Humanitarian Award: Recognizing care from the heart
The AAFP’s Humanitarian Award honors family physician heroes who demonstrate outstanding compassion in health care.
What does the award recognize?
The AAFP created this award in 1997 to recognize members for extraordinary and enduring humanitarian efforts both within and beyond the borders of the United States.
Award details
The award is open to members whose work in the United States or globally is enduring and shows extraordinary humanitarian care.
Past award recipients
Marjorie Heier, MD, FAAFP
Shawn R. Vainio, MD, FAAFP
2022: None
2021: Evelyn M. Figueroa, MD
2020: Bruce Dahlman, MD, MSHPE, FAAFP
2019: Charles T. Mettetal, MD, FAAFP
2018: Ann E. Evensen, MD, FAAFP
2017: H. Kyle Sheets, MD, FAAFP
2016: David P. Gaus, MD, MPH, TM
2015: Onwura Michael Obiekwe, MD, FAAFP
2014: Linda A. Walsh, MD
2013: Cora Le Ethel Christian, MD, MPH, FAAFP
2012: Emily Cope Harrison, MD, MPH
2011: Christopher M. Guerrero, MD, FAAFP
2010: Paul Joseph Jaster, MD, FAAFP
2009: Susan L. Nagele, MD
2008: Stoney Abercrombie, MD
2007: Susan Black, MD
2006: Kathleen Bliese, MD
2005: Calvin Wilson, MD
2004: Stuart P. Embury, MD
2001: Daniel J. Ostergaard, MD
2001: Alain J. Montegut, MD
1997: Gary Morsch, MD
Meet Shawn Vainio, MD, FAAFP
This 2023 Humanitarian Award winner took an elective with the Himalayan Health Exchange in medical school. Now he tries to spend one month each year in the region with teams of 20 or more health care professionals.
Read more in Alaska Doc Has Passion for Global Health