Family medicine receives university-wide teaching award

More to come A full story featuring the UNMC Department of Family medicine — the recipient of the University-wide Departmental Teaching Award (UDTA) — and its education efforts will be published later this month in UNMC Today.

LINCOLN — The UNMC Department of Family Medicine will receive the university-wide departmental teaching award, University of Nebraska President James B. Milliken announced Monday.

The department will receive the award, called The University-wide Departmental Teaching Award (UDTA), at a ceremony on April 28 in Omaha. The award recognizes a department within the university that has made a unique and significant contribution to teaching.

The honor originated in 1993, and the recipient is selected by a committee of outstanding peers.

“This unique award distinguishes an entire department and the department of family medicine is a well-deserving recipient,” Milliken said. “This department demonstrates commitment to the finest in teaching, as well as commitment to serving the entire state of Nebraska.”

The UNMC Department of Family Medicine is characterized by the excellence demonstrated in a wide range of accomplishments and initiatives. Founded in 1970 shortly after family medicine was accepted as a medical specialty, the UNMC department has its roots in a strong tradition of general practice service and education in Nebraska, and was established as one of the first family medicine residences in the United States.

The department graduated its first class of residents in 1973, and since its inception has graduated 522 family medicine residents and provided instruction to more than 3,000 medical students.

“This unique award distinguishes an entire department and the department of family medicine is a well-deserving recipient. This department demonstrates commitment to the finest in teaching, as well as commitment to serving the entire state of Nebraska.” NU President James B. Milliken

The award nomination states: “The Department of Family Medicine embodies the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s commitment to the 500-mile campus by providing instruction to over 600 pre-medical students, medical students, family medicine residents and participating physicians annually, in multiple venues across the state of Nebraska, the Midwest and beyond. The department maintains clinical instruction sites in more than 40 Nebraska communities.”

The department has an experienced cadre of faculty members with diverse clinical, service and research interests — 46 faculty members as well as 283 volunteer, community physician faculty across Nebraska — ensuring that the department supports the mission of UNMC through excellent educational programs, commitment to education in all areas of Nebraska, and nationally recognized service learning programs to reach patients in greatest need of medical care. Department faculty have taken a lead role in distance learning. They collaborate inside and outside of the university. And they use new technologies and teaching methods, and are constantly evaluating the effectiveness and comprehensiveness of their curriculum.

More than 70 percent of the practicing family physicians in Nebraska — and more than 85 percent of family physicians practicing where there is a shortage of health care — have received part or all of their medical education from this department.

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