Uhrich was born in Formosa, Ontario and received his schooling in Walkerton and was briefly a schoolteacher before earning his medical degree at Northwestern University in Chicago.

After graduation, he decided to settle in the province and established his medical practice at Hague, Saskatchewan in 1909.

Uhrich was appointed to the provincial cabinet in 1922 by Premier Charles Dunning and served as provincial secretary until 1923 when he was appointed the province's first Minister of Public Health.

He also began public inspection of water and milk supplies and immunization programs against diphtheria and smallpox.

The Liberals returned to power in 1934 and Uhrich again became Minister of Public Health.