On August 2-4, more than 133 members joined in the Ohio Academy of Family Physicians Family Medicine Celebration at The Grand Event Center in Columbus, OH. The new schedule added energy to a weekend of networking, learning, and camaraderie.
The weekend began on Friday with continuing medical education (CME) opportunities including a “Practice Integration: How Adding Ancillary Services Can Benefit Your Practice,” session presented by out-going Academy President Stan Anderson, MD, FAAFP, and a “Legislative Update” presented by Kevin Stanek, JD, from Barnes & Thornburg LLP. Mr. Stanek served as last minute stand-in for David Paragas, JD, who was unable to present due to travel delays.
The annual Academy Awards Dinner took place on Friday evening and recognized the 2019 Family Physician of the Year Jeff Bachtel, MD, FAAFP; Family Medicine Educator of the Year Ann Aring, MD, FAAFP; and Resident Leadership Award winner Christian Gausvik, MD. In addition, the OAFP Foundation awarded Scott Anzalone, MD, FAAFP, its Mentorship Award.
Also during the annual dinner, the Academy honored 50-years-in-medicine honoree Dolar Zumkhawala, MD, FAAFP, and paid tribute to the following honorees not in attendance:- James Armacost, DO
- John Cady, DO, FAAFP
- Louis Chappell, MD, FAAFP
- and Craig Chapple, MD.
The evening of celebration concluded with a dessert bar and dancing with DJ Rick Locke of UltraSound Entertainment.
Saturday started with Kisha Davis, MD, MPH, presenting on the American Academy of Family Physicians’ Physician Health First initiative. Attendees learned what the AAFP is doing to improve family physician well-being, determined strategies to address well-being and burnout issues in each level of the family physician ecosystem, and developed a personalized plan to improve personal and professional satisfaction.
Then, Gary LeRoy, MD, FAAFP, AAFP president-elect and the official representative from the AAFP; Stan Anderson, MD, FAAFP, (then) OAFP President; and Anna McMaster, MD, FAAFP, (then) OAFP president-elect, provided an overview of national and state chapter activities and answered members’ questions during an “Ask Your Officers” panel.
During lunch, The OAFP Nominating Committee presented its slate of candidates for office, new Academy officers were elected, and Anna McMaster, MD, FAAFP, was installed as OAFP president.
The following members participated in the AAFP Degree of Fellow convocation by reciting the oath with the other AAFP Fellows in the audience:- Joseph Allen, MD, FAAFP
- Ashok Devatha, MD, FAAFP
- Jeffrey Hageman, DO, FAAFP
- Catherine Romanos, MD, FAAFP.
- Sachin Dixit, MD, president, Illinois Academy of Family Physicians
- Jeffrey Fisher, president-elect, Ohio Association of Physician Assistants
- Jennifer Gwilym, DO, treasurer, Ohio Osteopathic Association
- Susan Hubbell, MD, president, Ohio State Medical Association.
Saturday evening offered a family-friendly networking opportunity. Guests mingled while playing cards, traditional table-top board games, and giant games including Jenga, Operation, Connect 4, and checkers. Members and their families enjoyed a build your own s’mores and ice cream sundae bar to cap off the night.
The weekend concluded on Sunday with an American Board of Family Medicine knowledge self-assessment and optional clinical self-assessment focused on Childhood Illness facilitated by Ryan Kauffman, MD, FAAFP.
View photos from the weekend’s events on Facebook.
The success of the 2019 Family Medicine Celebration is due in part to the support and generosity of our sponsors and exhibitors:
- American Dairy Association Mideast
- OrthopedicONE
- Air Force Health Professions
- Horizon Pharma
- Muskingum Valley Health Centers
- Ohio End of Life Options
- Ohio Physicians Health Program
- Otsuka Pharmaceuticals
- PathGroup
- Reproductive Health Access Project
- RX2Live – Central Ohio
- State Medical Board of Ohio
- Summa Health
- S. Army Medical Recruiting Office
- University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.