GAFP Awards
Click here to download 2008 GAFP Award Nomination FormsFamily Physician
Of The Year
The candidate for this award provides his or her community
with compassionate, comprehensive and caring medical service.
The recipient is directly involved in community affairs and
activities that enhance the quality of life in his or her
home area and is also a role model as a healer and as a professional
in the science and art of medicine, especially to physicians
in training and medical students.
Ferroll Sams Jr., MD, of Fayetteville has been named the
GAFP’s 2007 Family Physician of the Year, the highest
award that can be bestowed on a GAFP member.
Dr. Sams’ community service is expansive. He was the
founding member of the Fayette Medical Clinic, which dramatically
expanded needed medical services for the community before
the community could qualify for a hospital. He was such a
role model that eight students from the Sunday School Class
he taught elected to attend medical school.
Dr. Sams has always been committed to maintaining quality
care. He completed enough postgraduate hours to qualify for
the Family Practice Board. He took the test in San Francisco
as the oldest physician there and passed.
He also has written eight books, including the New York Times best-seller “Run with the Horsemen.”
David Arnall, MD, had this to say of Dr. Sams: “Doctor
Sams was cognizant of his vow to uphold the Hippocractic
Oath, and he exhibited this on a daily basis. In the art
of medicine, he led by example. As a young physician, I have
been greatly influenced and educated by Dr. Sams.”
Family Medicine
Community Service Award
Freddy Gaton, MD
The candidate for the Family Medicine Community And Volunteer
Services Award has gone beyond the call of duty to support
his community. The award goes to a physician who has made
outstanding contributions in welfare, education, health,
government or the arts.
Freddy Gaton, MD, of Roberta has been the primary source
of health care for the people of Crawford County since August
1995.
Dr. Gaton’s excellent clinical judgment, combined with
compassion, offer the people of Crawford County and residents
in training a unique exposure to evidence-based, patient-centered
care. In a supporting letter to his nomination, Dr. Anna
Aguila said the following:
“I have had the opportunity of working with Dr. Gaton during my community
service rotation in Roberta. As a mentor and educator, he has affirmed my desire
to be in family medicine. His continued service and compassion for the less fortunate
of Roberta’s rural population is truly inspirational. While giving the
entire community outstanding quality medical care, he has given them a sense
of comfort beyond what the practice of medicine and pharmaceuticals can do. He
is the modern-day country doctor, a healer and friend. His accomplishments to
date in the field of family medicine will be the benchmark that I will use to
measure the success of my future practice.”
Family Medicine
Educator of the Year
Eddie Needham, MD
This award is based on the individual’s time spent teaching family medicine,
clinical expertise, teaching skills in a lecture, one-on-one and small groups
format, teaching activities, academic credentials and community involvement.
Eddie Needham, MD, FAAFP, of Tyrone is an assistant professor in the Department
of Family and Preventive Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine. Dr.
Needham started his teaching career with the Parke Davis Teaching Award more
than 10 years ago and has continued to excel in teaching. From teaching medical
students in the jungles of Honduras to the stage at an STFM presentation, Dr.
Needham’s passion for teaching sparkles.
“Dr. Needham’s abilities as a supervising faculty are outstanding.
He is without question one of the best teachers I have ever worked with. He balances
well the difficult task of teaching medical residents while at the same time
allowing them to take on more responsibility commensurate with their level of
training. He is always looking at how we as a faculty can improve our teaching.
To that end, he is always soliciting feedback from the residents and from his
colleagues. His goal is always to improve our teaching and the learning experience
of the residents and students, even at the risk of creating more work for himself,” wrote
Susana A. Alfonso, MD, a former resident and now faculty member at Emory Family
Medicine Residency Program.
He has been actively involved in the GAFP and has been
published by the AAFP.
Family Medicine Resident of the Year
Justin F. Harrell, MD
Justin F. Harrell, MD, of Augusta is a recent graduate
of the Medical College of Georgia. He excels in his leadership, as well
as his clinical abilities. His interest in policy and curriculum development
was apparent by his active role on the Residency Curriculum Committee.
In the July/August issue of the “Health Care Heroes,” a patient shared
the following: “Dr. Harrell continuously checked on me to make sure I was
all right and sensed that I was completely terrified by the entire situation.
My worries disappeared when he told me, ‘I promise we’ll take care
of you.’”
Keith Ellis, MD, Resident
Scholarship Award
Keren Holmes, MD
This prestigious award recognizes leadership in academics,
community affairs and outstanding contributions made as chief resident
in a Georgia family medicine residency program.
Keren Marie Holmes, MD, of Augusta, the chief resident
at the Medical College of Georgia, is this year’s winner.
Dr. Thad Wilkins, associate professor in the Department
of Family Medicine, had this to say about her:
“I enthusiastically submit this letter of nomination for Dr. Keren Holmes
for the Keith Ellis Resident Scholarship Award. Dr. Holmes excels professionally
and personally and models the characteristics promoted by the Keith Ellis Resident
Scholarship Award. She is one of the most impressive residents with whom I have
worked in my teaching career, and her professional abilities are among the best
of any resident with whom I have ever worked.”
December 19, 2007