The Dr. Stephen S. Scheidt Memorial Scholarship

The New York Cardiological Society, Inc., hosts an annual scholarship in honor and recognition of one of its past presidents, the late Dr. Stephen S. Scheidt. The NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center cardiologist was also a professor of clinical medicine and served as Assistant Dean for Continuing Medical Education and Associate Dean for Student Affairs.

Described as a “brilliant clinician and advocate for medical education internationally” and “greatly beloved by colleagues, students and patients alike,” Scheidt was the longtime director of the Weill Cornell Medical College’s cardiology training program, former vice president of the American Heart Association, co-director of the Salzburg-Cornell Seminars for Physicians, and Associate Editor of Cardiovascular Reviews and Reports.

A prolific research scientist, his contributions ranged from pioneering early work in the development of coronary care units and the treatment of acute myocardial infarctions to exploring such issues as the link between mood and heart attack and examining the relationship between cardiovascular disease and nutrition.

Scheidt demonstrated an extraordinary grasp of clinical cardiology and was a highly sought-after seminar presenter, matched only by his outstanding clinical skills, friendliness and superb bedside manner. First and foremost a gentleman who treated his colleagues and trainees with respect and humility, Scheidt was a prodigious worker who produced some important contributions in the early days of the coronary care unit and one who had a particular gift for knowing how to translate scientific findings so that they could be assimilated by the non-medical public.

Scheidt was a graduate of Princeton University and Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and was a Fullbright Fellow at the University of Wurzburg in Germany. He received the Elliott Hochstein Teaching Award from Cornell University Medical College in 1980 and received the Silver Medal for Science and Technology from the Austrian Government.

Known by his friends as “Steve,” the cardiologist’s passing was a tremendous loss to Cornell and the medical community as a whole, particularly in New York, and the Society will honor Scheidt and his legacy with a scholarship in his name to a deserving Fellow in Training.

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Candidates for the Dr. Stephen S. Scheidt Memorial Scholarship must embody the essence of Steve’s admirable qualities, most especially his keen intellect and warmhearted nature. They will:

• Have demonstrated an extraordinary grasp of clinical cardiology;
• Have proven successes as a leader or have demonstrable leadership qualities;
• Have a fervent love for the field of cardiology and an ability to translate that passion to the non-medical public; and
• Have shown a spirit of congeniality, sincerity and a gentle touch.