Awards

In an effort to recognize the achievements and dedication of our members, the IAFP Board of Directors invites members to honor their peers with the following awards each year.

View a list of past award recipients here.

Family Physician of the Year Award

Purpose of Award: The purpose of the award is to identify and honor a physician each year that exemplifies the tradition of the family physician and the contribution of one family physician to the continuing good health of the citizens of Indiana.

Eligible candidates for this award must:

  1. have maintained membership in good standing with IAFP and AAFP;
  2. have been in practice for at least 10 years;
  3. spend at least 50% of his/her time in patient care;
  4. provide his/her patients with compassionate, comprehensive, and caring family medicine on a continuing basis;
  5. be directly and effectively involved in community affairs and activities that enhance the quality of his/her community;
  6. be a credible role model professionally and personally to his/her community, to other health professionals, and residents and medical students;
  7. be able to effectively represent the specialty of family medicine and the IAFP and AAFP in a public forum;
  8. be in good standing in his/her medical community.

Recommendations regarding the Family Physician of the Year will be made by the Commission on Membership and Communications and sent to the Board of Directors of the IAFP.

The Board of Directors will select a Family Physician of the Year for Indiana and a plaque will be presented to that individual during the Presidents Banquet at the IAFP Annual Convention.

The individual physician selected as Family Physician of the Year will serve as Indiana’s nominee for the AAFP Family Physician of the Year Award for the following year.

Lester D. Bibler Award for Long-Term Service and Leadership

Purpose of Award: The Lester D. Bibler Award is given to an Active member of the Academy who, through long-term dedication and leadership, has furthered the development of family medicine in the State of Indiana.

The award was developed and named in honor of Lester D. Bibler, MD. Doctor Bibler was instrumental in the organization and establishment of the American Academy of Family Physicians (known then as the American Academy of General Practice) and served as the first president of the Indiana Academy of Family Physicians in 1949/50.

Criteria: The recipients of this award are considered to be persons of long-term dedication and leadership.

A. Alan Fischer Award for Outstanding Contributions to Family Medicine Education

Purpose of Award: Established in 1984, the IAFP’s A. Alan Fischer Award is designed to “recognize persons who in the opinion of the Board of Directors of the IAFP have made outstanding contributions to education for family medicine, in undergraduate, graduate and continuing education spheres.” The award was named in honor of Dr. Alan Fischer, a long-time member of the IAFP who actively served both the Indiana Chapter and AAFP. Dr. Fischer established the Department of Family Medicine (Practice) at Indiana University School of Medicine and the I.U. Family Medicine (Practice) Residency Program.

Criteria: The recipients of this award are all considered to be persons who have significantly contributed to family medicine education.

Distinguished Public Service Award for Community or Public Service on a Voluntary and Uncompensated Basis

Purpose of Award: The Distinguished Public Service Award is to be presented to members in good standing who have distinguished him/herself providing a community or public service.

Criteria: The service for which this award is bestowed should have been performed on a voluntary and uncompensated basis and should have benefited the community in an exceptional way. Service must be entirely separate from the candidate’s job responsibility.

Certificate of Commendation 

Purpose of Award: The Jackie Schilling Certificate of Commendation was established to recognize non-physicians who have been deemed to contribute, in a distinguished manner, to the advancement of family medicine in the state of Indiana.

Criteria: The recipients of the award are considered to be persons of repute in many fields, including medical education, government, the arts and journalism. In 1999 the award was named after past IAFP Executive Vice President Jackie Schilling. 

Outstanding Resident Award

Forms and instructions are sent to residency program directors. 

The Nomination Process

Complete the form below, then please email the following to ebohannon@in-afp.org.

  • Current CV of nominee (limit to 3 pages, in Word or PDF format)
  • Recent professional headshot of nominee (in JPEG or similar format)
  • Letters of endorsement from colleagues of the nominee (not required but strongly encouraged)

The submission deadline is Friday, April 1, 2023.

Award recipients will be recognized during the 2023 IAFP Annual Convention in French Lick (July 13-16, 2023).

If you have any questions please contact Emily Bohannon at (317) 237-4237 or email ebohannon@in-afp.org.


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