Farmville family physician and educator awarded prestigious teaching honor

By Anne Buckley and Sondra Goodman

Farmville, Va. physician Mark H. Ryan, M.D., is among a select group of physicians honored by the American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation for his commitment to education in the field of family medicine.

Ryan was selected to receive the 2007 Pfizer Teacher Development Award based on his scholastic achievement, leadership qualities and dedication to family medicine. The $1,500 award, supported by Pfizer Medical Humanities Initiatives, recognizes community-based physicians who have chosen to teach family medicine on a part-time basis. Ryan serves as a family medicine preceptor in the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine's Department of Family Medicine.

The award provides funding for each recipient to attend a seminar, workshop or fellowship to further his or her development and teaching skills.

"As past recipient of the Teacher Development Award, I am pleased that Pfizer continues to make awards available to our members," said AAFP/F President Jerry P. Rogers, M.D. "This program recognizes dedication to mentorship among family physicians such as Dr. Ryan."

Ryan received his medical degree from VCU and completed his residency with VCU Blackstone Family Medicine Residency Program. He will be recognized for this achievement during a ceremony at VCU in February.

In addition to teaching family medicine part-time, Ryan practices at VCU's Hayes E. Willis Health Center, a community health center in Richmond. He began working at this position in August 2007 with a desire to increase his work with Spanish-speaking patients. Prior to this, Ryan worked at Satori Medical Center in rural Keysville, Va. He says that his objective as a family physician is "to provide comprehensive medical care to underserved communities, and to extend medical care to underserved communities in foreign nations."

In other activities, Ryan has served on the board of directors for Piedmont HIV/AIDS Services and Education; assisted with medical evaluations for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees challenging their detention and participated in multiple medical relief trips, including leading two to improve health care in the Dominican Republic. He currently serves as the medical director for William and Mary Medical Missions Corps and is a co-founder and board member for the Dominican Aid Society of Virginia.