John Heydt PHS class of 1976 has traveled an interesting and winding path to professional success, from almost failing his sophomore year to maintaining a 99 average as a junior and senior, he has learned many life lessons. His post secondary education started at Bloomsburg State College, where he left after one semester to enter the workforce. Two years later, he enrolled in the radiologic technology program at Reading Saint Joseph Hospital and then moved onto the medical college of Virginia where he graduated 1980 with a degree in radiation therapy technology. His post secondary education continued by earning a degree in biology from Gwen Mercer Mercy College. His next step was Temple University and a medical school internship at Saint Joseph’s Hospital his residency training continued at UCLA Medical Center where he graduated in 1990
He returned to Philadelphia where he served as the chair of the family prevention and community medicine department at Drexel University, and became the chief executive officer of the university physicians and also served as the head physician for Drexel athletics
John returned to sunnier weather in California to become the senior associate dean of clinical affairs and president and CEO of University of California faculty practice group. After retiring, he took on a new challenge as a chief academic physician for a large community health company where he established a physician specialty training program to help fill the need for physicians in urban and rural hospitals.
He stated the obvious, my road to success was clearly not a straight one, but a series of opportunities that I was able to build on and use a sense of confidence and adventure to guide my path. At PHS my classes in economics and typing provided me with some basic foundation. I appreciate the influence that several teachers had on me who saw a potential that I had yet to realize. The business classes gave me a solid foundation for a career in business and administration of medicine, which has been a large part of my career. I encourage the students at PHS to look at every challenge as an opportunity to grow and develop their own road to success.