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Memorial |
Tucson, AZ 85711-4493
Outstanding leadership is a human characteristic endowed to only a few.
Outstanding leadership having an impact on a clinical discipline is endowed to
fewer still. John Evans was one, and his impact in the field of radiology was
huge. Young people do not know John Evans, but I urge them to read
on—few people have affected a clinical discipline more than
John.
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Sheer happenstance—as with many early radiology pioneers—caused John's career in radiology. He had already finished 5 years of surgical training in New York and was destined for a surgical career. Without World War II, he would have been known as one of the leaders in American surgery. He served in Italy and Africa from 1941 to 1945, achieving the rank of colonel. He also served as commanding officer of field and evacuation hospitals. Stanley Wyman of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston was the radiologist at the 15th Field Hospital who influenced John to switch his career to radiology.
The song "New York, New York" portrayed John's life—a man always on the move and ahead of his time. He loved New York City. He was born and raised there and attended its public schools, earning his B.S. from New York University in 1931. He earned his medical degree from Cornell University Medical College in 1935. He then completed 5 years of surgical training in the city, at French Hospital (1935-1937) and New York Hospital (1937-1940). After his 4 years of distinguished military service (he was awarded the Legion of Merit in 1944), he began a radiology residency in 1945 at New York Hospital. He was certified in roentgenology in 1950 and in radiology in 1951.
After 2 years at St. Claire's Hospital, New York City, he returned to New York Hospital as radiologist in chief, professor, and chairman of the Department of Radiology at Cornell University Medical College in 1952, a position he held until 1976. In those days, all departments were understaffed, with poor equipment and facilities. It did not take him long to improve the hospital and medical school resources, and the department became one of the leading academic departments in the United States.
In a short time, he and his faculty introduced a series of landmark accomplishments. In 1954, he introduced the technique of nephrotomography, which to this day is the mainstay of modern excretory urography. In 1955, he developed one of the first film changers and applied it to aortography, peripheral arteriography, and cerebral angiography. This was an IV technique, before any catheterization procedures. In 1957, he was the first to report percutaneous splenoportal venography. He was one of the first in the United States to report percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography. This report may have described one of the first interventional radiology procedures ever performed.
Besides the first reports of his scientific endeavors previously mentioned, his vision for the future of radiology was remarkable. He argued vigorously for the separation of radiology into diagnostic radiology and radiotherapy. At that time, separation was a controversial issue, but his insight has proven correct. He believed that for radiology to succeed as a discipline, the standards of performance should be high. He insisted on these standards for his own residents and played a leading role in their implementation in the American Board of Radiology. As a trustee, he was influential in promoting and organizing the first written examination and served as chairman of the first written examination committee of the American Board of Radiology.
He strongly believed in subspecialization. Although his own career emphasized predominately genitourinary radiology (he wrote more than 100 papers, books, and chapters, mostly in this field), he supported all the other subspecialties. For example, in the late 1950s, he was invited to be a member of a National Institutes of Health committee to evaluate whether neuroradiology training programs should be funded. In the presence of neurologists, neurosurgeons, and particularly a number of radiologists who were strongly opposed to this policy, John took a strong position for neuroradiology funding. His success in gaining funding again turned out to be prophetic.
He was one of the first to emphasize the importance of research and to give strong support for any departmental and national research activity—realizing that today's research is tomorrow's practice. For example, his was one of the first departments to bring in basic scientists, a radical move when radiology was limited to radiographic technology.
John was quietly generous, helpful, and sensitive to the needs of new colleagues. For example, when Milton Elkin arrived from Boston to head the Department of Radiology at the newly formed Albert Einstein School of Medicine, John, as the leader of radiology in New York, was always available to help Elkin in his new responsibility. Dr. Elkin described him as one of the best chairs he has ever seen. Elias Kazam, who was on the Cornell faculty for 29 years, described John as the "most wonderful person in the world; very patient, kind, and very sensitive." When Dr. Evans urged Dr. Kazan to enter the field of sonography, Dr. Kazan resisted because of the initial poor technology. Dr. Evans said it will be "the fluoroscopy of the future." Another correct prediction.
John Evans served radiology well nationally: he was president of the New York Roentgen Society; a member, fellow, and chancellor of the American College of Radiology (Gold Medal recipient in 1985); and a national consultant to the Veterans Administration and the United States Air Force. He was awarded the Gold Medal of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) in 1967, and in 1963 another vision of Dr. Evans surfaced when he gave the RSNA annual oration, "Specialized Roentgen Diagnostic Techniques in the Investigation of Abdominal Disease."
As a long-standing trustee of the American Board of Radiology, he presided from 1967 to 1969 and also chaired the residency review committee of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education. He presided over the Eastern Radiology Society in 1973.
Perhaps the best personal description of John Evans came from his longtime secretary, Julia Mala:
I worked with Dr. Evans during his chairmanship at New York Hospital, and after his "retirement," which turned out to be quite awhile...many things that come to mind—a fair person, wonderful boss, and best of all, a gentleman at all times. The residents feared him, the attendings valued his opinion, and everyone respected him. For me, he was always there when I needed help, whether it was for medical or personal reasons. Golf was his favorite game. I remember one time I was learning to play golf, he watched me for quite awhile but didn't say anything until much later when he suggested that I give up golf and try tennis. He always treated me as a member of his family, and I will never forget the wonderful summer weekends spent at Shelter Island.March 13 would have been his 93rd birthday. I miss my friend and think of him often.
John died December 24, 2001. He is survived by his wife, Anne Wilson Evans. With his wife, Dorothy Reilly Evans who preceded him in death, he was father of Linda Franklin, Jane Carreyrou, John T. Evans, and Susan Evans Sterling. He was grandfather of nine and great grandfather of three. He was also the stepfather of Susie O'Dell and Allison O'Dell Smedley.
John Evans was a giant in radiology; his legacy of raising radiology to the forefront of American medicine will never be forgotten.
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