Born in Barn in Mercer County, West Virginia, he was graduated from the medical school of the University of Maryland, Baltimore in 1917.

During World War I he served in the United States Army Medical Corps as a first lieutenant (1917–1919).

Hedrick also served as a medical examiner for the Veteran Administration from 1919 to 1944, city and country health officer (1927–1932) and superintendent of Pinecrest Tuberculosis Sanitarium in Beckley (1943–1944).

His political career began when he was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1944 from the now extinct 6th district.

After his defeat for the gubernatorial nomination, Hedrick left politics and resumed his business and professional interests.