Dr. Eugene Drago grew up in Schenectady and graduated from Nott Terrace High School. He was awarded a scholarship to Notre Dame University with plans to play and eventually coach football. His plans were interrupted by World War II. He served in the 2nd Armored Division at Fort Knox as a Tank Pilot. After the war, he decided to pursue a career in medicine. He attended Georgetown University Medical School after graduating from Siena College cum laude.
After three years of Internship and Residency at Ellis Hospital he joined Dr. John Clowe in a primary care practice on lower Union Street in Schenectady. He went onto additional training at the Buffalo VA Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. There he trained with world renowned Cardiologists Paul Dudley White and Roman Desanctis.
He returned to Schenectady in 1963 and established his Cardiology Practice. People in the neighborhood warmly remember his patients lining up outside his office each day awaiting the beginning of office hours.
He was named Chief of the Division of Cardiology of St. Clare’s Hospital in 1977. Under his direction, St. Clare’s Hospital became one of the first hospitals in the nation to have a computerized EKG system. While serving as chief, St. Clare’s developed a state of art echocardiographic laboratory and cardiac rehabilitation program.
In 1980 he was the physician for ABC sports at the Olympic Games in Lake Placid. He travelled to the games in Sarajevo in 1984 to serve as medical director for ABC sports.
Dr. Drago was beloved and affectionally called “Chief” by the Cardiovascular technicians at St. Clare’s Hospital. They were sure to have a gift and celebration for him each March on his birthday. One year when asked what he wanted as a present his answer was “the only thing I don’t have is a sequened athletic supporter.” When his birthday arrived, he was presented with one.
In 1996, Dr. Drago joined Cardiology Associates of Schenectady and practice out of an office in the Cushing building until his retirement in 2005. He was awarded with the Spirit of Healing Award from St. Clare’s Hospital in 2000. Dr. Drago passed away in 2015 at the age of 88.