Columbus Physician Receives National Honor for Teaching Excellence from the American Academy of Family Physicians

WASHINGTON – Ann M. Aring, M.D., a family physician in Columbus, Ohio, received the Exemplary Teaching Award from the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) at its annual meeting this week in Washington, D.C. The award was one of 10 presented for exceptional achievement in the field of family medicine. The AAFP’s Scientific Assembly, one of the largest gatherings of primary care providers in the country, was held September 27 – October 1.

Aring was one of four family physicians who received Exemplary Teaching Awards, which recognize AAFP members who have excellent teaching skills and who have implemented outstanding programs or developed innovative teaching models. The awards are given in three categories: full-time, part-time and volunteer. Aring received the Exemplary Teaching Award in the category of part-time faculty member.

Aring serves as clinical assistant professor of family medicine at The Ohio State University and assistant residency program director at Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus.

A part-time faculty member at Riverside Methodist Hospital for nearly 10 years, Aring was instrumental in developing and implementing an innovative Women’s Health curriculum, including obstetrical ultrasound, where she provides residents one-on-one, hands-on training. She regularly gives lectures on the management of the abnormal Pap smear, as well as common obstetric emergencies, and she serves as the course director for the Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics course.

A dedicated mentor to her students, Aring serves as a role model for female physicians struggling to balance their family and professional lives. She has worked with many female residents to customize elective postpartum rotations. Aring quickly became a favorite speaker at Family Practice Interest Group meetings, speaking on the topic of how to balance family and career.

“Though Dr. Aring is part-time faculty, her involvement in our program makes us always forget. She has given so much to our program and has been a cornerstone in maintaining the reputation of our excellent faculty and program,” commented one of her residents, David K. Lee, M.D.

Aring instructs the doctor-patient relationship course, ambulatory care clerkship and patient-centered medicine mini-modules at The Ohio State University.

Throughout her career as an educator, Aring has maintained an active family practice, including obstetrics. Currently, she works part time with America’s Urgent Care in the Columbus metro area as an urgent care physician.

Aring actively contributes to the family medicine knowledge base. In the past two years, she has authored three publications, Challenges of Delivering Healthcare to Adolescents, Evaluation and Prevention in Diabetic Neuropathy, and Viral Croup, of which the latter two were published in the AAFP’s clinical journal, American Family Physician. She also recently authored a book chapter in Rakel’s Essential of Family Medicine titled, “Lower Abdominal Pain: Pelvic Inflammatory Disease.”

In the words of Linda C. Stone, M.D., associate dean for student affairs at The Ohio State University College of Medicine, “Dr. Aring’s teaching is beyond preceptorship and mentoring because she continuously makes herself available. She is the personification of the best in family medicine.”

Aring earned her undergraduate degree from Bowling Green State Univeristy in Ohio and her medical degree from The Ohio State University College of Medicine in Columbus. She is board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine and is a fellow of the AAFP, an earned degree awarded to family physicians for distinguished service and continuing medical education. Aring also has earned a certificate of added qualification in adolescent medicine from the American Board of Family Medicine.