FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, October 26, 2023
Contact:
Adrieanna Norse
Public Relations Coordinator
anorse@aafp.org
CHICAGO, IL — The American Academy of Family Physicians today presented five prestigious awards to family physicians for their exceptional contributions to family medicine, their patients and their communities. The recipients were honored as part of the AAFP’s Congress of Delegates.
Shawn Vainio, MD, FAAFP, Shawn Vainio, MD, FAAFP, received the AAFP’s Humanitarian Award for his extraordinary and enduring humanitarian efforts in family medicine. Vainio has worked diligently within and beyond U.S. borders to advance public health and access to care. A family physician who lives in Girdwood, Alaska and works in Bethel, Alaska, leads teams of medical students, residents and other health care professionals on expeditions to address public health needs and bring primary care to remote regions of the Indian Himalayas.
Lanny R. Copeland, MD, FAAFP, received the AAFP’s 2023 John G. Walsh Award for Lifetime Contributions to Family Medicine. This award honors family physicians whose dedication and effective leadership have advanced family medicine. Copeland has served as a rural family physician in Indiana and Georgia, where he practiced full-scope family medicine, delivering more than 1,500 babies. Additionally, he launched the Phoebe Putney Family Medicine Residency Program, which provides care to a rural community in southwest Georgia.
Erin Corriveau, MD, MPH, received the AAFP’s Public Health Award. A family physician with the University of Kansas Medical Center, Corriveau was recognized for the significant contributions she has made to public health, as well as her efforts to improve access to comprehensive primary care in her community. Corriveau’s work with her “Care Beyond the Boulevard” program — which provides free, compassionate medical care to unhoused and uninsured individuals in the Kansas City area — demonstrates leadership, innovation, clinical knowledge and dedication to strengthening patient and community health.
Deborah S. Clements, MD, FAAFP, received the AAFP’s Thomas W. Johnson Award for her profound contributions to family medicine education. Clements and her team developed and piloted a program to assess patients’ social determinants of health via the electronic health record system. The tool and accompanying curriculum were used by the entire Northwestern University medicine system, showcasing how innovation can address equity gaps.
Corinne Landis, MD, Scott Paradise, MD, and David Klein MD, MPH, received the American Family Physician Article of the Year Award for their excellent scholarly contributions to family medicine. Their study, “Evidence-Based Contraception: Common Questions and Answers,” received the highest rating from AFP editors and the most online views. Landis currently serves as the regimental surgeon for the Marine Raider Regiment at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Paradise serves as the senior medical officer for the Marine Centered Medical Home Wallace Creek at Camp Lejeune. Klein serves as an associate professor of family medicine and pediatrics at the Uniformed Services University School of Medicine and associate clinical professor of family medicine at the University of California, Davis School of Medicine.
"It is exciting to see trailblazers in family medicine make impactful, positive changes in the exam room, in their practice and in their communities," said Tochi Iroku-Malize, MD, MPH, FAAFP, president of the AAFP. "The recipients of these awards embody what it means to be a family physician — innovative, curious, compassionate and dedicated to improving access to health care for all."
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About American Academy of Family Physicians
Founded in 1947, the AAFP represents 130,000 physicians and medical students nationwide. It is the largest medical society devoted solely to primary care. Family physicians conduct approximately one in five office visits — that’s 192 million visits annually or 48 percent more than the next most visited medical specialty. Today, family physicians provide more care for America’s underserved and rural populations than any other medical specialty. Family medicine’s cornerstone is an ongoing, personal patient-physician relationship focused on integrated care. To learn more about the specialty of family medicine and the AAFP's positions on issues and clinical care, visit www.aafp.org. For information about health care, health conditions and wellness, please visit the AAFP’s consumer website, www.familydoctor.org.