Homer Hartman Stryker was an American orthopedic surgeon, inventor, businessman, and the founder of Stryker Corporation.
13 Facts About Homer Stryker
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Homer Stryker's inventions contributed to orthopedic care, patient comfort, and medical staff convenience.
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Homer Stryker was admitted into the University of Michigan medical school in 1919; however, the medical school required passing a foreign language exam before full admittance, which Homer Stryker failed.
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Homer Stryker got tutoring in French from a fellow student, and was later able to begin his medical studies in 1921 after earning enough for the tuition and passing the foreign language exam.
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Homer Stryker earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Michigan Medical School in 1925 and interned at the University Hospital.
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Homer Stryker began his medical practice in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and established offices in Borgess Hospital, where he was the only orthopedic surgeon in the region.
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In 1935, Homer Stryker began tinkering in his workshop with medical devices, developing a rubber heel for walking casts as well as an innovative hospital bed that reduced the incidence of bedsores in bed-ridden patients.
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Homer Stryker received a patent in 1947 and the principle is used today in the "Stryker Saw", the standard surgical tool for bone and plaster casts.
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Homer Stryker's oscillating saw has been the tool of choice for cast removal ever since.
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On January 2,1964, Homer Stryker retired from practicing medicine and changed the name of his company from the 'Orthopedic Frame Company' to 'Stryker Corporation'.
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Homer Stryker Corporation has since grown into a global corporation, and went public on NASDAQ in 1977.
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Homer Stryker married his former French tutor, Mary Jane Underwood, in 1924.
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Ronda Homer Stryker currently sits on the governance board at Homer Stryker Corporation.