John Donald Hill

John D. Hill, DVM Background John D. Hill was born in Santa Monica, California, on December 5, 1930. He developed an interest in veterinary medicine when he was 16 years old, while learning taxidermy through a correspondence course. He was fascinated by how taxidermy allowed him to see “how things ticked.” In 1949, he graduated from Loyola High School in Los Angeles and joined the U.S. Navy where he served in the navigation department on an aircraft carrier during the Korean War and was honorably discharged in 1954. Dr. Hill received his Bachelor of Science with Honors from Washington State University in 1958 and his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine with Honors in 1960. He was inspired by his professors in Vet School, especially Roger Spencer and Richard Ott. Dr. Spencer was a great teacher who influenced his career path and Dr. Hill appreciated all of Dr. Ott’s guidance and unique teaching methods. After receiving his DVM, Dr. Hill began his career in private practice in El Cerrito, California. In July 1962, he returned to higher education. He served as a Lecturer in Veterinary Medicine and Surgery at the University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. He went on to the University of Pennsylvania to earn his Certificate in Cardiology (1965) and Master of Medical Science in Cardiology (1967) from the Division of Graduate Medicine in the School of Medicine. During his tenure at UPenn he was an Instructor in Cardiology and the Clinician in charge of the Heart Station in the Dept. of Clinical Studies (1963-64), a Post-Doctoral Fellow in Cardiology (1964-67) from the National Heart Institute of the National Institutes of Health, and a Senior Post-Doctoral Fellow in Physiology (1967-68) in the Comparative Cardiovascular Studies Unit, Dept. of Animal Biolog y. He concluded his time as an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Dept. of Clinical Studies at the University Of Pennsylvania School Of Veterinary Medicine (1967-68). In September 1968, he began serving as Associate Scientist (promoted to Scientist in 1976) and Chief of Surgery at the Oregon Regional Primate Research Center in Beaverton, Oregon. He was also an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the School of Medicine at the Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland. In September 1978, he also joined the School of Veterinary Medicine at Oregon State University, where he was an Adjunct Faculty Member. Dr. Hill authored 33 research articles published in medical journals specializing in cardiology, electrocardiology, circulation, anesthesia and analgesia, thoracic and cardiovascular surgery, obstetrics and gynecology. After 20 years at the Primate Center, he retired in September 1988 and enjoyed fishing, hunting, and spending time with his father. Dr. Hill supported WSU because it is where he got his academic and professional start. He is interested in the benefits that derive from research in animals - the research that benefits both animals and man.John was born in Santa Monica, California on December 5, 1930 to John and Caroline Hill. Graveside services with Honors, will be held at Willamette National Cemetery, 11800 SE Mt. Scott Blvd, Portland, Oregon, on Wednesday, February 15, 2017, at 3:00 pm.