Boulder native John Farrington reflects on 100 years of life and three generations of medicine

Boulder native John Farrington is reflecting on a century of life and three generations of medicine as he works on a second book after publishing his memoir, “Stories of My Life and Times,” last year. Farrington, who was born in Boulder and delivered by his grandfather, describes learning “the art of medicine” through family influence: his grandfather practiced family medicine above Potter’s Drug Store, and his father later continued the work. His career in internal medicine spanned 31 years, during which he saw diagnostics and testing transform—he recalls that measuring blood sugar once took about half an hour and required boiling, while modern devices can deliver blood sugar plus multiple other tests in seconds. He also served in leadership roles including president of the Colorado Medical Society and the American Society of Internal Medicine, and in 2010 received a distinguished service award.