Leonard P. Caccamo, M.D. (1922-2000)

Advisor to the JMI and Medical Educator

Dr. Leonard Caccamo, 1950s

Early Years

Dr. Leonard P. Caccamo, known to friends and collegues as Len, was born December 19th, 1922, in Youngstown, Ohio. He was a 1944 graduate of Youngstown State University, Youngstown, Ohio and 1947 graduate of Bowman Gray School of Medicine at Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He completed an internship at Rochester General Hospital, Rochester, New York and residency in internal medicine in St. Elizabeth Hospital, now known as St Elizabeth Health Center, Youngstown, Ohio. He obtained advanced training in cardiology at the Veterans Hospital, Dearborn, Michigan.

Medical practitioner and educator

Dr. Caccamo entered private practice in Youngstown, Ohio in 1955. He was appointed interim program Director of Internal Medicine at St. Elizabeth Hospital in 1959. He returned to private practice from 1962 to 1970. He accepted an appointment as Director of Medical Education at St. Elizabeth Hospital in 1970, until his retirement in 1983. Throughout his medical career, he was active in wrIting and publishing.

Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine

From left to right: seated is Dr. Barbara Erikson,
standing are two medical students,
Dr. Salvatore Squicquero, Dr. Leonard Caccamo
circa 1975

Dr. Caccamo was known as a compassionate physician and enthusiastic educator, dedicated to the priniciples of lifelong learning. As a strong advocate for medical education and its role in quality patient care, he saw the need for a regional medical school in northeastern Ohio. Chairing a feasibility study, appointed by the Council of Mahoning County Medical Society, a preliminary plan was developed for a community hospital based medical school. Joining these efforts were physicians from Akron and Canton. Work began in the development of Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine (NEOUCOM) in Rootstown, Ohio. These efforts resulted in the opening of NEOUCOM in 1974.

Dr. Caccamo, a charter member of the the NEOUCOM Board of Trustees, served as the Chairman from 1979 until 1981. For his contributions in the development and nurturing of NEOUCOM he received the Provost's Award and was made Professor of Internal Medicine. As a crowning tribute to his efforts he was given an honorary Doctor of Science degree in 1995.

NEOUCOM Board of Trustees, 1974-75
Standing in the back row from left to right: Dr. D.J. Guzzetta; Dr. Glenn A. Olds, Clayton G. Horn; Dr. John J. Coffelt; Ben Maidenberg
Seated from left to right: Dr. Leonard P. Caccamo; Dr. Robert E. Tschantz; John l. Feudaer; John M. Newman

Jeghers Medical Index

Dr. Caccamo was instrumental in developing a consortium consisting of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, NEOUCOM, Rootstown, Ohio and St. Elizabeth Health Center, Youngstown, Ohio, to fulfill Dr. Harold Jeghers' dream of locating his collection of medical literature to a community hospital setting. On September 1, 1980 the Jeghers Medical Index was located to St. Elizabeth Health Center. Dr. Caccamo oversaw the continued development of the Jeghers Medical Index and participated in administration, staffing, external funding, and computerization of Harold Jeghers' medical literature collection. The Jeghers Medical Index was made available to medical students, residents and faculty as well as nurses and other healthcare professionals in Youngstown, Ohio. Today, through computerization and the Internet, the Jeghers Medical Index is accessible worldwide.

Dr. Caccamo and Shirley Caccamo, 1992

Personal Notes

Married for 51 years, Len enjoyed the company of his wife and best friend, Shirley. He greatly treasured visits from his four children, Barbara, Karen, Deana and David and from his nine grandchildren.