May 26, 2023
On Sunday, April 9, the North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians reached a significant milestone: the 75th Anniversary of our charter as a chapter of what was then the American Academy of General Practice (AAGP). AAGP had been established in the Fall of 1947 and many chapters were chartered in the first six months of 1948.
As we celebrate such a momentous milestone, it is also important that we remember our past, including the leaders who worked so hard to get the NCAFP where we are today. From the five individuals who signed the charter (Dr. John R. Bender, our first President; Dr. Roscoe D. McMillan; Dr. G. Grady Dixon; Dr. Vernon W. Taylor; and Dr. W.E. Selby) to our current President, Shauna Guthrie, MD, MPH. Without the volunteer leadership we have had over the last 75 years, NCAFP would not exist and certainly would not have the political clout we do today.
So, as we celebrate this year, let’s also remember those who came before us.
Unfortunately, we recently lost two of our past presidents — Dr. Hal Stuart (President in 1981-92) passed away on March 24, and Dr. Bob Gwyther (President in 2001-02) passed away on April 8, just the day before our 75th Anniversary. It seems especially appropriate to remember these two leaders as we look back over the last 75 years.
These two family physicians served exactly 20 years apart but held much in common, particularly their love for their profession and for their professional society. The obituary for Dr. Stuart noted that “he served as Scientific Program Chairman, District Director, Vice-President, AAFP Delegate, and President of the North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians and was given the Family Physician of the Year award in 1998.” He was a true pioneer in establishing the specialty of Family Medicine, having opened his practice in Elkin in 1960 while also continuing to make house calls and deliver approximately 4,500 babies. Dr. Stuart also had teaching appointments at both the Bowman Gray School of Medicine (Wake Forest) and the Duke University School of Medicine, particularly mentoring many Wake Forest residents. He was a pillar of his community. To highlight his impact, the nurses at Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital established the Dr. Hal M. Stuart Award in 2006. The award is voted on by the nursing staff each year and awarded to a physician who most clearly exemplifies the values of commitment to service, excellence in patient care, and collaborative teamwork with nursing professionals. Dr. Stuart consistently exemplified all three.
Dr. Robert (Bob) Gwyther took a bit of a different path but had a similar impact, as he served on the faculty of the UNC Department of Family Medicine for nearly 40 years, beginning in 1978. His obituary stated, “Bob was particularly honored to serve as President of the NC Academy of Family Physicians, to help bring The Healer’s Art and Finding Meaning in Medicine curricula to the UNC School of Medicine, to have a resident clinician award established in his name, to practice obstetrics for more than 30 years (longevity which allowed him to attend the births of two generations of some families), and to work with many families struggling with alcohol and other substance use disorders.” Dr. Gwyther was double board-certified in Family Medicine and addiction medicine and spoke widely on addiction treatment. But what he will probably be most remembered for is his mentorship of so many medical students at UNC, the way he imparted wisdom to generations of family physicians.
These two presidents’ impact and careers cannot be summarized in just a few paragraphs. Both touched many lives and left legacies that will live on in those they taught and cared for. While having many differences, they had many similarities: they practiced full-scope Family Medicine, desired to mentor future physicians, and simply loved their profession.
Drs. Stuart and Gwyther are just two of the many leaders whose shoulders we stand on today. There are many who have benefitted our state. There are those like the late Dr. James “Jim” G. Jones, the first Native American graduate of Wake Forest University, who went on to advocate for the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University and became the founding chair of Family Medicine there. There’s Dr. Bill Hedrick, who served patients in the same location in Raleigh for over 60 years (only moving into retirement this year, at the young age of 90). There’s Dr. Doug Henley, who cared for patients outside Fayetteville and also went on to run the American Academy of Family Physicians as the Executive Vice President and CEO for years. There’s Dr. Maureen Murphy, who provided care in Gastonia, Sparta, and Concord during her career but also mentored hundreds of students and residents. There’s Dr. Karen Smith, who now serves on the boards of both the NC Medical Society and the American Academy of Family Physicians. And these leaders are only a very few of the giants who built Family Medicine in North Carolina.
And now, there’s our current President, Dr. Shauna Guthrie, who proves you can truly work in almost any setting — even at the same time. She exemplifies the broad scope of Family Medicine and epitomizes the love of the profession that so many of our past leaders have shown. Just a few years ago, Dr. Guthrie started her own direct primary care practice, Sunflower DPC, in the small town of Henderson. Yet at the same time, she serves as both the Medical Director of her local health district (Granville-Vance Health District), and the Chief Medical Officer for the local hospital, Maria Parham Health. It’s amazing to watch her move seamlessly from the requirements of one of her roles to another, all the while putting her patients and community first.
But that’s why Family Medicine is such a great specialty, unlike any other. It has the breadth that no other specialty can touch. It provides the ability to work in so many different roles. Those who become part of the specialty have hearts like no other physicians. All our past leaders exemplify just that, from 1948 to today.
As we continue to remember our 75 years of history through 2023 (culminating in the ultimate celebration at our annual meeting in December), take a few minutes to remember our past and celebrate our future. Remember to thank the leaders who have led us to where we are today. And if you haven’t already done so, take a minute to walk through some of our history. It lists all our past presidents by decade, providing facts and figures from their year as president. It’s worth a look.
Celebrating and remembering. They’re things we should do every year.
This article appears in the upcoming spring issue of The North Carolina Family Physician. But since this article was printed and shipped, former NCAFP president Dr. James Jones has passed away. We offer our condolences to the Jones family and recommend reading his full obituary, as he was truly a trail-blazing leader for Family Medicine in North Carolina.