Wichitan receives AAFP Exemplary Volunteer Teacher Award
KU WICHITA, the quarterly magazine of the KU School of Medicine-Wichita, published an article in the Winter 2010 issue honoring Dr. Barbara Coats, MD.
http://wichita.kumc.edu/kuwichita/kuwichita-winter2010.pdf
From Via Christi residency to family practice in Iowa, six physicians stick together
Residents of New Hampton, Iowa, will get a unique package deal in healthcare next year.
Six doctors who recently completed their residency at Via Christi Regional Medical Center will join the town’s Mercy Medical Center — which serves 17,000 residents in and around Chickasaw County — and its new family clinic in August 2010, after completing missions in Zimbabwe.
John and Shea Epperly, Jack Kline, Rick Moberly, and Paul and April McQuillen met in 2006 during their residencies and became close friends through their interest in full-spectrum family practice, international medicine and a strong faith in God.
Last year, the group started a nationwide search for a rural, faith-based hospital where they could all practice together and do medical mission work overseas. New Hampton, a town of about 3,750 residents in northeastern Iowa, was one of six communities who recruited the group.
“After visiting the community of New Hampton, we were assured that this was the answer to our prayer in finding a place where we could serve people stateside, as well as abroad,” said April McQuillen.
Helping underserved areas is a driving force for this group. Todd Stephens, MD, Via Christi International Family Medicine Fellowship director, credits them with helping develop the IFMF concept.
“These physicians were unwavering in seeing it develop, get funded and become established as the nation’s first such formal program,” he said.
All six physicians will do mission work in Zimbabwe, with four of them doing so as part of the IFMF program. Kline and Moberly are at Karanda Mission Hospital until December. Fellows Paul McQuillen and John Epperly, along with their wives, will start there in January.
When not in Zimbabwe, the fellows will do rotations in trauma, orthopedics, burn, anesthesia, ultrasound and dental work, said John Epperly.
Their desire to serve appears to be infectious. According to Stephens, another husband-wife team of Via Christi residents, Jared and Melissa Cardwell, plans to join the group following Melissa’s graduation in 2011.
To find out more about Via Christi International Family Medicine Fellowship, visit www.vcfm.net/fellowships/international-medicine-fellowship.
To donate to Via Christi International Family Medicine Fellowship, contact Jim Barber, president of Via Christi Foundation, 946-5020.
AAFP Global Health Video - our fellowship included
Last year at the Kansas City national conference for family medicine residents and medical students, the theme was “Family Medicine and Global Health”. Several programs were interviewed and a 25 minute video was created that highlighted family medicine programs that emphasis international or global health. The link is below. I thought you might enjoy watching.
http://fmignet.aafp.org/online/fmig/index/resources/fmigvideos/globalhealth/video1.html
Images from 2008 Residency Bike Trip
National Conference for Family Medicine Residents and Students is a Great Success!
Once a year, family medicine leaders and educators come from across the nation to share their knowledge with family medicine residents and medical students at the National Conference for Family Medicine Residents and Students in Kansas City, KS. The 2008 conference theme was Global Health.
Via Christi residents spoke to dozens of students and residents about our residency program and international fellowship. Our booth was always buzzing with activity. We demonstrated vaginal delivery with forceps, endoscopy, and OB ultrasound. We also had a booth dedicated to the international fellowship.
Overall we were able to get the good word out about Via Christi Family Medicine and we made some great connections with students and residents.
During the conference our own Jen Bacani was elected as the resident member on the board of directors of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). This is the highest position available for family medicine residents. Bacani was elected to a one-year term by the National Congress of Family Medicine Residents. The AAFP represents nearly 94,000 physicians and medical students nationwide.
As the resident member of the board of directors, Jen is responsible for representing the interests and opinions of the National Congress of Family Medicine Residents to the AAFP board and Congress of Delegates.
Article with quote by Brent Owen MD
This is an article with a quote from our very own resident, Brent Owen: “Transitioning to Practice“
