Physician Advocate of the Year Award

The Ohio State Medical Association (OSMA) Physician Advocate of the Year Award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated the ability to effectively advocate at the local, state and/or federal levels on behalf of his/her profession and patients. Physician advocacy plays a crucial role in enhancing the OSMA and the political process. In a society confronted with pressing issues such as affordability and access to health care, physician advocacy is of critical importance. The physician advocate goes beyond their primary role of providing clinical treatment to their patients by advocating for the well being of their profession, patients and communities in which they serve. The OSMA Physician Advocate of the Year Award is presented each year during the OSMA’s Annual Meeting.

2013 physician advocate of the year: Dawn Prall, MD

Dawn Prall, MD is a clinical physician and the Director of Emergency Ultrasound at Mt. Carmel/ St. Ann’s Hospital, Department of EM, and Auxiliary Clinical Assistant Professor at The Ohio State University Department of EM.

Beginning in 2011, Dr. Prall served as a member of the Governor’s Opiate Action Team, as a physician representative of the Ohio State Medical Assoiciation (OSMA) and Ohio ACEP, and on the OSMA prescription drug abuse advisory committee. Her active participation, her professional expertise, her ability to work collaboratively and build relationships with government officials, such as Dr. Ted Wymyslo, and her consistent feedback on behalf of her physician colleagues and the OSMA were instrumental in the adoption of the ED clinical guidelines - which do remain a hallmark as guidelines as other states consider mandates. Dr. Prall has testified before the legislature on Rx abuse, offered CME on the topic of the guidelines, and will soon be hosting a webinar for the Ohio Department of Health on the lessons learned with implementation of the guidelines.

Dr. Prall truly exemplifies the physician who goes beyond the primary role of providing clinical treatment to their patients by advocating for the well being of their profession. And her commitment to the creation of guidelines vs mandates had a definite significant positive impact on her physician colleagues and members of the OSMA and Ohio ACEP.

previous recipients 

2013: Dawn Prall, MD
2012: G Patrick Ecklar, MD