Greater St. Louis Community Health Award
Created in 1994, this award recognizes a family physician, family medicine resident or medical student (planning to enter family medicine) for substantial contributions to the health of our St. Louis community through personal efforts in health education, public health, or providing services to those in need.
Nominations are welcome at any time of year. The Award announced as part of the Installation Ceremony in January.
Recipients 2018-present
- 2020 David A. Miller, MD for unwavering commitment to providing medical care to underserved patients through Affinia Healthcare Urgent Care while spearheading clinician activities of its seven community and mobile testing sites for Covid 19.
- 2019 Kanika Turner, MD, for combatting addiction through outreach and education via African American churches, community organizations, schools and women’s shelters. With her help, many have created overdose response plans and now have trained members ready to use the provided naloxone kits. She also collaborates with the Missouri Opioid State Target Response team.
- 2018 Beth Zimmer, M.D., for efforts toward achieving Zero Suicide in our area. Spearheaded the inclusion of a screening tool into the Mercy system-wide electronic medical records, assuring that each patient encounter has an essential mental health component. Likewise, she was instrumental in creating a CME tool on suicide prevention and gives numerous presentations relating her family experience.
No awards were given in 2016 or 2017.
Recipients 2005-2015
- 2015 Grant Hoekzema, M.D., for 15+ years directing the Mercy Family Medicine Residency; and his work nationally on the academic issues and training of future family physicians who will care for patients.
- 2014 Kate Lichtenberg, D.O., for use of communications and media to provide health guidance to the public. For leadership and involvement with industry, government and other medical entities, assuring a family medicine voice was included in decision-making.
- 2013 Darryl Zinck, M.D., for decades of dedicated service serving the uninsured and underinsured at Family Care Health Center; his many years as a preceptor to medical students; and his years of medical outreach to the homeless of St. Louis.
- 2011 Fred Rottnek, M.D., for serving the healthcare needs of juvenile and adult prisoners of St. Louis County; volunteer physician with the St. Louis Area Effort for AIDS; and his direction guiding M1 & 2 gain community service and outreach as part of their education.
- 2010 Lori Utech, M.D., for her leadership in establishing a Saturday morning free clinic providing medical services to unemployed and underserved in the Eureka area.
- 2009 Thomas Kuciejczyk-Kernan, M.D., for being the first family physician at Grace Hill, a federally qualified health clinic; his subsequent 20+ years in serving its uninsured and under-insured patients.
- 2008 John Patrick Stein, M.D., for his role in creating and running Angel Arms. The group enables siblings be raised together in a single foster homes by identifying willing foster parents, providing adequately sized homes and meeting ongoing homecare needs.
- 2007 Jennifer Hayes, M.D., who as a St. Louis University Medical Student, organized a health fair centered on the specific health issues specifically affecting that area of the city. Also establishing inroads with disease-specific entities to screen and address those health issues.
- 2006 Richard O. Schamp, M.D., for creative and devoted work with elderly via the Program of All-Inclusive Care (PACE) program in St. Louis; his leadership nationally with PACE; and work with SLU medical students.
No awards were given in 2005 or 2012.
Recipients 1994-2004
- 2004 David C. Campbell, M.D., M.Ed., for past and present devotion to educating students in family medicine; development of the Institute for Family Medicine and Research; and tireless efforts to move St. Louis County health clinics to adopt a Family Medicine model.
- 2003 Marsha K. Mertens, M.D., for gentle and effective approach to teaching residents; willingness to aid fellow faculty; exemplifying treatment of each patient as an individual; in recognition of 10+ years with SLAFP in promoting specialty.
- 2002 James Lord, M.D., for dedication to teaching residents of family medicine; as a volunteer with La Clinica; and physician to athletes of Missouri Baptist University.
- 2001 Devon Golding, M.D., for ongoing efforts in health education of indigent and underserved; making home visits of the elderly; and providing free healthcare to needy patients.
- 2000 Michael Railey, M.D., for increased visibility and stature of family medicine via 3rd-Yr. Clerkship; visible and active board member of The St. Louis Academy of Family Medicine.
- 1999 Peter Danis, III, M.D., for leadership in financial & personal support of Tar Wars efforts; ongoing community outreach; and fostering physician-student interaction via Family Medicine Interest Group.
- 1998 James Nahlik, M.D., for service as President of the Missouri Academy of Family Practice; active promotion of the Tar Wars education program; a medical student preceptor; and longtime volunteer physician to Boys Scouts of America.
- 1997 Joseph Lauber, M.D., for pioneering the area’s first Family Practice Residency Program at St. John’s Mercy Medical Center.
- 1996 L. Virgil Das, M.D., for care and compassion with indigent patients both locally and internationally (Pakistani clinic).
- 1995 Steven F. Staten, M.D., for care of indigent patients; efforts and activities to educate medical students in family medicine.
- 1994 Nancy Wiegel, M.D., for 10+ years work with indigent patients at the Catherine Kasper Center in East St. Louis.
