Dr. Joseph Florence Receives Prestigious Humanism in Medicine
Award
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Joseph A. Florence IV, M.D., Professor and Director of
Rural Programs with the ETSU Department of Family Medicine, was
honored with the prestigious Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine
Clinical Faculty Award during the Quillen College of Medicine
graduation ceremonies this May.
Sponsored by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation, this award recognizes compassion and sensitivity in interaction with patients and the medical community. Recipients of this award serve as a role model to medical students and colleagues, communicate effectively and respectfully, are approachable and accessible to students, ensure patient comprehension, engender trust and confidence, and adhere to the highest ethical standards in their personal and professional lives. Dr. Florence was nominated for this award by a group comprised of his colleagues, faculty, residents, and students, each who recognized him to be an individual who combines the best of humanism professionalism, and competence. In this nomination, they describe Dr. Florence as “one of those rare physicians that combine clinical competence with deep seated respect for patients, students, residents and colleagues. He brings together expertise in critical care medicine with empathic patient-centered communication.” This nomination addressed Dr. Florence’s gifts as a physician-educator: |
He is an exceptionally strong role model and advocate for all
students, especially those with an interest in rural primary care.
As a preceptor at each of our 3 residency program clinics, Dr.
Florence shares his expertise, rural and clinical, with students
and residents. Not only does he effectively role model the life of
a competent family physician throughout the region and around the
world, he encourages learners at all levels to participate with him
as he provides care to these diverse populations.. For several
years Dr. Florence has taken medical students, nursing students,
and others to Ecuador to participate in the care of people whose
access to medical care is severely restricted. The combinations of
rural track experiences combined with such international efforts
are truly life transforming events for many students. Closer to
home, he accompanies and supervises 6 groups of third year medical
students each year when they provide physical examinations and
other medical services via student conducted rural outreach clinics
to medically underserved populations across Northeast Tennessee and
Southwest Virginia.
One criteria noted for the award is approachability and
accessibility to students. Dr. Florence does not wait for students
to come to him (although he is always available to them); rather he
seeks them out and engages them in a variety of medical and social
events. At the rural outreach clinics, Dr. Florence travels, works,
eats and lives with the students participating in these activities.
Outside the classroom, Dr. Florence opens the doors to his house
several times each year to bring students and faculty together in a
variety of celebrations. Whether it’s the end of semester,
Christmas or the end of the school year, Dr. Florence has created
ceremony and tradition as one of the foundations of a life
dedicated to humanism and professional excellence.”
We at the ETSU Department of Family Medicine are exceptionally
proud of Dr. Florence, and fortunate for him to serve in the
capacity of Director of Rural Programs.