Granite Falls MN rural FP doc is AAFP doc of the year

Congratulations to Darrell Carter, M.D. from West Central Tribune, Willmar MN see this at http://www.unmc.edu/Community/ruralmeded/RuralCommunity/rural_doc_award.htm

Education:       Carter said that his parents taught him and his brother the importance of working hard and the supremacy of education.

Confidence:      He was unsure how he would fare after leaving Ada as valedictorian and did well, graduating in the top 10 from UMN. Now he is one of only a dozen or so in the United States with such a high award.

"It's very rewarding, but humble feeling to realize you've been selected."

Career Goal:    His address will be a chance to celebrate rural family practice. That's despite what he had been told when making known his goals when entering medical school in 1967. He was warned that he would never amount to anything as a rural FP. At the time, Dr. Carter said family practice was not encouraged, and rural medicine even less so.

Why Rural Practice?   Dr. Carter said the opportunity to know his patients as friends and neighbors, and share in their life journeys is part of what makes rural family practice so special.

"Where else but in family medicine could we have so many opportunities to stretch the limits of our talents in the service to others."

He has turned down teaching opps to remain 30 years in rural practice and has no regrets, "It's made it possible for me to grow."

From interview and article by Tom Cherveny, Staff Writer, October 15, 2002, West Central Tribune