Berks County Medical Society Medical Record Spring_2018 - 28

m E d i C a l r E C o r d F E at u r E

I n

M e m o

Dr. Eugene A. ("Pat") Hildreth
A National Medical Leader
by Daniel B. Kimball, Jr., MD, MACP

r. Pat Hildreth, former Chair of the Department of
Medicine at the Reading Hospital, died on January 5,
2018 at the Highlands at Wyomissing. Pat was a personal
friend, having preceded me as Chair of Medicine at the Reading
Hospital. He and his wife Dee helped us adjust to life in Reading
when we arrived from Germany in 1989. Dee took Eve to the
Shillington Farmer's Market and other favorite shops when we first
arrived.

College. He also served as Chair of the American Board of Internal
Medicine (ABIM) and the Federated Council of Internal Medicine.
Dr. Hildreth had a major interest in Bio-Medical Ethics and served
on the ACP's Ethics and Human Rights Committee, and was coeditor of the 2nd Ed. of the College's Ethics manual. He was an
early advocate for Universal Access to Health Care in his leadership
roles at the College and testified before congress in support of those
efforts. He was subsequently elected to the Institute of Medicine.

Dr. Hildreth was born in St. Paul, MN in 1924. He received
his MD at the University of Virginia. He and I shared our favorite
stories about our experiences in Charlottesville at "The University."
Dr. Hildreth completed his post-graduate training at the John's
Hopkins Hospital and was Chief Medical Resident at the University
of Pennsylvania Hospital. He spent two years in the Navy from
1951-1953 and returned to the University of Pennsylvania where
he specialized in Allery and Immunology. In 1968 he came to
the Reading Hospital as Chair of Medicine and Internal Medicine
Residency Program Director, serving in those capacities until 1989.
He would continue his practice of Medicine until 1996.

Dr. Hildreth was recognized internationally by election as a
Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (London) and as an
Honorary Fellow of the Academy of Medicine (Singapore). Dr.
Hildreth was widely published with over 150 articles, editorials and
book chapters.

Dr. Hildreth loved teaching his residents and colleagues and was
a national leader in academic medicine and public health policy. He
was a leader in the American College of Physicians. serving both as
Chair of its Board of Regents and subsequently as President of the

www.berkscms.org

Pat and Dee loved their farm, Echo Hollow Farm, where
they frequently entertained colleagues and friends. He and
Dee completed the Forestry Stewardship Program at Penn State
University and placed their farm in conservancy.
A memorial service will be held at The Highlands at Wyomissing,
2000 Cambridge Avenue, Wyomissing, on Saturday, April 28,
2018 at 11 AM in the Cultural Center. Visitation will take place
beginning at 10 AM on the same date, just prior to the service.

http://berkscms.org/

Berks County Medical Society Medical Record Spring_2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Berks County Medical Society Medical Record Spring_2018