Dr. Robert Heidt Sr., one of the founding members of Wellington Orthopaedics & Sportsmedicine, has so many colorful memories of his 50+ years of practicing medicine that's its hard to highlight just a few.

In fact, his many achievements begin even before he was a surgeon. At age 11, he attended the Covington School, where he studied Latin, Greek, German and Italian. After graduating from that high school, he received his undergraduate degree in chemistry from the University of Cincinnati, at the ripe old age of 18.

"I knew I wanted to be a doctor since I was five years old," said the Northern Kentucky native.

After completing his medical studies, he become the orthopaedic surgeon for the Cincinnati Reds from the mid-1960s to the early 1990s. In 1968, the Cincinnati Bengals also came under his care.

He vividly remembers the Tim Kumrie injury during the 1988 Super Bowl. "I was on field with my son Rob, and it took us ten minutes to get Kumrie stabilized," said Dr. Heidt, who is married and has six children and 17 grandchildren. "I felt the whole country was waiting for us to get off the field. But the air splints had leaks, and we weren't going to take any chances."

Dr. Heidt is now able to pursue his passion for travelling. His interest traces back to 1952 when he and his wife lived in France for a year during the Korean War. Now the couple travels as much as possible. "We've been around the world," said Dr. Heidt, who is past president of the State Medical Board of Ohio. "While I think Africa is quite interesting, the Taj Mahal is most impressive."

Certifications

• American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery
• American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
• American College of Surgeons
• British Royal Society of Medicine