Cataldo Corrado Jr., MD, FACEP, was the youngest of eight children. Named after his father, a family physician in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, and affectionately dubbed “Little Doc” by his family and friends, the younger Dr. Corrado was drawn to medicine from the start.
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ACEP Now: Vol 39 – No 03 – March 2020He started his medical education in the early 1960s before being drafted into the U.S. Army for two years right before the Vietnam War. He got his first glimpse at what life might be like in emergency medicine when he was assigned to the medical clinic on the base, part of a team of medical personnel who served in all capacities for the community, treating the service men and women along with their families, young and old. The clinic was the only medical facility on the base; there was no emergency department. “If anybody had an emergency, we had to take care of it right there in our clinic,” Dr. Corrado remembers.
When he returned from his military service, he finished his internship and accepted the first emergency position at Pittsburgh Hospital in Pennsylvania. A year later, he decided to do a residency in orthopedics at West Virginia University Medical Center in Morgantown. But life intervened: Dr. Corrado’s mother passed away about six months into his orthopedics residency, and he took an emergency medicine job back in his hometown to be closer to his father.
He intended it to be a temporary stop. Instead, it became a legendary 53-year run that saw Dr. Corrado create a rural emergency department that handles 50,000 patients per year while also developing a local EMS system to serve Fayette County, Pennsylvania.
He finally “hung up his cleats” in September 2019 at age 82, feeling wholly content with what he jokes is the “shortest résumé in the world.” A few months after his retirement, he took time to reflect on his impactful career and what he learned along the way.
JG: When you were trying to decide between orthopedics and emergency medicine, what do you think ultimately compelled you toward emergency medicine?
CC: I think it was the variety. Orthopedics can be pretty much the same thing. Emergency medicine has some sameness to it also, but it certainly has a lot of variety. And then in the early 1970s, that’s when emergency medicine was really starting to become very challenging and we were doing a lot more. It was much different than the other specialties because it involved all of them.
JG: What has it been like to watch the evolution of the profession into what it is today?
CC: I remember when we first started in emergency medicine, we were nothing but a triage. Did the patient need to be admitted or not, and that was the only decision you made. But now, we do major work-ups in the emergency department, we do major interventions in the emergency department, and, of course, I came in up an era where there were no CAT scans, no ultrasound, no MRIs. It was pretty primitive. It has been really remarkable the progress we’ve made in all of medicine but mostly in emergency medicine. I think we’ve made more progress than any other specialty.
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6 Responses to “Emergency Physician Dr. Cataldo Corrado Jr. Reflects on 53-Year Career”
March 30, 2020
Mary GarrityI worked with “Doc” for 18 years in the Uniontown Hospital ED. Learned so much from him and am so proud to have worked with such a compassionate, brilliant doctor.
March 30, 2020
Scott LaClairWas a medic under Doc Corrado from the early 80s to the late 90s. Words fail to express what an asset he was to EMS and the community. He was a mentor that you were blessed to have! The guy is truly a Superman in the eyes of the EMS community in Southwestern Pennsylvania. In almost 20 years I never witnessed him rattled regardless of how injured or how many injured we delivered to his ER. The manner in which he assisted EMS people and his own staff was always in a kind manner, I never heard a raised voice. I loved putting in volunteer hours in the ER when he was on duty. Doc is just a tremendous man with an integrity second to none.
During his time at Uniontown Hospital he passed on many prestigious, high paying positions to remain in Uniontown. He is a legend in the community of emergency service and without question it was the greatest of my life’s opportunities to serve under him! Thank You Doc for all the years.
Scott LaClair
March 31, 2020
Roger MitchellI am certainly proud to have benefitted from your excellent teaching! Doc, you are the reason that emergency medical services are able to provide today. Thank you!!!
March 31, 2020
KarenDr. corrado saved my life at 6 yrs old!! I fell sick for a couple weeks, saw a couple other Dr.s in the ER! Was diagnosed with tonsillitis! I got so bad I was not able to swallow my own spit! My mom took me too Uniontown’s ER, where I was meant by Dr. Corrado!! He ran a new test for mono, and it was positive! My spleen was so enlarged I had to stay home from school for weeks! I was days away from it bursting! Years later he became my family Dr.! Thank you for the amazing care! Much love, & prayers sent to you! God bless!
March 31, 2020
Debra MasonI worked with Dr. Corrado for 10 years at Uniontown Hospital. He was the best ER Doctor. I was impressed with all of his knowledge and kindness he showed everyone.
March 31, 2020
SANDY SEXTONI worked with Dr. Corrado for over 23 years. First, he was my son’s dr. My son had problems and was under ole doc’s care, when young doc took over his practice. Everything I have learned over the years, doc is one of the kindess caring human beings around. He loved his paients and would go up on the floors to check on them after he had admitted them, 2 0r 3 days earlier. I have seen doc go to peoples home to make sure they were ok. Thank you doc for all your kindness, your worring, your love for your staff. We all love you. Please take care of yourself and Carol thru this awful thing we are all going thru. Please know you were loved and when we get together, your name is always brought up in a positive mannor. God bless you.