Dr. John S. Graettinger, 75, a physician and cardiologist, was chairman in the 1960s of the department of medicine at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center. He was also a highly respected researcher and a teacher who was a professor of medicine and dean of students at Rush Medical College.
A resident of North Lake Shore Drive, he died Tuesday in Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center.
“Counseling and teaching of students, residents and fellows gave him his greatest satisfaction,” said his son Robert. “His students are widespread.”
Dr. Graettinger, a native of Ontario, Calif., graduated from Harvard College and Harvard Medical School. He did graduate work at Boston City Hospital. After holding cardiac research positions in the Navy, he joined the staff of Presbyterian Hospital in Chicago in 1953, which merged in 1956 and eventually became Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s.
At the hospital, he set up the section of cardio-respiratory diseases. His major research interest was in explaining how the healthy and diseased hearts and circulation function in humans in adapting to acute and chronic loads. He and several associates published papers detailing the common denominators of those adaptations. Their studies remain the fundamental ones on the subject.
He was a professor at the University of Illinois before joining Rush in that position. At the latter, he also was dean of students and faculty affairs and was university marshal from 1973 until his retirement in 1992.
Dr. Graettinger served as executive vice president from 1975 to 1989 of the National Residency Matching Program. In that capacity he helped revise the procedures and record-keeping used to place all U.S. medical school graduates in their first year of residency training.
Other survivors include his wife of 50 years, Elizabeth; three sons, John Jr., Dr. William and George; and eight grandchildren.
A memorial service will begin at 3:30 p.m. Monday in St. James Cathedral, 65 E. Huron St.
