Family Medicine History

The House Bill 474 is passed by Ohio's 110th General Assembly to create departments of family medicine in Ohio's colleges and universities, which had medical schools.

Academic family medicine is initiated at The Ohio State University as a division of the Department of Preventive Medicine. Tennyson Williams, MD, is recruited from private practice and appointed professor and chair.

The Department of Family and Community Medicine received full accreditation for its Family Practice Residency Program, the first university-based family practice residency program in Ohio.

The Department of Family and Community Medicine is established as an independent academic department within The Ohio State University College of Medicine. The Department of Family and Community Medicine begins offering elective, third-year and fourth-year medical student rotations.

The Physical Examination course is developed and implemented for all Independent Study Pathway students (now also offered to all Problem-based Learning Pathway students). The Department of Family and Community Medicine establishes a fellowship program to train future family physician academicians.

The Department of Family and Community Medicine establishes the International Fellowship Program.

The Department of Family and Community Medicine’s third-year medical student clerkship is made a requirement for all medical students by the college’s Executive Curriculum Committee.

The Department of Family and Community Medicine establishes the East Central HIV/AIDS Education and Training Center (ECAETC) serving Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky and Tennessee.

John A. Lombardo, MD, is appointed professor and chair of the Department of Family and Community Medicine. He initiates sports medicine as a major clinical emphasis of the department.

Sports medicine is established in the Department of Family and Community Medicine in conjunction with the Department of Orthopaedics. The Center of Sports Medicine is established with a primary responsibility to care for over 800 Division I NCAA athletes participating in 36 varsity teams at The Ohio State University. Sports medicine care is provided at practice sessions and sporting events, through training room supervision, and as necessary, through hospital care.

The Rardin Family Practice Center opens. The center is named to honor Thomas E. Rardin, MD, one of the leaders in Ohio who helped establish family practice nationally as a recognized medical specialty.

Glen F. Aukerman, MD, is appointed professor and chair of the Department of Family and Community Medicine. He expands the Department of Family and Community Medicine’s clinical presence to several locations throughout central Ohio.

The Ohio State University Family and Community Medicine Rural Residency Track is established. It is one of less than 30 unique rural training track graduate medical education programs across the country, and the first "2-2-2" integrated RTT.  Since June 2000, the program has graduated numerous physicians, all of whom are serving in rural or underserved communities.

Mary Jo Welker, MD, is appointed professor and chair of the Department of Family and Community Medicine. She brings balanced emphasis to what it means for The Ohio State University Department of Family and Community Medicine to be part of a major land grant institution.

The Department of Family and Community Medicine establishes interdisciplinary Ohio State Primary Care Academic Institute.

The Department of Family and Community Medicine launches a pilot initiative, the computer-based Interactive Guide to Physical Examination for second-year students. This web-based technology is recognized for revolutionizing medical education. 

The Department of Family and Community Medicine introduces the Urban Family Medicine Track to its residency program. The new program aims to address the needs of urban communities that have barriers to quality healthcare. This is one of the first programs of its kind in the United States to gear resources specifically for an urban population.

The Department of Family and Community Medicine introduces the Academic Medicine Track to its residency program. The new program prepares family practice residents for a career in academic family medicine, with a focus on teaching, leadership, scholarship and research.

Integrative medicine established in the Department of Family and Community Medicine with the Center of Integrative Medicine opened to offer healthcare services and education not often found in traditional Western medical centers. The Center incorporates the art and science of caring for the whole person – body, mind and spirit – to treat and prevent disease, encouraging patients to create a condition of optimal health and providing an evidence-based, patient-centered approach to holistic health care.

MedShow goes live! An internet portal designed to reach today’s youth and the public to increase awareness of the essential need for family physicians. Also used to promote family medicine to premedical and medical students. Created through a partnership of 2Under Entertainment and the Ohio State Department of Family and Community Medicine, founding collaborators include The Ohio State University Medical Center, the Ohio Academy of Family Physicians and the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Electronic Medical Record (EMR) implemented in all family medicine practice sites as a lead to implementation of outpatient EMR system in all ambulatory sites of other specialties at the medical center.

Dr. Randy Longenecker, clinical professor of family medicine, receives the 2009 American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) Exemplary Teaching Award.

Dr. Tom Best, Pomerene Chair of Primary Care and director of sports medicine, installed as president of the American College of Sports Medicine. The college is the largest sports medicine and exercise science association in the world representing more than 35,000 members and certified professionals in a variety of medical specialties, allied health and scientific disciplines. 

Dr. Randy Longenecker, clinical professor of family medicine, receives the 2011 Society of Teachers of Family Medicine Excellence in Education Award.

Seven Department of Family and Community Medicine practice centers each recognized by National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) as a Level 3 Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH), the highest ranking that can be achieved. This achievement has major implications for patient care, education and training for medical students and family medicine residents, and related research and scholarship.

Dr. Fred Miser, Professor of family medicine, receives the 2013 American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) Exemplary Teaching Award.

Seven Department of Family and Community Medicine practice centers recertified by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) as a Level 3 Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH), the highest ranking that can be achieved. This achievement has major implications for patient care, education and training for medical students and family medicine residents, and related research and scholarship.

Dr. Mary Jo Welker, Professor and Chair of family medicine and Associate Dean for primary care, was recently named the 2015 Ohio Family Physician of the Year.

Dr. James Borchers has been named as the head team physician and director of medical services for The Ohio State Department of Athletics.

We are thrilled to share that Dr. Fred Miser, MD, MA, professor and Family Medicine Residency Program director, was recently chosen as the president-elect of the Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors (AFMRD).  Dr. Miser was elected at the Program Directors meeting held in Kansas City in March 2017.

We are thrilled to share that Dr. Donald Mack MD, FAAFP, AGSF, CMD, was installed on August 12 as your new Ohio Academy of Family Physicians president.

The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities has awarded a five-year grant of $2.2M for research in translational candidate-gene studies of simvastatin-induced myopathy in African Americans. Leon McDougle, MD, MPH, professor of Family Medicine, is the co-investigator.

With great pleasure Dr. Milisa Rizer received the 2018 Physician of the Year award from EPIC during the Expert User Group (XGM) Meeting on May 1, 2018.  She was recognized for outstanding contributions to EPIC and the improvement of the EMR. She was also noted to be the first woman to win this award.

2019

Dr. Leon McDougle was elected to serve as President-elect for the National Medical Association. He will transition to become the 121st President during the NMA Convention & Scientific Assembly that convenes in Atlanta August 1-5, 2020.

A huge congratulations to our very own Dr. Fred Miser for making the Dean's List for his appointment as Chair of the Council of Academic Family Medicine.