In the April 15 issue, I introduced our two new assistant editors—John E. Delzell, Jr., MD, MSPH, and Colin P. Kopes-Kerr, MD, MPH, JD. As part of the AFP medical editing team, these two experienced family physicians will work with Editor Jay Siwek, MD, to review manuscripts, coordinate various sections of the journal, sharpen AFP's focus on evidence-based medicine, and maintain AFP's high quality. The April 15 issue (https://www.aafp.org/afp/20080415/inside.html) included background information about Dr. Kopes-Kerr, and I am pleased to provide information about Dr. Delzell's background and experience in this issue.

Delzell's Love of Teaching and Writing Will Benefit AFP

Dr. Delzell is a faculty physician in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Kansas (KU) Medical Center, Kansas City. He is a board-certified family physician and a fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians. His experience includes positions as a resident physician at University Hospitals and Clinics, Columbia, Mo.; faculty physician at the University of Missouri, Columbia, School of Medicine, Department of Family and Community Medicine; and program director of the Saint Francis Family Practice Residency Program at the University of Tennessee, Memphis. In addition to his current position, he has held faculty appointments at the University of Missouri and the University of Tennessee.

Dr. Delzell earned his undergraduate degree at Baylor University, Waco, Tex., and his medical degree at the University of Missouri, Columbia, School of Medicine. In addition, he obtained a master of science in public health degree from the University of Missouri in Columbia, where he also completed a family medicine residency.

He has written or coauthored more than 30 articles, most of them for peer-reviewed primary care journals (including AFP), so he is familiar with the publication process. In addition to his background, education, and publishing experience, his proximity to the AAFP headquarters, near Kansas City, will be a benefit to the Publications division and other areas of the Academy.

“I hope that I can be a local liaison.” he said. “I also hope that it will help to strengthen the ties between the Academy and their ‘local’ medical school here at KU.”

Dr. Siwek agreed, saying, “I'm counting on him to reach out to other divisions beyond Publications, to look for new potential collaborations, ideas, and opportunities that will take advantage of the Academy's resources and strengthen AFP's usefulness to family physicians.”

Dr. Delzell says that he loves the clinical aspects of his profession, but is most passionate about medical education. “I really love to teach and to be a part of the learning process for our students,” he said. “I was previously a residency program director and now I direct the third-year family medicine clerkship at KU. I am also the director of the preceptor program for first and second year medical students.”

Dr. Delzell has received several research grants, most for programs focusing on training and education in the field of primary care. In clinical medicine, he is truly a full-spectrum family physician. He said he delivers babies, loves patients of all ages, and enjoys doing procedures (like skin biopsies, colposcopy, and joint injections).

When I asked Dr. Delzell why he wanted to be involved with AFP, he said, “I really enjoy reading manuscripts and writing. I have gotten a lot out of articles that were published in AFP over the years, so I thought that it would be fun to be a part of the process that creates the journal.” He said that AFP is an important, trusted source of information, and he uses it in teaching medical students and residents. “We use articles from AFP as one of their primary sources of information for many common topics. I have found the quality of information in AFP to be very good.”

Dr. Delzell's wife also is a family medicine faculty member at the University of Kansas. They have five children, ranging in age from one to 16 years.