{"id":71805,"date":"2021-09-24T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-09-24T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2021\/09\/24\/time-out-with-t-o-not-your-average-joe\/"},"modified":"2025-01-07T09:36:18","modified_gmt":"2025-01-07T15:36:18","slug":"time-out-with-t-o-not-your-average-joe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2021\/09\/24\/time-out-with-t-o-not-your-average-joe\/","title":{"rendered":"Time out with T.O. – Not your Average Joe"},"content":{"rendered":"

Joe Sisson, MD, is not your average Joe.<\/span><\/p>\n

He\u2019s the perfect example of someone who makes the medical center tick. Quietly, without fanfare, he has gone about his business for the past 34 years, leaving a mark on everyone who encountered him. <\/span><\/p>\n

After 24 years as chief of the UNMC Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Dr. Sisson stepped down on May 1 to make way for <\/span>Ruxana Sadikot, MD<\/a>. At the end of the year, he plans to retire while maintaining emeritus status. <\/span><\/p>\n

“It\u2019s been a wonderful rocket ride,” he said. <\/span><\/p>\n

The plaudits abound for the Eagle Scout who grew up in Waterloo, Iowa. He\u2019s the epitome of the triple threat, with excellence in clinical care, research and education. <\/span><\/p>\n

But, it doesn\u2019t end there. His mentoring skills are off the chart. He\u2019s a technical whiz, who is fascinated by computers and other tools — there\u2019s almost no handyman project he won\u2019t tackle. Better yet, he did it all while making it fun. <\/span><\/p>\n

He was beloved by his division colleagues, who thrived on his innovation and honesty. <\/span><\/p>\n

The formula was simple, Dr. Sisson said. “It\u2019s all about recruiting good people and crafting a culture that we take care of each other. The culture is genuine. If someone goes down with a health issue, all it takes is one phone call and others step up.”<\/span><\/p>\n

One of Dr. Sisson\u2019s closest friends and research colleagues, Todd Wyatt, PhD, tells a classic story that shows how Dr. Sisson rolled.<\/span><\/p>\n

“We often traveled together to scientific conferences, many of them abroad,” said Dr. Wyatt, a professor in the UNMC College of Public Health. “During a layover in the Frankfurt airport, Joe\u2019s CD player stopped working. To my astonishment, he got out a tiny tool kit, dismantled the player and repaired it all between flights. <\/span><\/p>\n

“He likely fed me a Rice Krispie treat while I watched in amazement. Joe always travels with Rice Krispie treats. Such preparedness is how we know he was an Eagle Scout.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Another vintage Dr. Sisson story comes from Mike McGlade, senior associate dean for business and finance in the UNMC College of Medicine.<\/p>\n

“Joe wanted to let me know that he was in the ceilings of the pulmonary offices wiring his own network. I knew from that point on our time together would be challenging and fun.\u00a0It was.”<\/p>\n

Talk to Dr. Sisson for a few minutes, and one thing jumps out: It is never about him. He takes way more pride in what others in his division accomplish.<\/span><\/p>\n

Yet, check out some of his accomplishments:<\/span><\/p>\n