GAFP Awards
Nominate a Colleague: Help Us Recognize Our Heroes
Take a moment to recognize a fellow member who is involved in their community, with students, or as a mentor; we may not know who they are, but you do. Help GAFP recognize those everyday heroes and celebrate those members!
Nominations are open for any member who has contributed to the specialty of Family Medicine or the community in a meaningful way. Nominees can apply themselves or may be nominated by a friend or colleague. An application form can be downloaded here.
Georgia Family Physician of the YearDeadline: May 24, 2013
The GAFP's highest honor, candidates for this award will be those members who are leaders in professional affairs, along with making an outstanding contribution to the profession or the community by:
- Providing their community with compassionate, comprehensive and caring medical service on a continual basis;
- Directly and effectively involved in community affairs and activities that enhance the quality of life of their home area; and
- Providing a credible role model as a healer and philanthropist in their community, and as a professional in the science and art of medicine to colleagues and other health professionals.
Family Physician Community and Volunteer Services Award
Deadline: May 24, 2013
Nominees are GAFP members who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to support their communities; family physicians who have made outstanding contributions in welfare, education, health, government or the arts.
Family Medicine Educator of the Year Award
Deadline: May 24, 2013
Candidates for this award will be deserving members who have been leaders in academic, community and professional affairs, along with making an outstanding contribution to the profession or the community.
- Nominees should have a minimum of seventy-five (75) hours annually spent teaching family medicine; and
- Areas of expertise to be considered are: Clinical, Teaching Skills - Lecture, One-on-One and Small Groups, Academic Credentials and Community Involvement.
Family Medicine Resident of the Year Award
Deadline: April 15, 2013
Nominees should be deserving GAFP resident members who have been leaders in academics and role models to other residents.
- Qualifications to be considered are: Academic, Clinical Expertise, Community Involvement, and Involvement in the Discipline of Family Medicine and in Academy Activities.
Keith Ellis Resident Scholarship Award
Deadline: April 15, 2013
Nominees should be deserving chief/co-chief residents who have been leaders in academic and community affairs.
2013 GAFP Awards: Help Us Recognize GAFP's Everyday Heroes
Take a moment to recognize a fellow member who is involved in their community, preceptors, mentors, and other volunteer projects; we don't know who they are, but you do. Help GAFP identify those everyday heroes and celebrate those members, which includes you!
Nominations are open to any member who has contributed to the specialty of Family Medicine or the community in a meaningful way. Nominees can apply themselves or may be nominated by a friend or colleague.
Student and resident nominations are due April 15.
Nominations for the Family Medicine Community and Volunteer Services Award, the Family Physician of the Year and Educator of the Year are all due May 24, 2013.
An application form may be downloaded here.
Please contact Alesa McArthur at amcarthur@gafp.org with any questions.
GAFP Honors the 2012 Award Recipients
The Georgia Academy of Family Physicians recognizes its members for their exemplary service to the profession of family medicine and contributions to health care by presenting the following awards.
Family Physician of the Year
Dr. Howard McMahan, MD, FAAFP, of Ocilla, was named GAFP's Family Physician of the Year, the highest award bestowed on a GAFP member. This prestigious award is given to family physicians that are recognized as peer leaders in professional affairs, and have made outstanding contributions to the profession and the community while providing excellent family care.
Dr. McMahan has practiced medicine in Ocilla for 22 years. He is currently active with the Irwin County Hospital, Osceola Nursing Home, Palemon Gaskins Nursing Home, the Irwin County Detention Center, and his private practice - Irwin Family Medicine.
Prior to coming to Ocilla, "Dr. Mac" practiced medicine in Adel, GA from 1984 until 1990. He began his career in Washington, GA in 1983 and worked with the Family Practice Associates of Washington until 1984. As a member of the Ocilla United Methodist Church, he served as lay leader from 2001 until 2005 and was a delegate to the annual conference in 2006 and 2007. Dr. McMahan is a Past President of the GAFP, is currently an alternate delegate to the AAFP, and a key leader of the Medical Home in Georgia.
Educator of the Year Award
Dr. Susan Schayes, MD, MPH, of Marietta received the 2012 Family Medicine Educator of the Year Award.
Dr. Schayes has more than 15 years of experience in graduate medical education. She is currently the Family Medicine Residency Program Director at Emory School of Medicine. Early in her career, she pioneered using Standardized Patients at the Emory School of Medicine, which was revolutionary back in 1999.
Her peers continue to recognize her for designing innovative evaluation tools for teaching and training.
Community & Volunteer Service Award
Linda Inez Walden, MD of Cairo received the 2012 Family Physician Community and Volunteer Service Award. This award is given to members who go above and beyond the call of duty to support their community while also making outstanding contributions in welfare, education, health, government or the arts.
Dr. Walden founded the Griffin-Jordan Medical Society, Inc. for Southwest Georgia. As a result of Dr. Walden's outstanding medical and community service she was recognized as the Practitioner of the Year for the U.S. by the National Medical Association. She is the first and only recipient to represent South Georgia and North Florida, receiving the National Jefferson Award for her Outstanding Public Service in Washington, D.C. The National Jefferson Award was founded by the late Jackie Kennedy Onassis and Sam Beard.
Dr. Walden is a 2006 Honoree of the CK Steele Foundation for her outstanding community service in Tallahassee, Florida. Her medical practice, Cairo Family Medical Center, Inc. was named the Most Outstanding Rural Practice in Georgia by the Georgia Rural Health Association in 2004. In 2007, she was awarded Georgia State Medical Association's Community Service Award. In 2010, she was inducted into the Southern Rural Black Women's Hall of Fame for Economic and Social Justice.
She is a graduate of Florida A & M University and was selected as a Who's Who and one of "FAMU's Living Legends."
Family Medicine Resident of the Year Award
Ann Marie Lam, MD, of Woodstock received the 2012 Resident of the Year Award. The awardee is a deserving GAFP resident member who has been a leader in academic, community and professional affairs, and who is believed by the Academy as making an outstanding contribution to the profession by demonstrating excellence in patient care, medical knowledge, professionalism or some combination of these skills.
Dr. Lam completed her residency at Emory University. It has been stated that she was an exceptional resident, both academically and clinically. Her residency director at Emory Family Residency Program noted that she is superb in her level of performance. Dr. Lam is very involved in her community and served on GAFP's Board of Directors as a Resident Board Member in 2012.
Keith Ellis, MD Award
Jose Ventura, MD, of Augusta, Maine, received the 2012 Keith Ellis MD Award, which recognizes a chief resident from a Family Medicine Residency Program with outstanding contributions in academic leadership and community affairs.
Dr. Ventura was an outstanding resident from the Morehouse Family Medicine Residency Program. He is highly regarded for his clinical skills, patient follow-up and cost savings in the hospital. He is active in the Latino population and served at community health fairs. Dr. Ventura also served on the board of the Georgia Healthy Family Alliance in 2012.
January 24, 2013