Family Physician of the Year - Chris Paynter, DO, FACOFP

Dr. Paynter was honored at a ceremony on January 20 during the 2024 MSACOFP Winter Family Medicine Update. This award recognizes individuals who exemplify the principles of osteopathic family medicine and exhibit outstanding accomplishments for the betterment of the osteopathic profession.

Dr. Paynter is the past president of the Missouri society of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians. He has been a member of this organization since 2008 and a member of the ACOFP since 2012. He was instrumental in bringing student rotations to SSM Health Jefferson City hospital in 2022. He has received several awards including the MSACOFP James A. DiRenna, Sr. appreciation award with SSM Health, the MAOPS professional medallion award, Lincoln University's 40 under 40, Jefferson City Magazine's ones to watch, and SSM Health physician of the year.

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James A. DiRenna Sr., DO Appreciation Award recipient - Ian Fawks, DO, FACOFP 

Dr. Fawks was honored at a ceremony on January 20 during the 2024 MSACOFP Winter Family Medicine Update. This award recognizes organizations or individuals that have shown continued support for the osteopathic profession and family medicine.

Dr. Fawks has served in many roles including medical director at a minimum-security prison, an emergency room physician, a medical director for a nursing home, and a hospitalist. He has also been a field surgeon with the Missouri Army National Guard for nearly 20 years. His current rank is Colonel, and he serves as the state surgeon. Most recently he was appointed as the Army National Guard family medicine consultant to the Surgeon General of the Army National Guard.

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Outstanding Female Leader Award - Laura Hempstead, DO, FACOFP

Dr. Hempstead was honored at a ceremony January 20 during the 2024 MSACOFP Winter Family Medicine Update. This award recognizes female physicians who serve as clinical role models, teachers, highly accomplished professional leaders, and sources of inspiration for women and men in medical training.

Dr. Hempstead has been very active in osteopathic organizations, serving on the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians in-service examination committee as the vice-chair, and as a past president of the MSACOFP, and the Kansas City regional osteopathic medical association. She served as chair of the UMKC clinical competency committee from 2014-2017 and guided the UMKC program as it achieved ACGME osteopathic recognition. Finally, the society bestowed upon her the MSACOFP family physician of the year award in 2011 and the James Direnna, Sr., DO appreciation award in 2020. Her interests include caring for multiple generations within a family medicine practice and fostering the use of osteopathic medical treatment in the clinical practice setting.

Download Dr. Hempstead press release