2023 Friend of Family Medicine:

Lori S. Martensen

The Ohio Academy of Family Physicians (OAFP) is pleased to announce that Lori S. Martensen, founding program administrator for the Community Medicine MD Track at The Ohio State University College of Medicine (OSUCOM) in Lima, OH, will receive its 2023 Friend of Family Medicine Award.

Lori is responsible for the overall administrative direction of the OSUCOM Community Medicine Track including the development and implementation of strategic initiatives, the establishment of the program budget, and promotion of the track to perspective students, faculty, and community champions.

“My work is inspired by my desire for people living in rural communities to be able to easily access care from a physician. This includes my parents, most of my extended family, and many friends,” said Lori Martensen. “We can’t just graduate medical students and residents and expect them to go where they are needed; we need to create opportunities for them to train in underserved rural communities to increase the likelihood of them choosing that setting when they complete their training.”

Lori’s previous work includes the development, accreditation, and implementation of a new, rural family medicine residency program at the Wright State University (WSU) Boonshoft School of Medicine (BSOM) in Greenville, OH. The WSU Family Medicine Rural Residency Program was funded by a Health Resources and Service Administration grant, written by Lori as project manager.

“Lori possesses a tireless dedication to rural medicine, family medicine, and the healthcare pipeline in Ohio,” said award nominator Sherry Adkins, MD, MPH.

At WSU, Lori also chaired a committee that built a 3-year medical school track for medical students committed to careers in family medicine or pediatrics. The track was designed to accelerate physician placement into the primary care workforce.

“In rural physician workforce development, the goal is to have a variety of specialties represented in rural health systems, but a robust family medicine workforce that can meet the needs of the community is a must,” Lori said.

As a true “Friend of Family Medicine,” Lori has collaborated with family physicians on presentations at the Ohio Rural Health Conference for the last three years. Topics have included:
  • “We’re Building a Rural Residency! Should You, Too?”
  • “Growing the Next Generation of Rural Physician Leaders”
  • “We’re all in this Together: Collaborating to Build the Physician Workforce in Rural Ohio.”

Lori is a fierce advocate for rural healthcare and understands the key role that family physicians play in advancing access to care and improving outcomes for rural communities. She is helping build physician pipelines that directly feed into rural Ohio and the OAFP is thankful for her commitment.

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 the OAFP website.

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Editor’s Note
To receive a copy of Lori Martensen’s photograph, please email Communications Manager Lauren Heberling.