A portrait of Jacob Adam Werner Hetrick, M.D., currently on display.
Dr. Jacob Adam Werner Hetrick, M.D. (1895-1979) was a prominent otolaryngologist whose accomplishments include fulfilling the role of president and dean at the New York Medical College. His work spanned many environments and communities.
A portrait of Jacob Adam Werner Hetrick, M.D. is on display in the boardroom of Sunshine Cottage.
Birth: April 22, 1895, Asbury Park, New Jersey
Death: November 24, 1979, Neptune, New Jersey
Education:
At New York Medical College (Faculty):
Dr. Jacob Adam Werner Hetrick, M.D. (1895-1979) was a prominent ear, nose, and throat specialist who took on multiple prominent roles at the New York Medical College and in his unaffiliated practice.
Born in 1895 in Asbury Park, New Jersey, Dr. Hetrick was revered as a local who had gained praise and notoriety through the accomplishments of his career. After graduating from his home town’s high school in 1914, he graduated from the New York Medical College in 1918. His medical internship took place at Flower Hospital, where he met his wife, Lillian Hetrick.
After earning his M.D., Dr. Hetrick joined military service as a physician and chief. Upon returning, he worked at the Essex County Tuberculosis Hospital until returning to the New York Medical College.
Dr. Hetrick joined the faculty of the New York Medical College in 1921, as a professor of Otolaryngology. He became director of the department in 1929. By 1940, he became dean of the college. In 1942, he assumed the role of president, fulfilling both positions simultaneously. This continued until Dr. Hetrick retired in 1958.
While working to promote the growth and improvement of the New York Medical College, Dr. Hetrick also engaged in professional endeavors through private practice. While he specialized in otolaryngology, he was a leading figure in the treatment of disabled children. He established a clinic for intellectually disabled children in 1950, with the goal of providing diagnosis, treatment, and guidance.
Dr. Hetrick held many professional honors including a fellowship with the American College of Surgeons and Academy of Ophthalmology as well as with the New York Academy of Sciences. He continued working in his private practice until 1961 when he fully retired and moved to New Jersey. He died 18 years later, in 1979.