeply religious man, he lived his beliefs.
He was greatly admired for his work ethic and dedication. Despite having a long commute, he would arrive 30 minutes early for his scheduled shift. During heavy snowfall, it often required him to try various detours to find an open road. Yet, he could be counted on to cover staff vacancies. There was little doubt that aside from his cheerful willingness to help his fellow coworkers, he had a passion for EMS.
During shift changes, when he would greet the off-going or incoming physician, he seized the opportunity to inquire about interesting medical cases, never showing signs of losing interest in expanding his knowledge and understanding of medical case management. He served as a teacher to residents-in-training in Emergency Medicine, educating them about all the aspects of out-of-hospital patient care as they rotated through the Telemetry Center. He voraciously pored over medical journals for anything that would enhance his abilities, with the humble appreciation of sharing it with his patients.
Described as “a rare find” by his physician colleagues, Dr. Sheridan was the living ideal of a warm, genuine, caring physician, mentor and professional role model. These outstanding characteristics qualify him for this year’s Office of Medical Affairs Commendation, which is being awarded posthumously. Additionally, the award will be renamed the Dr. John E. Sheridan Commendation. |
