NEOMED Director of Primary Care Education Named Friend of Family Medicine
August 6, 2021
Contact:
Lauren Heberling
Communications Coordinator
The Ohio Academy of Family Physicians (OAFP) is pleased to announce that Mike J. Appleman, MA Ed, will receive its 2021 Friend of Family Medicine Award.
The OAFP presents the Friend of Family Medicine Award to an elected official, member of the media (individual or organization), or community individual who has worked on, been involved with, or reported on issues related to family medicine in Ohio.
Appleman received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Sociology from Kent State University, Kent, OH, before earning a graduate certificate in Higher Education Administration and Student Development from the University of Akron (UA), Akron, OH, in 2014. He then continued at UA to receive his Masters of Arts in Education before returning to Kent State University where he is currently studying to earn his PhD in Cultural Foundations of Education.
Appleman is the director of primary care education at the Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) in the Department of Family and Community Medicine in Rootstown, OH.
According to Appleman’s nominator, NEOMED medical student Jonathan Seok, “Mike is an integral part of our family medicine department and Family Medicine Interest Group (FMIG). His is a consummate professional in all of his administrative duties and goes above and beyond our expectations to support all aspects of family medicine for students, physicians, and the public.”
In Appleman’s role as NEOMED’s American Academy of Family Physicians FMIG advisor, he helps plan events for medical students to learn about what family physicians do and where they can work, furthering the pipeline of family medicine.
Appleman is also responsible for managing NEOMED’s Urban Primary Care Pathway (UPCP) and Rural Medical Education Pathway (RMED), student –centered learning communities for students interested in serving diverse and underserved urban populations or rural communities with a strong focus on family medicine. These programs help medical students train in each respected setting and teaches them how to advocate for each population’s needs.
“Mike Appleman was one of the most influential mentors during my medical school journey,” said OAFP Resident Member AuBree LaForce, MD. “From the beginning to the end, he has been a positive force that has led not only me, but the entire cohort of RMED students.”
Appleman has recently helped start a new program at NEOMED to further encourage family medicine, the Accelerated Family Medicine Track (AFMT), which accelerates the curriculum for selected students who wish to complete their medical school requirements in three calendar years and enter the family medicine residency at a NEOMED affiliated hospital following graduation.
“Among all the different programs Appleman manages that are dedicated to family medicine or impact the specialty, his commitment to family medicine is immeasurable,” said Seok.
The OAFP is proud to honor Appleman and his service to family medicine education.
To learn more about the Friend of Family Medicine Award, please visit the OAFP website.
The Ohio Academy of Family Physicians is a statewide, professional association with more than 5,200 members, including practicing physicians, family medicine residents, and medical students. The scope of family medicine encompasses all ages, both sexes, and every disease entity. Family physicians provide comprehensive, continuing care to all members of the family. For more information, visit www.ohioafp.org.
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Editor’s Note
To receive a copy of Mr. Appleman’s photograph or to schedule an interview, please contact Lauren Heberling.