The OAFP Foundation (Foundation) is proud to announce Tamara A. Huson, MD, FAAFP, DABFM, as the recipient of the 2026 Family Physician Mentorship Award. This prestigious honor is presented annually to recognize a community-based Ohio family physician who, serving as a preceptor, has exhibited exemplary qualities and characteristics of mentorship excellence.
Dr. Huson, a staff physician at Bon Secours Mercy Health in Mason, OH, and a volunteer assistant professor at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, was selected for her highly intentional approach to the learning environment. Her academic background is marked by excellence, including a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Florida International University, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude, followed by her medical degree from the Florida State University College of Medicine. She completed her residency training at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, where she also served as chief resident.
Her nominators described her as a “mentor in the fullest, most intentional sense of the word,” ranking her among the top preceptors in the region. Supporting letters from those she has trained highlight the depth of her impact. Former student Jared Barrilleaux, MD, noted that Dr. Huson “never missed an opportunity to turn a patient encounter into a learning experience,” often calling students into rooms specifically to think critically about physical examinations. Additionally, medical student Kelsey McDonald shared that Dr. Huson “leads with kindness, dedication, and generosity which furthered my love for medicine and more importantly, for the patient-physician relationship.”
Dr. Huson’s mentorship philosophy aligns perfectly with the award’s core values. Students highlighted her ability to create a “culture of curiosity” where it is safe to be wrong or uncertain. One student, Kara Tauer, noted that Dr. Huson did not just teach clinical facts; she instilled a “confident humility” and taught that “medicine is more than just knowledge, but it also relies on connection.”
Beyond clinical skills, Dr. Huson focuses on professional identity formation, helping students identify the kind of physician they want to become. Whether she is inviting students with physical disabilities to her office early to ensure accessibility or encouraging them to listen to patients’ life stories to challenge preconceived biases, Dr. Huson leads by a simple yet profound mantra: “Sometimes, you just need to be a good human.”
By receiving this award, Dr. Huson joins a distinguished list of Ohio physicians recognized for their commitment to the future of the specialty. For Dr. Huson, the honor is a reflection of the “unseen thread” of mentorship that she has carried from her own training into her practice in Ohio. As she stated in her personal reflection, “Mentorship lives… in the way we teach, the way we encourage, the way we make room for others to grow.”
Dr. Huson will be recognized during the Foundation’s Reception: A Sweet Celebration of Legacy & Leadership, on Friday, August 14, from 7 – 9 p.m. at the Grand Event Center in Grandview, OH. Join us to celebrate Dr. Huson, the work of the Foundation, and all who make it possible. RSVP today!
So well deserved!!!