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2017 South Carolina AHEC Family Medicine Awards

Halford Award for Leadership in Humane Education
Presented to Allan Macdonald, MD


Dr. Gerard Jebaily (left) presents the 2017
Halford Award to Dr. Allan Macdonald

The South Carolina AHEC is pleased to announce that Allan Macdonald, MD, is this year’s recipient of the Halford Award for Leadership in Humane Education.  Dr. Macdonald is the Associate Program Director at the McLeod Family Medicine Residency Program in Florence and is the Director of Operations for the McLeod Family Medicine Center’s clinical functions.
Dr. Macdonald joined the faculty at McLeod after a fifteen-year, full-scope private practice in Seneca. For many years, Dr. Macdonald has served as an advanced life support in obstetrics instructor for the statewide system, encouraging a love for maternity care as he shares his enthusiasm for family medicine.  Dr. Macdonald also facilitates a monthly Family Care Conference, which provides a venue for residents to communicate concerns and share experiences. As one faculty member writes:

Dr. Mac as we call him, resonates humanity in his teaching and leadership of the McLeod Family Medicine Residency Program. In this age of micromanagement and systemized medicine, Dr. Mac reminds his student learners that we must not forget the doctor-patient relationship.  He reminds us that the patient is central to the visit in search of compassion. 
Dr. Macdonald has been selected as Faculty Member of the Year for the McLeod Family Medicine Residency Program and Pee Dee Medical Doctor of the Year through Florence Morning News.  He also volunteers his time at the local Mercy Medicine Clinic and is a leader in his church.    
The Halford Award is presented to a family medicine residency training program faculty member in recognition of outstanding leadership in providing humane education. The award is named for Dr. James Halford, who was the founding director of the AnMed Health Family Medicine Residency Program. Award winners demonstrate a caring attitude and respect for patients, residents and students; value human dignity; and demonstrate a passion and joy for teaching, learning and working with others and participating in community service activities.  According to Dr. Gerard Jebaily, Program Director at McLeod Family Medicine Residency Program, “Jimmy Halford would be proud to know that this award reached out to such a deserving and proud family physician educator whose belief in the family and love for primary care mimicked his own.”  


Ramage Award for Leadership in Humane Education

Presented to Craig Stuck, MD



Dr. Richard Frierson (left) presents the
2017  Ramage Award to Dr. Craig Stuck 
The South Carolina AHEC is pleased to announce that Craig Stuck, MD, is this year’s recipient of the Ramage Award for Leadership in Humane Education. Dr. Stuck serves as the Psychiatry Residency Training Director at Palmetto Health/USC.

Dr. Stuck began his medical career in family medicine, but after spending seven years in Pakistan completing medical mission work, his interactions with patients addicted to heroin fueled his decision to complete a residency in psychiatry. Dr. Stuck has received several awards for his humanitarian contributions and has received the Pediatric Hall of Fame Award from the USC School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics and the Teacher of the Year Award from the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Residency at Palmetto Health/USC. He has been selected as one of the Best Doctors in America multiple times.

Several letters of support noted Dr. Stuck’s compassion as one of his most outstanding attributes. According to Dr. Richard Frierson, Vice Chair of the Department of Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Science:
He embodies the characteristics of a human teacher – he is totally comfortable with his place in the world and uses that confidence to demonstrate, through his teaching and role-modeling to our residents, how to deliver compassionate care to persons with mental illness.  He has the ability to inspire our residents to be the best physicians they can possibly be and it is clear they thrive under his leadership. 

Dr. Stuck has a passion for global mental health and continues medical mission work both in the United States and across the world.  Dr. Stuck also demonstrates how much he values every resident through another passion – baking – preparing homemade dessert for each of the residents on their birthday.  Dr. Stuck is engaged in the community as a presenter for mental health conferences locally, regionally, and nationally.  He is working on ways to incorporate psychiatric care to refugees in the local area and is a leader in his church.  Dr. Stuck is truly an outstanding physician and educator who exemplifies the wonderful characteristics of the Ramage Award: a passion for teaching, the highest respect for human dignity, community service and a truly caring attitude towards all patients. 

The Ramage Award was established by South Carolina AHEC to recognize a deserving faculty member in a specialty other than family medicine. The award is based on a similar award, The Halford Award, which recognizes leadership in humanism in family medicine. Dr. Raymond Ramage was an integral part of the formation of the South Carolina Consortium of Community Teaching Hospitals in 1970 and was a “founding father” of the South Carolina AHEC in 1972.  Dr. Ramage was the former Vice President of Medical Education at the Greenville Hospital System and an ordained Episcopal priest.


Sharm Steadman Excellence in Family Medicine Education Award

Presented to Joseph G. Grace, III, PhD



Spartanburg Family Medicine Residency Program
graduate Dr. M. Katelyn Inge Myers presents the
2017 Sharm Steadman Award to Dr. Joseph G. Grace, III
   
The South Carolina AHEC is pleased to announce that Joseph G. Grace, III, PhD, is this year’s recipient of the Sharm Steadman Excellence in Family Medicine Education Award.  Dr. Grace has been a committed faculty member of the Spartanburg Family Medicine Residency Program for almost 40 years where he has served as a valued educator, resource, and colleague.  Dr. Grace is a licensed clinical psychologist and full-time faculty at Spartanburg Family Medicine Residency Program where he serves as the Director of the Behavior Science Curriculum and an Assistant Professor of Medical Education for the program. 

Dr. Grace has dedicated his career to ensuring that graduates are well-trained and competent to care for patients with mental health disorders and also demonstrates care for the psychological well-being of the residents.  One resident writes:
As you know, residency can be very challenging in a variety of ways and there has been many a night that Dr. Grace stayed late to help a resident in need, coaching them through difficult personal interactions at work or home, giving tips on how to approach challenging patients in the clinic and even helping residents process the emotional burden of losing a patient. 

Dr. Grace has assisted with the training of over 250 family physicians over the years who carry the lessons learned from him into their practices.  Dr. Grace is active in the community through lectures to medical students at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine – Carolinas Campus and as a guest lecturer in the community as part of an educational series sponsored by Mental Health America of Spartanburg County. 

The Sharm Steadman Excellence in Family Medicine Education Award is given to a non-physician member of the faculty of a South Carolina family medicine residency program who has distinguished him/herself as an outstanding teacher and role model. The award is named for Sharm Steadman, PharmD, who was a professor with the USC Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, where she practiced for 25 years. Dr. Steadman received this award herself in 2012 as she represented exactly what this award was created to recognize:  excellence in resident education, with demonstrated skills in teaching, curriculum development, mentoring, research, and leadership. 

Congratulations to all three award recipients and thank you for your excellence in preparing the next generation of family medicine physicians!

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