Hometown Hillsdale: John Gadwood, ’92: Chief Anesthetist
Written by Doug Goodnough
John Gadwood, ’92, likes to tell people he “passes gas” for a living.
As the chief anesthetist at Hillsdale Hospital, Gadwood said he is doing what he loves—in the community that he loves.
“That’s the beauty of working here at a small, independent hospital. We have the autonomy to decide from our assessment what is the best anesthetic for that patient,” Gadwood said of the Hillsdale Hospital work environment.
Gadwood leads a team of six Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) at the hospital.
“We do the same job as an anesthesiologist; we just don’t have the (same) medical degree,” he said. “We go the nursing route.”
Gadwood, a biology major at Hillsdale, was always interested in the health care field. In fact, he hoped to go into physical therapy school after graduating from Hillsdale. He was working in quality assurance at the local Bob Evans plant when he decided to become the office manager for local orthopedic surgeon Dr. Robert Schaefer. That experience sold him on the medical profession, and he went back to school, completing his bachelor of science in nursing degree from the University of Michigan in 2000.
“I took a nursing class here and there and still worked,” he said. “It took a little longer to get through. It was challenging. But it was worth it in the end.”
He decided to work in the critical care unit at the University of Michigan Medical Center for several years, where he said he received valuable experience. In 2009, Gadwood again went back to school, completing his master’s degree at the University of Michigan–Flint. He eventually took a position at the Hillsdale Hospital, where he has been for the past decade.
Gadwood said he helps the hospital recruit new employees to the area, selling the small-town life. “It can be a tough sell sometimes,” he said. “But it’s small, it’s quaint, it’s safe. It’s a great place to raise a family. Once you get to know (people), you get to be lifelong buddies with a lot of these people.”
Gadwood, a former member of the Hillsdale baseball program, said he enjoyed his college experience.
“I loved it,” he said. “I definitely think a smaller college was a better fit for me. Baseball was great. The Florida trips were always the best.”
He said Hillsdale biology professor Dr. Frank Steiner was one of his favorites, and said he still connects with him from time to time. And Gadwood is proud of his alma mater.
“They’ve improved on everything,” he said. “It’s incredible what they’ve been able to do with the College.”
Gadwood and his wife, Danielle, and their children live on Lake Diane near Camden. One son, Nicholas, followed in his father’s footsteps, graduating from Hillsdale College in 2019. John enjoys living the “lake life,” and despite his demanding work schedule, still finds time for family and friends. He said the small-town environment works best for him.
“I couldn’t go back to the big city. No way,” said Gadwood, who grew up in metro Detroit. “I love living out here.”
Doug Goodnough, ’90, is Hillsdale’s new director of Alumni Marketing. He’s looking forward to connecting with fellow alumni in new and wonderful ways.
Published in October 2022