FAMILY PHYSICIAN OF THE YEAR AWARD
The New Jersey Family Physician of the Year embodies the principles of excellence, combined with comprehensive and compassionate care, for which family physicians are known.
To be considered for the Family Physician of the Year Award, a nominee should demonstrate that they:
- Provide their patients with compassionate, comprehensive, and caring family medicine on a continuing basis
- Enhance the quality of their community by being directly and effectively involved in community affairs and activities
- Act as a credible role model professionally and personally in their community, to other health professionals, and residents and medical students.
- Stand out among their colleagues
The recipient of the NJAFP Family Physician of the Year Award is also presented for consideration for the AAFP Family Physician of the Year Award.
- Documents required for submission:
- Name, address and contact information for the family physician being nominated
- Nominee’s Curriculum Vitae
- Nominee’s headshot
- Letter of Nomination from the primary nominating individual
- Two letters of support for the nominee from professional colleagues
- At least one letter of support from a community member describing the physician’s impact in that community
- Any articles written about the nominee’s accomplishments in the last year (printed and/or digital)
To submit a nomination, please contact the NJAFP office at (609)394-1711 or email Candida@njafp.org
2022 NJAFP Family Physician of the Year Awarded to Dr. Josette Palmer
Dr. Josette Palmer receives NJAFP's 2022 Family Physician of the Year Award
Dr. Palmer is the kind of physician New Jersey is desperate to keep: a Jersey-trained, community-based, independent family physician who is passionate about making a difference in her community.
Dr. Palmer has a Master’s in Public Health and did her residency training at Underwood Memorial Hospital. And then Dr. Palmer made the boldest move of all – when many independent practices were selling their practices to large health systems, Dr. Palmer left a health-system-owned group practice in 2016 to start a solo, independent practice in the high-need community of Glassboro. That decision alone is one of the reasons that NJAFP honors her as Family Physician of the Year.
But Dr. Palmer didn’t stop there – in addition to running her own solo practice, she also works with the Gloucester County Department of Health and Human Services to improve health across her community.
When the COVID vaccine mega-sites opened in Gloucester County, Dr. Palmer thought “why can’t I give COVID vaccines in my practice?” So instead of waiting for the vaccines to come to her, she went to the vaccines. She engaged with the mega sites in her community and introduced Governor Murphy to the Rowan mega-site. She worked tirelessly with the mega sites in South Jersey to get as many people vaccinated as possible, including some NJAFP staff members who were eligible but having trouble getting an appointment. She did what she had to do to improve the health of not just her patients, but the community where she lives and works, and THAT is what a family physician does.
Congratulations, Dr. Palmer!