4 FOCUS - MAY 2018 But as an adolescent looking to select his vocation, John initially rejected medicine. “I watched my Dad work odd hours and decided that wasn’t the life I wanted.” Despite those reservations, as an undergrad he did ap- ply to medical school. A phone call, at the eleventh hour of the process, changed the course of his life. “They said there was a position available for me in the medical program, if I wanted it. My decision to accept might have been made at the last minute, but now I can see the truth: that it was really made years before that.” Ironically, the very factors which had originally re- pelled him from medicine ultimately carried the day. “From his patients’ actions and words about my father’s work, I had the sense of what you could do for people as a doctor. There are many pieces to any puzzle, like the choice of career; but they all came together when I was offered a place in Western’s medical program. And I’ve never regretted it.” Two years of experience in a Kitchener-Waterloo Emergency Room sharpened his freshly-graduated skills. “That was a difficult job, the ER. But I thought if I threw myself into the deep end right off the start, I’d be able to handle anything.” Those two years would prove valuable in his next posting, which would bring him to Port Perry. “I realized, while I was still working in the ER, that I’d prefer to operate a family practice.” Fatefully, one of John’s cousins had graduated with Port Perry’s Dr. Bill Cohoon, who had recently co-found- ed the town’s “Medical Professionals” practice. “He told me about an opening. My wife and I wanted to live east of Toronto, so coming here was a great fit.” If the professional part of John’s goal was broader medical experience, Medical Professionals provided it. “I was the fifth doctor added to that team. Because there were so few of us, we had to be interchangeable. Emergency Room, hospital duties, baby deliveries – we each did them all.” One of Dr. Stewart’s legacies took shape in the 1990’s. “I was a member of a committee creating guidelines in Ontario for appropriate prescription of antibiotics. The government’s approach suggested doctors were at the root of perceived over-prescription of the drugs. “I expressed the view that they should address patient education at the same time. And then set out to prove it.” John spearheaded an initiative to educate physicians, pharamacists, as well as patients. “I spoke to groups of medical professionals. At the same time, an information sheet accompanied every lo- cal prescription – antibiotics or not – on their appropriate Dr. Stewart (continued from page 3) Left: Looking through the lens at both his retirement and his next shot. Above: When John’s first grandchild came along, he picked up his camera and took a very cool shot, then wanted to capture the next three grandchildren at close to the same age – from behind! What awesome shots! 1565 Hwy. 7A, Port Perry 905-985-3655 (BesideWalmart) www.taylorfordsales.com Mon-Th 8-8, Fri 8-6, Sat 8-4, Sun Closed TAYLOR FORD Durham Region’s ONLY President’s Award Winner 2017 WINNER FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN SALES AND CUSTOMER SERVICE PRESIDENT’S AWARD PURE EXHILARATION PURE EXHILARATION The all-new 2018 MUSTANG Thrills come standard.